Black and white allows me to detach from the cliché ‘souvenir photo’ approach to photography
Guy Gagnon
While I try to avoid too many picture postcard souvenir shots when I travel, it’s inevitable that I will take some. I feel the need to record what I see initially, before diving deeper into the sights, looking for details or angles that are less obvious.
Later, transforming some of those postcard shots later into monochrome can make something more interesting of them. Black and white emphasises aspects of a scene that are less obvious in colour, such as light and shade, or texture.
When I get back from a trip and start to edit my photos, I’m always on the lookout for any that would look better, or simply different, in black and white. I almost never shoot in black and white however, even when I can see at the time that it’s likely to be the most effective medium. Why? Simply because I can always convert from colour to monochrome, but I can’t go in the opposite direction. I like to keep my options open.
My recent visit to Malta was no exception. I knew from the start that some of the shots below, shared for this week’s Monochrome Madness, would look better in black and white. The one of the Parliament building, for instance. But I still shot in colour, just in case! Meanwhile other images, such as the traditional balconies, look good in colour but seemed worth trying in black and white too.
All these shots were converted with my go-to software, Nik Silver Efex Pro.
Parliament House, Valetta, designed by Renzo Piano
The Palm Goddess sculpture, Valetta
St. Andrew’s Bastion from the Grand Harbour, Valetta
‘Confectionery & Daily Needs’, Valetta
Door in the fishing village of Marsaxlokk
Also in the fishing village of Marsaxlokk
Old lamppost in MÄ¡arr
Typical lane in Mdina
Houses in Sliema
Outside a house in Sliema; very many houses have small religious images by the front door
Traditional Maltese balconies in Sliema
Monument to the Elderly, those who lost their lives to Covid, Sliema waterfront
In a café on the Sliema waterfront
In the Palazzo Violetta hotel, Sliema
Local shop in Sliema
Old wall in Sliema
I visited Malta in May/June 2025
I will be hosting Monochrome Madness next week when the theme will be ‘Starting with H’. So you might like to start gathering together, or taking, photos of subjects that begin with that letter!
17 Comments
grandmisadventures
Beautiful pictures from around Malta- both the bigger postcard shots and the smaller moments
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Meg 🙂 I think it’s important for a travel blog to have those postcard shots, and equally important for a photography blog to have some that are more unusual (whether subject, angle, treatment etc.) And as I aim to cover both travel and photography in this blog, both are useful!
Image Earth Travel
I think it’s a good blend, having the obligatory “postcard” shots, but also your own creative ones.
Malta works well in B&W and is a destination I’m yet to visit, but I was so close when in Sicily, I could have just popped over on the ferry. 😉
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Nilla, I’m pleased you like my approach 😀 We wanted to take the ferry from Sicily to Malta but we’d picked up a hire car at Catania Airport and to return it anywhere else would have cost a lot extra, so in the end we had to fly.
Image Earth Travel
We had a hire car from Calabria but didn’t have our passports with us, only a Carta D’Identita, which of course, wasn’t enough to cross into Malta from Sicily. But, we’d need another couple of weeks at least, to explore Malta.
Leanne Cole
It is like Malta is the perfect place for monochrome Shots Sarah, they are amazing.
Sarah Wilkie
I’m really glad you like them Leanne, thank you 😊 Actually I think on the whole my Malta shots worked better in colour as the stone there is a lovely honey colour, but I enjoyed sorting out the ones that would suit monochrome.
Sue
Great selection, Sarah -makes me quite nostalgic, wish I had seen more of the island. I went there on business, and managed to pack as much as I could during my time off (not much,) But hey, that’s life!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Sue 🙂 I know what you mean about business trips, I’ve had the same challenge myself in the past, although mainly in the UK!
restlessjo
My favourites in black and white are the lamps, Sarah, but I’d like to see the Bastion shots in colour because I think I might prefer them that way xx
Sarah Wilkie
Those lampposts seem to be the favourites, so far at least 🙂 And don’t worry, you’ll see plenty of Valetta in colour in due course, including the bastions and city walls!
restlessjo
I thought I might! Looking forward to it xx
wetanddustyroads
When I think of Malta, I think in full colour. But as always, you show me that there are photos that also work in B&W. I love the lampost in MÄ¡arr.
Sarah Wilkie
I’m inclined to agree that many (even most?) of the photo opps there work best in colour, but it’s fun to find some that suit monochrome too 🙂 I took several shots of the MÄ¡arr lamppost but this was the best one for B&W conversion. Thank you!
EgÃdio
Very nice collection, Sarah. My favorites were the lampposts. I’ll be looking forward to your MM challenge. Thanks for the heads-up about the theme.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Egidio 🙂 There were plenty of photo-worthy lampposts everywhere I went in Malta. I look forward to seeing your Hs!
EgÃdio
Oh, no! Now there’s pressure. 🙂