Surely it is in the everyday things around us that the beauty of life lies
Laura Ingalls Wilder
It would be unusual if we weren’t motivated to pick our camera when we see a beautiful flower, an awe-inspiring landscape, an attractive or characterful person, an elegant building. But it would be a shame to restrict our photography only to those more obvious subjects. We can also look for the photogenic in everyday objects, looking at them with fresh eyes to appreciate their forms and textures.
I’m talking here about inanimate objects, such as household equipment and clothing. They can be objects from your own every day or that of others, perhaps people you’ve encountered while travelling. And they can be present day objects or items that were used in the past, perhaps spotted in a museum or historic house.
Markets are a good source of inspiration for subjects of this kind too. Or you could simply wander around your own home and find items that inspire you by their shape and form. And while the colours of these objects can often be a draw, for this Monochrome Madness challenge I’m putting those aside to focus on those other attributes.
I’d love to see your images of everyday objects in monochrome. Do please remember to tag your post Monochrome Madness so it is easy to find in the reader. And if you decide to join in, please leave a comment with a link below, as pingbacks rarely work on my site.
Do also check out Leanne’s Monochrome Madness page to learn more about this fun challenge. Maybe you’d like to host a theme from time to time? If so, do contact Leanne via her page.
All my images were shot originally in colour and edited with Silver Efex Pro. For some I’ve used a sepia or copper filter to heighten the sense of age.
In the 1940s farmhouse in Beamish, England
[for more photos of Beamish, a living history museum, see my post, Stepping back in time]
In the kitchen of Karen Blixen’s home near Nairobi, Kenya
In a family home near Samsara, Rajasthan, India
In the same home near Samsara, Rajasthan, India
In a coffee shop in Siem Reap, Cambodia
Broom outside a house in Monopoli, Italy
Amish hat in the Menno-Hof Museum in Shipshewana, Indiana; and another in Monopoli, Italy
Tin of beans in Salalah market, Oman
Coffeepot in Oman
Cup and teapot, Uzbekistan
Kettle on a fire outside a home in Phou Taen Khamu, a minority village in Laos
In a café in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
[the owner, an artist, has placed tiny paintings on mini easels on each table]
Tea-picking bags in Munnar, Kerala, India
63 Comments
Annie Berger
I think you’ve converted me to appreciate the beauty and inherent simplicity of black and white photos, Sarah. I must be a slow learner as you’ve posted many B&W retrospectives before! I think the appreciation and mystique also comes from seeing the everyday objects in such unusual places in the world.
Sarah Wilkie
I wouldn’t say you’re a slow learner Annie, far from it! Maybe it’s just this specific subject that appeals to you in B&W? Or more likely, the effect has simply taken a while to grow on you. Whatever the reason, I’m glad you enjoyed these images 🙂
Wind Kisses
hmmm, to think we would want to see color is silly. The detail and the effect you show with everyday objects in monochrome is fantastic, Sarah.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Donna 😊 However I do know some fellow bloggers who aren’t keen on black and white images!
Wind Kisses
Yes. took me awhile to get used to it. I think it is all a part of growth in photography.
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Leanne Cole
I love how you have picked everyday items from all around the world Sarah. They are all unique in an everyday kind of way.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Leanne 😀 I like how you put that, ‘unique in an everyday kind of way’.
Image Earth Travel
Great photos and love how you matched the titles of the exotic places that you visited.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you – although I’m not sure what you mean about ‘matching the titles’?
Image Earth Travel
Sorry, meant the descriptions of where you took the photos.
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography
Lovely pots and pans, I really like the enamel bins and rinser. We had few copper coffee pots at our summer house and other old stuff. So I really enjoyed your choices. Old stuff, i really enjoy them
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Ritva 😀 It’s odd, isn’t it, to see the everyday objects of our childhood now the stuff of museums?!
Annie Berger
A tad unnerving, I’d say, that we’re getting to be that old!
Sarah Wilkie
Very unnerving!
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Aletta - nowathome
https://nowathome.wordpress.com/2024/04/18/monochrome-madness-seeing-everyday-objects/
Alison
https://travelswithali.com/2024/04/18/monochrome-madness-shadows-in-the-playground/
Alison
These are excellent Sarah, especially the kitchen, surprising how everything looks so good in black and white.
So I did my post before I read yours because I saw last week it would be about everyday objects. But think I’ve got my wires twisted but don’t want to waste my effort and will link anyway 🤣
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Alison, and no worries if you interpreted the brief differently. That’s the fun of these challenges, seeing how we each approach them!
kzmcb
Some fantastic subjects for B&W
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 😀
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Suzanne
Even bare plasterboard walls void of 60 years of wallpaper tell a story and something that’s been captured recently by myself 😊 As you know, I have a fondness for B&W. Your photos are full of memories, and it is sometimes the small things that catch our eye.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Suzanne, and yes, these small things have many stories to tell 😀
GWH PHOTOS
Impressive collection of photos. Well done.
Here’s mine:https://gwhphotos2.wordpress.com/2024/04/17/monochrome-madness-6-everyday-objects/
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 😀
restlessjo
I especially like the Beamish opener, Sarah, but you’ve given them all a new lease of life. Those beans are weird!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Jo – you can’t beat Beamish for some old-fashioned everyday objects! The beans are small yellow ones, I don’t know what kind.
restlessjo
They look like something you’d put in soup.
Sarah Wilkie
Yes quite probably, or a stew of some kind
Dawn M. Miller
You’ve made images of every day objects beautifully interesting.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Dawn, I’m happy you found them interesting 😀
Marie
Lovely shots. I think the Amish hat is my favorite. The light and shadow make an everyday object unique.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Marie 😊 The Amish know how to make simple things look good!
Marie
It seems my recent pingback didn’t appear. I am trying to learn to post on my phone and not having much luck getting
pingbacks formatted correctly. https://3rsofretirement.com/2024/04/17/good-junk-for-sale/
Sarah Wilkie
Unfortunately pingbacks often don’t work on my site. I had ‘happiness engineers’ galore trying to work out why some time ago and none of them could!
Sarah Wilkie
I can’t seem to be able to comment on your post. I wanted to say that I love the selection, especially the second and third shots. You’re right – one person’s junk is another’s treasure!
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Anonymous
Some great images, Sarah – much enhanced by mon9chrome when needed to give a sense of age
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, I’m glad you like them 😀
grandmisadventures
I love the old dishes- they seem perfectly suited for black and white pictures 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Meg, I’m so pleased you like them 😀
Sofia Alves
Monochrome is perfect for your scenes, Sarah, they have so much more to tell and a lovely nostalgic mood. Wonderful post and challenge.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Sofia, I’m happy you picked up on the nostalgic mood as that’s something I was aiming to create 😊
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Heyjude
I wonder whether these inanimate objects are more appealing because of where they come from? That’s not to say they aren’t beautifully composed because they are, but would they be the same if they were from Grimsby market for instance?
Sarah Wilkie
Interesting question Jude 🙂 Some people have posted some excellent responses to the challenge with objects very close to home so I would hope most would work regardless of location. But I’ve never been to Grimsby market so I can’t answer for that 😆
thehungrytravellers.blog
Funny how these have an aspect of time about them, as if the subconscious assumes they were taken decades ago. Maybe it’s just me! Great shots though, I always like when your collections showcase ordinary items – a photographer’s equivalent of still life painting I suppose.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Phil 😊 Yes, I reckon some of these are a photography version of still life, especially the first few. While all these photos are from the last ten years, some of the objects in them are from decades ago of course, and a touch of sepia also adds to the aged impression.
Monkey's Tale
A great collection of of ordinary items. As someone else said it’s difficult to pick a favourite, but I keep going back to the pineapple picture from Siem Reap. Maggie
Sarah Wilkie
THank you Maggie 😊 I have good memories attached to that photo as it was such a cool (in both senses of that word) coffee shop which we discovered on our last morning in the city!
margaret21
Oh, these are great, Sarah, somehow showing something of the people who owned and used these items. My photos were not at the time taken with that in mind. Here they are: https://margaret21.com/2024/04/17/tea-and-coffee-cups-i-have-known/. By the way, I used one of my images from our day in Brick Lane in a Street Photo competition at our photo club – and I won! Bathe in the reflected glory!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Margaret, and well done on the photo club win 😀 Off to check your contribution now …
bushboy
These are fabulous Sarah, a wonderful and inspiring gallery 😍 I thought I had a favourite or two but it is too hard, the opening farmhouse and colander in Kenya had me
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Brian, always good to hear about favourites 😊
Anne Sandler
Great photos and monochrome editing from your travels Sarah.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Anne 😊
satyam rastogi
Black and white pictures are so refreshing 🌹
Sarah Wilkie
Glad you like them 🙂
satyam rastogi
Yes lovely they are🌹
Brad M
The B&W lends a bit of antiquity to the photos.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Brad – that’s the effect I was going for in a number of these shots 🙂