May’s Photography Theme Image Round Up
Light Vs Dark
In May the Photographic Connections community explored the theme of Light Vs Dark. The community really engaged with his challenge and created images in so many different ways! It was a real joy to see! In this blog you can see a selection of the images created. From black and white photography to astrophotography and creating images at home to street photography - this challenge saw it all!
Black and White Photography
During the May live webinar, one topic we focused on was black and white photography. A few members regularly engaged with this style of photography but many did not. This was great as it allowed them to try it out and connect with the world in a new way. We learnt how photographing in black and white can be a great way to simplify our photographs. Removing colour can, in some cases, remove distractions and its great for adding mood and atmosphere to photographs too.
During the month Kim was fortunate to speak with Adrian Beasley about his work (mostly black and white) for the Photographic Connections Podcast. This was great in further inspiring the group for May’s theme.
Let’s begin with some black and white night time photos. Photographing this way after dark proved to be great for this challenge, creating interesting shadows and beautiful beams of light.
Sue Rafferty
Moonlight in Mevagissey
One of our favourite Cornish fishing villages, the moon was giving such beautiful light across the sea and illuminating the lookout perfectly. I used an 8 second exposure to smooth the sea and reduced contrast a little when editing to give the softening effect on the sea and clouds.
Yvonne Jevons
On my way home I drove past this tree lined road and despite it being so late I couldn’t miss the opportunity to create this - it was the only area the light from the lamppost shone through the fog creating these beams.
Carmel Morris
Late night shooting at the Glass Pyramids. Loved the shadows.
Black and white images work very well in harsh sunlight, especially when dealing with shadows and shapes as showcased in the images below.
Garry Platt
Point of Ayr Lighthouse - You’d expect with a name like this it would be located on the West Coast of Scotland, in fact it’s on the North Wales Coast. The rising sun was at a perfect angle, right behind the lighthouse and helped create this silhouette.
BK Images NI
Walking out of the dark into the light.
Garry Platt
6 AM on the Royal Mile - The sun glancing off the stone setts which run the full length from top to bottom.
Ann Bollen
John Knox in Stirling graveyard. Someone stole his hand at some point
It was wonderful to see a couple of members create images on different cameras too! Using different types of camera further enhanced their experience while exploring black and white imagery.
Peter Grant
Photographs taken with my infrared converted camera. Stone circle and a wooden seat at Midmar Church, Aberdeenshire.
Dave Varo
Well, when did you ever see a coloured penguin anyway?Taken on black and white film.
Peter Grant
Portrait of our daughter's and son-in-law's beagle taken with my Nikon D70 which had been converted for infrared photography.
A few members pushed their editing to the extreme (something you can get away with when editing black and white images). Editing this way allowed them to make images with more artistic expression, helping to really emphasis certain subjects.
Brian Nicholson
Away for my first night in my campervan at Kinclaven bluebell woods and got this image of silver birch trees close to my park up spot.
Christopher Gerard
A stroll on the Downs, on England's South Coast
Tricia Wood
A high key edit of the black house village of Garenin on the isle of Lewis… thought it somehow fitted the old buildings emphasising their simple structure and place in the landscape.
A couple of members got creative indoors too, making scenes out of props and household items to create stories.
Garry Platt
I created this image using a piece of muslin which I folded, pulled and shaped into a staring malignant face, a variation on the standard depiction of a ghost using a white sheet draped over the human form. There is also a reference here to (in my opinion), the greatest ghost story ever written; ‘Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad’ authored by M R James. It tells the tale of a haunting figure which pursues an unsuspecting victim over several days and eventually confronts them in the middle of the night as a twisted and contorted figure made from winding, coiling bedsheets. If you haven’t read it I urge you to, it’s a real treat and one of the best in its genre.
Wendy McCallum
I'm so used to photographing in colour and this was completely different but a very pleasant change as well. Will definitely be switching to black and white more often now.
Foliage and flowers were a favourite choice by many, with black and white really helping to bring out the shapes of the leaves and petals.
Denise Savage
Yesterday I had a little walk in the bush for my day off. I decided to play a little with the black and white thing. A good bit of experimentation. I often have played from time to time. And have been sparked to do so again out of creative curiosity from the podcast and the inspiration of others here giving it a go.
Carol Spence
We have had a few days of rain here on the Sunshine Coast but I was desperate to get out after listening to the latest podcast with Adrian! Before I set out I put my camera on monochrome.
I am new to Lightroom (and photography ) so not only was it a first with B&W it was a first with editing but oh what fun. I pushed the contrast and exposure with the lily leaves.
May Hamilton
Today I tried a new road I had never been on before and found an accessible path round stunning trees and a carpet of wildflowers including bluebells. At first I was all panicked trying to get a good photograph but after a while I settled down and started to see some unusual things that I thought would work in black and white. I was inspired by Kim's YouTube video and also the podcast with Adrian. It really did open up new options. Here is a simple leaf which had so many details that showed up in B&W.
Glenn Sowerby
My first interpretation of light and dark. Some close up work.
Christopher Gerard
Mountain road in Mid-Wales
Wanda-Lynn Searles
I took this image of the blue jay in black and white. I thought this image really looked good.
Ann Bollen
Light and dark fluffy thistles
One thing we spoke about during this months webinar was the importance of shape in black and white photography. Without the presence of colour, something has to be in place to help us understand the image. Shape is therefore very important in this style of photography.
Ian Taggart
Exam time at Aberdeen University! Taken in the Duncan Rice Library. The building is tremendous for photo opportunities given its architecture inside and out.
Jonathan Hawkins
Seeing the side lit pattern of these tiles in strong sunlight I wondered if this would work in B&W.
Hayata Takeshita
Light-and-dark. This is a shed at the Sandy Hook National Recreation Area run by the National Park Service in the US. I was headed back to my car after a visit and saw the sunset light on this shed.
Carmel Morris
Nuns in the rain at San Quirico. I’d been talking to them in the church and as they left the heavens opened but the light was amazing.
Ann Bollen
I have a fascination of photographing tree branches and turning them black and white.
Hayata TakeShita
I like my long exposures. This is Spring Lake, New Jersey, USA. I took a bunch of shots for the long exposure. It was windy and getting something sharp was difficult. I was about to pack up when the surfer walked out onto the pipe. I got one final shot.
Carmel Morris
Another from Sandsend today.
Yvonne Jenkins
Dark and light at the coast
Colour Photography
Black and white photography wasn’t the only way to interpret this challenge, with many members also exploring the world of colour photography. Some beautiful woodland panoramic images were created by the group. Woodlands are a great place to go to enjoy dark and light areas. While exposure can be tricky at times, there is so much to see and explore.
Christopher Gerard
Brian Nicholson
Kinclaven Bluebell Woods - For something different I took this image at 11 pm on Friday night at f2.8 to give a softness and a 30 second exposure, I was curious to see how it would be rendered. I softened it further in Lightroom to create this final image with the only light from the crescent
Weather was another great way of interpreting the light and dark theme. Photographing around golden hours and during changeable weather, certainly helps us to connect with light and dark.
Jarred Wilson
Went out for some sunset action on Saturday. Bethells beach, Waitakere, New Zealand. GFX100S and 20-35mm
BK Images NI
Love a storm passing through with rainbow against the sky!!!!
Christopher Battles
I keep coming back to this image despite my attempts to capture a good springtime black and white. The contrast, glare, and snowfall with a polarizer made for a special moment.
Peter Grant
Light and dark - the National Monument of Scotland
Hayata Takeshita
I know it doesn't scream light-and-dark, but that's what I see.
I was at a nature talk but my mind wondered and saw the sunset light on this fishnet.
With spring being fresh in much of the Northern hemisphere, many members in this part of the world enjoyed connecting with the fresh spring growth. Combining the vibrant greens with the a mix of bright sunlight and shaded areas worked well for the Light Vs Dark theme.
Brian Nicholson
With dull and overcast conditions I set off to local woods and came across a tree with its branches reaching out towards me...using the luminance of them and boosting in lightroom to create contrast to the darker tree trunk and top half of the frame.
Barbara Voules
This photo was taken in the Walled garden that I visited this week. I first noticed the light on the ferns, then the wall behind made them really stand out. There was a breeze blowing through the ferns, I stood there for a long time just watching the ferns bending in the breeze. A magical moment.
Brian Nicholson
I spotted these ferns down a steep bank in the shade close to a burn...with the sun penetrating through the the trees and bushes and catching the ferns to create the contrast of Light & Dark.
Glenn Sowerby
Headed out to try and locate some bluebells and came across this composition and thought it fitted well with our light and dark challenge.
Not really a planned image and looking back I wish I had focus stacked the white flowers but every image taken is a learning curve
Jonathan Hawkins
From my local hedgerow, an early morning shot.
Some very moody and atmospheric images were created too, allowing many to showcase their love for moody light and a chance for them to play around with their editing.
Wendy McCallum
I freelensed this clematis which is growing up our garden trellis. Had fun practising this technique. Wanted an ethereal effect and was pleased with how it turned out being a first attempt at freelensing.
Sue Rafferty
Some images really are just better in b/w but having watched some of Adrian's videos it's also great to just push the boundaries with those sliders.
Bob Wyllie
I just happened to be in the right place at the right time and and happened to have my gear with me. It was a really stormy day and a gap opened up and the light shone down over the Tay and the Tay Rail Bridge to give this atmospheric shot.
Tricia Wood
A slightly different interpretation of light and dark… my local quayside looking rather Dickensian and mysterious on a nocturnal stroll.
Tess Lowe
Kelly Hall Tarn in the Lake District. I recently re-edited this photo using the new 'denoise' feature in Lightroom and it made a huge difference to the noisy clouds! I had spent the whole afternoon taking photos of stubby trees on the hills between Kelly Hall Tarn and Conniston Water, all bent over in the wind, but on the way back to the car I noticed this lone tree backlit and looking lovely.
Garry Platt
Light on Leaves - It was the morning and the sunlight was falling through the trees. The light splintered as it broke through the branches and pooled and danced on the forest floor. Glowing sunbeams illuminated the green canopy and I can recall it being very still and silent that day. As I made my way down the path I encountered a mote of pale light illuminating this dark corner and glinting across this shimmer of leaves. It was a perfect moment and perfect moments like this are rare, but when they happen they stay with you forever.
Christopher Gerard
I had positioned myself at some distance from the skyline (tree, hedge, fence etc) and around 100' lower in the valley so that I was looking up with the sun just below the ridge. The result is that the light catching the small bush has the colour temperature of a mid-day sun rather than that of the sun just below the horizon. The contrail was a timely extra.
Night time photography was another great way to embrace this challenge, combining the bright light of the stars against the silhouettes trees and land. Photographing cityscapes at night also worked very well here.
Mel Harmer
This image was taken while camping. I used the free app StarStaX to stack multiple 30 second images together for the star trail.
Jarred Wilson
The only way to capture this light, is of course dark skies! Something we’re blessed with here in New Zealand
Peter Grant
Taken from the observation deck of the Top of the Rock NYC last October. Shutter speed was 1/50 and I had to try to keep the camera still by leaning against the glass.
Ending this months image round with some creative interpretations of the challenge, using a mix of artificial light, zooming and unique editing.
Sue Rafferty
Painting a Picture.
A bit of experimentation with light painting.
A three second exposure gave just enough time to 'trace' the edges of the pine cone with a torch.
Darrell Oakden
I was listening to Charlotte Bellamy on the podcast talking about ICM and got inspired to do a zoom burst when I noticed the blossom on the cherry tree against a dark background. All in camera, but I used two exposures: one sharp for the centre and one while twisting the zoom ring.
Tricia Wood
A slightly different take on dark and light from me.. in that after the dark of night the light of a new day is heralded by the sunrise. This was a particularly magical one & I wanted to capture the impression of firing up the day..
Denise Savage
This is an image from a while back but really speaks to the theme for this month - light and dark.
Wendy McCallum
This image was taken outside in our back garden. The little flower was hanging over the wall and was exactly what I was looking to photograph. I photographed and edited this image for a classic and old-worldly feel.
As I hope you can see, May was a great month for the community! Building on our first challenge in April, the members really embraced the Dark vs Light challenge. The great thing about all our challenges is that they can be interpreted however people wish. Seeing the diversity of images here really shows how diverse a subject can be.
Thank you also to everyone on Instagram that used the hashtag #photographicconnectionsmay to share their images. It is always a delight to see what the wider community comes up with. Now…let the June challenge begin!
