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Since participating in Otto Münchow’s online workshop, Finding Your Photographic Voice, I’ve unearthed more than a voice. I found my vision, as well. Or at least I’ve scraped a pin prick of scum off my eyeballs. I used to resort to black and white post-production to bolster inferior color shots. For the first time in my life, I find myself pre-visualizing in black and white or a sepia-tint.
New Mexico is a fabulous place to meander with a camera smashed to your face. There is plenty of gorgeous color, but for some reason black and white imagery crept into my imagination. Perhaps I was channeling Mr. Adams. Thank you, Ansel, for the magnificent inspiration. Now, if I could refine my technique and execute the crisp images my mind sees . . .
Much of the adobe in New Mexico resembles my face after a severe sunburn, peeling and revealing.
The lovely Sangre de Christo Mountains. (Blood of Christ)
Rio Grande Gorge Bridge northwest of Taos; Sangre De Christo’s in the distance.
Keeper of secrets; Questa, New Mexico
Santa Fe
Santa Fe
San Francisco de Asis Church; Immortalized many times over by Georgia O’Keefe, Ansel Adams, and Willa Cather. Taos
Rangewriter 
Great light and contrast, especially in the last one. What a super shot!
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Thanks, Highland. I’m glad you like it.
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Striking shots indeed! They remind me of my very earliest days of taking photos.
When I studied graphic design in the 1960s, part of our course was photography. We began with black and white, which predominated in the printed media and even on TV. We were taught to look at objects more as shapes in various tones of grey. The exercises became exercises in light and dark, as much as anything, and helped us learn more about compostion by making us aware of the edges of the camera’s frame, and not only the centre of focus, which is the mistake most people make even today.
If not exactly cheating, It was considered defeatist to have to recompose a picture in the darkroom by cutting it to create the aesthetic balance missing in the original. I still stick to that basic rule, most of the time, though I cut all the time for photos I use in design.
These photos show a great awareness of composition and tonal quality, though I think there´s something to be learned in the contrast department, as there is a flatness about some of them, and perhaps they are a touch too dark, in my opinion. And it is only my opinion.
One of the ways we did adjust the photos back in the lab was by using different papers. Harder papers produced more contrast and softer papers produced less, as exposure wasn’t the exacting science it is today. We also learned other techniques to compensate for under and over-exposure. There were also different speed films and a variety of filters to be used, though few students could afford all that was needed.
I hope you don’t take offence to my comments, as I really like the photos very much, as I do most of your work. And, as far as flatness is concerned, I’m thinking more of the one entitled ‘Keeper of secrets; Questa, New Mexico’, which I think could do with rather more contrast.
I look forward to seeing more of your step into the world of black and white photgraphy.
Thanks for letting me share your world.
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Bryan, offended? Oh my no! I greatly appreciate your detailed comments and perspective. I am trying to improve so I’m hungry for guidance. I am aware of the pride of composing in the viewfinder rather than in the darkroom. Sometimes equipment and physical obstacles make it difficult to pull this off and then I’m happy to be able to crop. But I am just learning to be more aware of the edges of the viewfinder. I have a horrible problem getting level horizons and I’m trying to do a better job with that as well. I wondered if maybe my tonality was a bit too dark. I don’t know if there are any guidelines or rules of thumb about finding the best compromise between light and dark.And I’m glad you singled out Questa. I kept looking at that one thinking there was something wrong, but not quite able to figure out what the problem was. I was trying to highlight the old paint, but I see know that it’s lost it’s depth and contrast.
Again,thank you very much for sharing your vast knowledge and experience with a neophyte.
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Marvelous. One can see details in black and white that get missed in color. I am a fan of Ansel Adams myself.
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I wonder how many people Ansel Adams has inspired. His dedication made a difference.
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Have mentioned this before…Taos and surrounding area…favourite places in all the world. Your photos evoke fond fond memories of “I could live here.” Thank you. R.
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Thanks, Jots. I came away longing to return!
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I love these shots. I was unexpectedly awed by the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge when I was out that way a couple of years ago. Was it crazy windy on the bridge when you were there?
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Yes. It was crazy windy. The bonus is that we saw mountain ship in the canyon below the bridge. And yes, it is an unexpected jolt. In that part of the country, canyons like the Rio Grande are surprising jolts because there is no preparation. Suddenly there’s a chasm before you. And this bridge…well at the right time of day, it’s pretty cool.
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the final image is my favorite.. i love the strong shadows and contrasts.
it’s been great having a few days in the city where i have more time online! am heading home to the river this afternoon.
z
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Thanks, Z. I was pretty happy with the last one too. Enjoy your blissful home.
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Although I love colour, i really like B/W for how it focuses your eye on the other elements of design such as perspective, line, texture, shape etc.I love the details of the bricks and the upper windows in that old house though curious how it would look at other times of day with how the shadows fall.The one of the mountains and sky are moody, I like the lighting and the lines of the mountains and clouds compliment each other..The churchyard stands out to me, the contrast is there but more subtle. The lines, shapes and texture in the window and wall of the first one are my favourite. I think you have some fine work here, and glad you are enjoying the journey.
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Thanks for really looking, Heartsong. Yes, the windows of the house intrigued me. Now, since Bryan kindly pointed it out, I see that I probably should have brightened that one up a bit. I think sometimes my monitor fools me. Or, maybe it’s just my fool’s eyes. 😉
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I find that I end up critiquing a photo when someone talks about really seeing and then I really look. It is a good exercise for me. We all learn from each other.I know you can get montor calibers but another expense for me, my prints that I print or get done at a reputable processor are darker than what I see on my monitor so I try to lighten them a half stop before sending them in.
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Seriously, Linda, did you really shoot and develop these photos? I’ve seen many of Ansell Adams originals, even owned a couple ’til divorce took them away, and of course seen several of his great presentations in books and galleries, including his home and store in Yosemite, and your photos definitely remind me of his work. I’m impressed!!!
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Oh golly, that is kind of you to say. I’m afraid poor ol’ Ansel would shudder over the comparison, but I’m truly flattered. I’ve been exposed to (no pun intended) a couple of originals myself. But like you, they didn’t come with me. Of course, they weren’t mine to begin with…
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Love the contrasts in the shot of the bridge! I had to enlarge the shot of the tree surrounded by tables and chairs to figure out what kind of “dog” were up in the tree. Amazed when I discovered it was a building in the background!! LOL!
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How funny! I just enlarged it to see what got your attention and realized that the corner of the building in the background looks a little like a giant mooning the tree. Ooops. Thanks. 😉
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One more comment. One of Ansell Adams greatest and best known works, “Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico,”? Well, I actually owned it for a while – sigh, it was even signed. Anyway, as you indicate in your post, New Mexico is made for black and white photography. Ansell Adams would agree – so go back again and again. If you do, I’ll even let you camp out on the one acre of land (near Socorro) I owned for 40 years until i gave it to my daughter – I’m sure, though, she’d let you set up camp there if you ever want to really rough it among the rattlers.
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Oh….thanks. I’ll file that info away for the future. Yeah, I had moonrise on my mind…. The originals I woke up to every morning for 16 years were of a trees along the Merced River. Not nearly as famous as Moonrise, but splendidly shot and processed.
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Wonderful New Mexico in B&W. All of them have a to story to tell.
Great work. 🙂
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Thanks, Nandini. Now, if I could just come up with the stories…..;-}
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I think my favourite is the courtyard with the tree.
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Meditative and peaceful, That’s the feeling I get from that one. I think that describes your personality. ?
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So great to see that you are continuing your black and white approach – and now even previsualizing in monochromatically. And it’s great to see the result. You have captured some lovely images here. It’s hard to pick a favourite; they are all so beautiful.
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Thank you Otto. I take your praise to heart and hold it there for future inspiration.
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Oh my, these are absolutely stunning, Linda. My favourite is the tree surrounded by chairs, the contrast is simply amazing. And as always, I am swept away by your words as well. Where others would walk around with a camera in front of their eyes, you “meander with a camera smashed to your face”. There is so much I can learn from you!
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Sandra, I love how you catch my most flippant remarks and elevate them to the podium of creativity…which I never see in my own words. Thank you for being such a remarkable cheerleader. I think you picked the most serene image as your favorite. It has contrast, but I think it also suggests a sort of meditative atmosphere. Thanks again for being such a wonderful blog buddy.
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I’m particularly liking the contrast on the last photo.
I’ve always had a preference for monochrome photos. A long-time enthusiast (I say this because he’s been taking photos before the dawn of the DSLR) once said that with B/W, you capture the soul of the subject. I think he may have been right.
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You know, I think the monochrome experience takes a certain amount of maturity to be fully appreciated. It’s easy to be dazzled by the eye candy of richly saturated color images. But I find myself looking much longer at the monochromatics…maybe searching for the soul.
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