Suffice it to say that black and white are also colours… for their simultaneous contrast is as striking as that of green and red, for instance.
Vincent Van Gogh
Once upon a time all photos were black and white. With the advent of colour photography we had a choice and many of us make that choice according to subject matter. Others meanwhile prefer to stick only to one or the other medium.
I am among those who veer between the two, depending on mood and subject. But some subjects are, as Elke reminds us, naturally black and white. For her Monochrome Madness themed challenge this week Iāve searched my archives for the best examples, both from nature and manmade.
My feature photo was taken in the Torres del Paine National Park in Chile, near Glacier Grey. Only the faint hint of colour in the rocks bottom left gives away the fact that it was shot in colour. Look carefully at the shots below. In many you will find similar small touches of colour, and I rather like the way these distinguish them from true black and white photographs. None have been edited in monochrome, though some have been cropped to remove any significant coloured areas, and I confess I desaturated a couple so that those that remained didn’t dominate too much.
I’ve divided my images into natural and manmade. By the latter I mean that the lack of colour is due to deliberate design by somebody, not created by me in the photographic process!
NATURAL MONONCHROMES
Gullfoss Falls in winter, Iceland
Mini icebergs from SĆ³lheimajƶkull, a glacier on Iceland’s south coast
Ice at the foot of Seljandsfoss, Iceland
Waves at Druridge Bay, North East England
White wagtail, Bardia National Park, Nepal
Asian elephant, Chitwan National Park, Nepal
Elephant calves, Chobe National Park, Botswana
Zebra, Chobe National Park, Botswana
Black and white ruffed lemur, Madagascar
(a bit too much colour perhaps, but I couldn’t resist including him!)
Black-winged stilt, Sine Saloum Delta, Senegal
MANMADE MONONCHROMES
(for some reason, most seem to have been taken in Paris, not a city I think of as monochrome!)
In the Place Saint Sulpice, Paris
If this looks suspiciously like a monochrome edit to you, check out this old post, Backlighting to add drama and atmosphere, where you can see what a monochrome version actually looks like!
In Montmartre, Paris
Mural in the 14th arrondissement, Paris
Door on the Ćle Saint-Louis, Paris
Sculpture in Saint-Christophe-de-Javel, Paris
Apsaras (dancing girls) at Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Half-timbered house detail, Rye, Sussex, England
57 Comments
wetanddustyroads
It’s interesting how some photos just work in B&W – like that one you took at Torres del Paine. The same with the elephants and zebra. To be honest, I’m actually surprised that I didn’t even miss bright colours while looking at your photos!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Corna š I hope you noticed my point that these aren’t actually black and white photos? They’re all taken in colour but of largely black, grey and white subjects.
wetanddustyroads
Yes, I only noticed it when you mentioned that the rocks at Torres del Paine have a light green shade (otherwise I might have thought it was originally B&W).
Annie Berger
Some very special shots, Sarah. I smiled when looking at the ones from Iceland, as we’ll be there in a few weeks. It’ll be one of the few countries we’ve decided to revisit, after our first international trip there together in 2013.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Annie š I would love to go back to Iceland as I’ve never had the chance to see the northern part of the island, but Chris is less enthusiastic about the idea!
Annie Berger
We only spent time previously in the Golden Circle area. This time, we’re renting a car for 2 plus weeks and driving almost the entire width and breadth of the island. Then, it’ll be a ferry trip up the Western Greenland coast for another 2 weeks, and several days in Arctic Canada, before time in my hometown of Ottawa. Should be a great trip, but definitely not balmy weather!
Sarah Wilkie
That sounds amazing! I especially look forward to hearing about Greenland.
Annie Berger
We’re just finalizing tours to he several places we’re getting off the ferry for 2-3 nights at a time, so we can take a whale watching trip, a hike to a waterfall, a tour to a puffin island, a tour to a settlement, a night cruise to the icebergs, etc. Should be exciting, but is it ever pricey!
Sarah Wilkie
We’re going to be doing a cruise around Svalbard in August – again, pricey and not at all warm, but very exciting!
equinoxio21
You’re right, Paris is far from monochrome, yet it “works” very well in B&W… Wonder why that is? The stone faƧaces? The wrought iron? Hmmm.
Sarah Wilkie
It’s partly the architecture, yes, but also maybe the fact that B&W gives the images a sense of old, romantic movies which fit with our images of the city?
equinoxio21
You might be right. Because our generation was brought in early childhood with B&W photos, the colour pix were mostly slides. And the major photographers worked in B&W…
grandmisadventures
Another beautiful collection of black and whites š
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Meg – although as I explained above, these are actually COLOUR photos but of largely black / white / grey subjects š
Klausbernd
Hi Sarah
We prefer BW photography because it looks more arty. The lack of colour produces a distance we like. The picture presents itself as an artefact.
Happy weekend
The Fab Four of Cley
š š š š
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you for commenting š But had you realised that this ISN’T B&W photography?! As I explain in the text, these are all colour photos of subjects that are naturally black and white š
Ju-Lyn
I do love B&Ws! As I am not a photographer, I am very bemused when Loving Husband switches his phone filter to B&W often and asks me for my opinion whether that is better than its colour counterpart. More often than not, I vote for the former. Do you shoot first in B&W, or use a filter in editing?
P/S I so love the elephant images. Very doleful.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Ju-Lyn š For ‘real’ black and white images I almost always shoot in colour and edit afterwards, as you can’t turn B&W into colour if you later decide it would look better in colour after all. But occasionally I shoot one of each on the spot. These however are all COLOUR shots that simply look (mostly) black and white, as per Elke’s brief. You should see hints of colour in many of them!
Ju-Lyn
I did notice the peeks & hints of colour. I am retuning to look at them again.
Fair point – not being able to change from B&W to colour. Makes so much sense now that you have explained it to me ā¤ļø
thehungrytravellers.blog
Scrolled right down carefully, waiting for Chris to appear in his Toon Army stripes. Ha, no seriously, great collection but one really stands outā¦the elephantās eye. What a glorious shot. I do like photos that give me an instant smile š
Sarah Wilkie
I did think about a close-up of a Toon strip but it seemed a bit too obvious š But I do love elephants’ eyes – I’m glad that shot stood out for you and gave you a smile!
the eternal traveller
These are all beautiful images but oh my, the ones of Iceland are spectacular.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you – Icelandic scenery lends itself well to monochrome, whether edited to be so or just looking like that naturally!
Leanne Cole
You managed to find so many Sarah, had to laugh when I saw the zebra.
Sarah Wilkie
The zebra was the first thing I thought of when I heard about Elke’s choice of theme! Thank you Leanne š
Vicki
Great collection.
Love the elephant calves. I like the composition, but they are cute anyway.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Vicki, they are super cute šš
Suzanne
Agree, Sarah as many people don’t believe that B&W are colour. Funny had a conversation at Basketball with someone who only wears bright colours, I smiled and didn’t elaborate on my love of B&W š
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Suzanne š I too wear quite a lot of both colours, but I also like brights from time to time.
Suzanne
Muted colours than brights, though if I make 80, I might splash out on something bright pink š¤£
Teresa
Great collection. Perhaps my faves are the animal set, especially the gentle giants!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Teresa – the elephants seem to be the overall favourites this week šš
Andrea R Huelsenbeck
As someone who grew up in the 1950s, I remember that even when I looked at black and white photos, my brain filled in the colors. Especially if I knew the scene, but even when I didn’t.
Sarah Wilkie
I think I must have done the same although I don’t recall doing so – certainly I never thought the B&W looked ‘wrong’ in any way!
EgĆdio
Excellent collection, Sarah. The White wagtail is my favorite. What are the odds of getting a naturally monochrome bird in the scene? You got it!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Egidio š I photographed that wagtail from a safari jeep while crossing the river. Luckily the driver stopped for us to admire it, as the ride was far too bumpy to take decent shots on the move!
Heyjude
Monochrome can of course mean tones of a single colour as well as black & white or greyscale. But I see from Elke’s post that the colour version will be dealt with on a later post. Winter is a natural time for grey! And who doesn’t love an elephant. But my favourite here is that one of the bicycle in Paris.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Jude š That bicycle shot was a lucky spot while sitting in a cafĆ©. Yes, Margaret plans to take colour monochromes as a theme soon, which I’m very pleased about as it’s a favourite of mine!
Heyjude
I have a similar shot of a bicycle whilst sitting in a cafƩ in Geneva!
restlessjo
Another demonstration of the colourful life you live and your skill at editing and presenting it, Sarah xx
Sarah Wilkie
Aw, thanks so much for that Jo š
Sue
what a great selection! Love the images from Iceland, those elephant calves, and the wooden detail and the facades at Rye. The other star is that lemur
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Sue š I wasn’t sure about the lemur because of his bright eyes (and I did desaturate them a bit), but in the end I just couldn’t leave him out!
Sue
So glad you didn’t ditch him!
Amy
Beautiful selections, Sarah! Love these elephants especially. The light and shadow of the bike is excellent.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Amy š Good to have another fan of the elephants š
Anne Sandler
Love your selections Sarah, especially the elephants!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Anne š As I said to Brian, Iām always happy to find a reason to share elephant pics š š
bushboy
Wonderful gallery Sarah. My favourites are the Elephants of course but a close second is Ice at the foot of Seljandsfoss, Iceland
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Brian – I’m always happy to find a reason to share some elephant pics š
Monkey's Tale
The first picture reminded me that many of our winter scenes at home are black and white. Love the baby elephants! Maggie
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Maggie š Yes, winter is often rather monochrome here too and in retrospect I can think of several photos I could have used!
Suzanne@PictureRetirement
Black and white represented as colors. Great idea and execution. I like it.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Suzanne š Although the credit for the idea must go to Elke!
margaret21
Such variety here Sarah! Though you HAD to include the zebra, since you could!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Margaret š Yes, the zebra was a must!
satyam rastogi
Nice post