Foto Friday - Black and White

Wow, where did the week go? I don't know about you but we started
back to school on Monday. Back to school, and straight into homework and football
practice and late dinners. But that means my house is pretty quiet during the day,
something I haven't had in a while. Unfortunately I haven't been able to utilize that quietness
as I have been busy "boostering" the boys athletic club!! But, and drum roll please . . .
the hard work we have put into it in the last two weeks has paid off. We have raised nearly
$2,500 towards one of our goals of a new weight room  - that's half way and I can't tell you how
excited I am about that. I am so thankful to the parents that are committed to making this work
because there is just nothing better than helping OUR children, all of them, be all they can be!!

Okay, on to foto Friday. Once again, I've had a little trouble getting out with my camera.
I did manage to get a few photos this week, but decided to explore some old photos and turn them
into a black and white study. Well, I didn't really do a black and white study but I did manage to put
a little thought into it.

I wish I would have given myself more time to think about this and to search for just the right photos
because the more I looked through my photos the more thoughtful I became about what I was seeing.
I am a person who is very moved by color and while the world is in living color (some amazing ones
at that), black and white images allow you to see what you might otherwise miss. They can be more
thought provoking, with contrast and dramatic effect allowing us to see the soul of the subject.

When we make a photograph without color it can perhaps change our perception because we are no
longer distracted from the color. Suddenly shapes and lines, light and shadows are more evident. Sometimes
patterns and textures pop and are just more interesting. I think deciding to make an image black and white is really subjective depending on what one is trying to convey to the viewer or based on what is felt at the time. 

I don't know about you but I have always loved to go back and look at old black and white photos. Sometimes a monochromatic image can give a sense of history and time.

In this photo of the farm, most of the color was the green corn. The barn is white with a green roof and the silos are silver. It was a rather boring picture. But in black and white there is now a lot of texture and pattern and even shadows that might have been missed if it were in color.

This one didn't have a lot of color to start with as it was a very foggy morning, but in complete

monochrome it allowed the sun and reflection to be center with no distractions from tiny bits of color.

This also didn't have much color, but in black and white there is much more contrast.

And then there is this photo which I quite like both ways. In color there was a soft

golden light off the ceiling and the archways were a burnt umber and yellow. But I love the arches

and how they pop in this black and white. I also love the light coming in on the left.

With this one my eye was drawn to the wall when it was in color and now is more directed

towards the light in the doorway - perhaps there is a story in the other room?

Love this in black and white - just very bold and dramatic!

The butterfly is mostly orange while the flowers are yellow. Making this a black and white gave more contrast between the flower and the butterfly, allowing for the pattern of the wings and his eyes to really stand out.

This passion flower has some beautiful shades of purple but just look at the textures that stand out

in black and white.

This is one where I could have gone either way too. Some of the background blur (bokeh) is green and

so turning this into a monochrome gave it a unified feeling.

Linking this photo with the bokeh challenge at LEM and foto friday at la-la's home daycare.

And who knew a weed could look so beautiful!! I captured this early in the morning

while there was still dew on the leaves. The water drops sure have a nice round shape - I think it's because the leaves on these weeds are quite textured creating a lot of surface tension for the water? Again, love this in black and white - it feels calmer than the one in color where the leaves are a bright green.

Linking this photo with favorite photo of the week contest at through a photographers eyes, and

fabulous friday with mcdougall photography.

While images can be black and white, without color and for the purpose of art and interpretation,

there are people who live their life in black and white and are missing out on so much of the color of life.

Between color and black and white is a grey area. It's where compromise and the shades of

good and bad, right and wrong live. It's between yielding and rigid and is where I believe adventure is found.

The journey of meeting color and black and white in the middle.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love, Kim

XO

Linking up with the hollie rogue for foto friday

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