Week 27 ~ Black and White

 

 A few weeks ago I ordered a book on the photography of Berenice Abbott and it arrived earlier this week. I'm looking forward to reading more about her, her story and to learn a little more about her photography, style and influences. So this week, I was inspired by her style of no-nonsense portraits and have tried to channel her in creating this self-portrait.

I look at some of her portraits and I'm left with lots of questions - why has she posed that person to gaze out of the frame, and this one instead to glare directly at the camera; many of the poses seem uncomfortable rather than relaxed, they are unusually cropped, and unconventional, so it leaves you with a feeling of tension - hence the questions. I hope that I have conveyed some of this tension with my example this week, and I thought it fitting that the theme this week should be Black and White.

Now, you would never know that the hat I am wearing - a gift from a dear friend - doesn't match the colour of the coat. Tee hee! Black and White photography is very forgiving of mismatched colours.

And in other news this week, one of my images was featured in the new Photographers Connection website Blog! Yeh!

I'm Sorry, But What Season is This?

I'm a little confused. My calendar tells me that this is mid October, yet I'm still wearing winter woollies. Normally at this time of year, I would expect soaring blue skies and temperatures in the low to mid 20's. Yet today, like many days this week and last week and the week before, the temperature struggles to get to 20 degrees and it's bleak and dreary.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the mist and fog, but it does get a little tedious. I can really only recall a couple of fine Spring days so far this season, the rest really have been quite blergh. This afternoon I ventured out and about and went for a bit of a bush walk. There are only so many hours you can spend indoors.

I used the Lensbaby Composer with f5.6 aperture disk then converted to black and white in PS. The abstract colour images were various grasses and bushland, and the effect was achieved in-camera.

I hope that wherever you are in the world, your weather is a little brighter, sunnier and cheerier than the weather I'm currently experiencing.

 

   

   

   

   
 
   

   

   

   

 

Feature Monday

A great retro feel to this image - I'm either waiting in a 1950's hairdressing salon, or I could be at a country RSL club waiting for the weekly dance to start.

"so uncool it's cool..." by elliewinds

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This image has the ability to transport me to another time and another place...

"Jam" by Jules Campbell

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This certainly has "wow" factor - look at the windows, the bricks and compare that to the lettering...just how big and bld is that building???

"B who U R" by Dana DiPasquale

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There's something quite beautiful in seeing an artist give their all and enjoy their craft.

"Let it wash over you" by Caroline Gorka

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An image exuding new life, new beginnings, new growth and let life take you where it will.

"Meandering" by Tamara Mason

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Sometimes in life, standing on the sidelines and watching the world go by gives you the space to think and reflect on what life can offer you and just how much you want to get out of it.

"Contemplation" by Debbie Black