black and white

Photography: A Pathway to Creativity

Jeff

It is hard to explain how fascinating and interesting photography is for me. I have discovered that it is one of the most flexible creative outlets. Most people I meet don’t appreciate the depth and variety of photography and related graphic art forms. For now, let’s not discuss whether or not photography is a true art. In my opinion it is!

This is a photograph I took at Europa Point in Gibraltar. It was a beautiful clear day with one of the bluest skies I have seen. On a day such as this, onlookers can see Morocco across the Mediterranean Sea. It is the closest point between Europe and Africa.

The lighthouse juxtaposes beautifully against the surroundings of the ultra blue sky and Mediterranean Sea. I find it very striking.



The above photo stands alone as a nice rendition of the scene, but perhaps it would be even better if rendered more like a line art painting or drawing.



There is software available the allows the photographer to express his or her artistic vision in a variety of graphic formats. This is a hybrid of photography and painting albeit via digital manipulation.

Perhaps the artist’s real concept of the scene lends itself more to a watercolor.



The landscape has such contrasting colors of lights and darks. Would a black and white interpretation be interesting?



With a bit more training and skill, the photographer can add a slightly different yet compelling artistic vision of the lighthouse.



I have tried to explain how photography has opened my creative flow and I believe it can do the same for others. If you are trying to find a tool to unleash your imaginative powers and that can develop into a passion, you might want to pick up a camera and start creating!



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NOTES:
One of the beautiful aspects of digital photography is that the photographer can see the results very quickly. There is no film to send to the developers. A version can be seen on the camera’s LCD immediately (in most cases) and a true rendition later on a computer.

Once I retired, I began to apply myself to photography. It has always been of interest to me and now it has grown into a serious hobby. I am not a professional, just a photography enthusiast.

So…where is Gibraltar and Morocco?



Map Via

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Metadata

Original Photo

File Name: 000029_Europa Point Lighthouse, Gibraltar_0971.tif
Capture time: 12:30 PM
Capture date: May 14, 2018
Exposure: 1/350 sec @ f/5.6
Focal Length: 44mm
ISO: 200
Fujifilm X-T2
18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS

Edited in Lightroom & Photoshop

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Check out Jeff’s Instagram account for more interesting photos!

Read more photography posts HERE


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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged #please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross 2014 – 2020 JBRish.com



Photography: My Shot – Yaquina Head Lighthouse

Jeff

While hiking down the coast of Oregon, we enjoyed visiting a number of lighthouses along the picturesque coastline. A challenge photographers face when they arrive at such an area is that many other people want to enjoy the same view and that is a good thing!

The issue is how to capture a picture with as few distracting elements as possible. There have been several times when I have been at a prominent place in a national park where the scene was spectacular, but in the field of view there was a couple having lunch or a snack wearing bright orange or luminescent green garments.

Obviously this can be addressed by waiting for the people to move or fix it in post processing. In the picture below, there were a number of people, cars, RVs, etc.(middle right) that would prove problematic for the composition for reasons mentioned above. Rather than work on each piece in Photoshop, I decided to use a toned, black and white image (duotone) to maintain the focus on the distant lighthouse.

I hope it works as I thought it would!


Yaquina Head Lightouhse & Naural Area, Newport

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Metadata

File Name: oregon_coast_XT2A0212.RAF
Capture time: Sept. 11, 2017
Exposure: 1/30 sec @ f/13
Focal Length: 28.9mm
ISO: 200
Camera: Fuji X-T2
Lens: XF18-55mm, F2.8-4 R LM OIS

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See Jeff’s other photographs on Instagram


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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross – 2018 – JBRish.com



Photography: Shadow and Light: Mostly Black and White

Jeff

I have always appreciated and enjoyed the play of light and shadow especially when they create fascinating patterns. While visting my eye doctor for a routine exam during an early spring morning in the Phoenix, I was intrigued by the interesting patterns I found and how they would look once rendered in black and white.

I didn’t have my camera with me during the visit, but with smartphones nowadays most people have access to a camera and that is what I used. This project was not planned ahead of time. I became enchanted with the colors and shadows in and around the office and was inspired to capture these photos.

The images below were converted to black and white with other enhancements in Adobe Lightroom.


The Ophthalmic mirror

The Ophthalmic mirror for projecting the eye chart


pholstered red corner chair

An upholstered corner chair for a patient’s relative or friend


Two mirrors used by eye doctors

Most eye doctor’s use two mirrors to project the eye chart because rooms are usually too small for ideal projection of the image otherwise


Strong shadows cast by the building's architecture

The building’s architecture created amazing displays of light and shadow…and those lines


Mysterious display of light and shadow

An alcove by the lower entrance mysterious enough for a Raymond Chandler novel


Yellow-Throated Gilia wildflower

A variation on a theme with a bit of color added to a window view of the shade structure

 

That’s the beauty of photography, anyone with the ability to capture an image can find inspiration and creativity wherever they go. If you are a regular reader of JBRish.com, you know I enjoy quotes. Perhaps enjoy is too mild a term, but quotes are a big part of my creative process. So I will leave you with this:

“There is only you and your camera. The limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are.” ― Ernst Haas

Read more photography posts HERE


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All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross – 2018 – JBRish.com



El Capitan Photographed Looking Into the Sun – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 290

Jeff

El Capitan from the Four Mile Trail

El Capitan from the Four Mile Trail

After leaving Glacier Point, we decided to hike the Four Mile Trail down to the Valley. It was already mid-afternoon and the sun would be intense as we were hiking westward.

Taking pictures into the sun was tricky. The photograph above was taken with my “least advanced” and presumably “less capable” camera. The Canon AS 590 IS which is ancient in relationship to current point-and-shoot standards.

While the picture is good for a record of the trip, much of the detail is gone and or washed out. To salvage the picture and make it a bit more artistic in nature, I converted it to black and white.

Which version do you like better; the black and white or the color version? Leave your remarks in the comment section.

El Capitan in Black and White

El Capitan in black and white

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 290 YOY – Year of Yosemite

File Name: IMG_3516.JPG
Capture time: 4:45:33 PM
Capture date: June 6, 2016
Exposure: 1/1000 sec @ f/4.5
Focal Length: 5.8mm
ISO 80
Canon PowerShot A590 IS

 

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 56 (Half Dome in Black and White)

Jeff

Half Dome rendered in black and whiteHalf Dome as seen from the Olmsted Point parking area

As stated in prior posts, Half Dome, the icon of Yosemite National Park, peeks out from many vantage points . This was initially a color photo, but because of the lighting and the lack of clouds in the sky, the picture appeared too flat. I believe the black and white rendition presents it more accurately; amazing!

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 56 YOY – Year of Yosemite

File Name: 0300.CR2
Capture time: 9:49:39 AM
Capture date: June 7, 2016
Exposure: 1/500 sec @ f/5.6
Focal Length: 18mm
ISO 100
Canon SX50 HS

Photography – Grand Teton National Park, Cascade Canyon (B&W)

Jeff


As most of JBRish readers know, I am an amateur photographer. I have explained my photography philosophy on my blog before, but let it suffice to say that I am an “opportunistic” photographer. I do not wait for a scene to unfold, but I capture those scenes before me that resonate in some way.

As an enthusiastic hobbyist, I am trying to learn to use Adboe’s Lightroom and some associated ad ons. I have only begun this journey so if you find that my submissions via this website are lacking, kindly understand that I am learning along the way.

Below is a picture of some of the mountains we encountered while hiking the Grand Teton National Park’s Cascade Trail. The day was overcast with very little color, but when converted to black and white, I think the picture has a special quality. What do you think? Leave any suggestions, remarks, etc. in the comment section below.


Grand Teton National Park, Cascade Canyon Trail
“Black and white rendition of a portion the Grand Teton National Park’s Cascade Trail”

Meta Data – Grand Teton National Park, Cascade Canyon (B&W)

File Name: 1297.CR2
Capture time: 11:10:13 AM
Capture date: August 24, 2014
Exposure: 1/400 sec @ f/7.1
Focal Length: 16mm
ISO 125

See more of Jeff’s photography on Instagram

Other photography posts can be found HERE as well!

Black and White Photos Can Have More Impact Than Color

Jeff

Street Photographer Valerie Jardin explains why she sometimes elects to use black and white photography rather than color in certain situations.

An excellent example she provides in the video is the shot below:

Man on the corner

Photo Courtesy of Screen Shot from YouTube Video linked below.

In this black and white version, the viewer’s eye is drawn immediately to the man on the corner. In her video, she shows the color version which tends to draw the viewer’s eye away from the main subject and to the colorful sign.

Watch the video to get a complete explanation:

Valerie’s website: http://valeriejardinphotography.com