The greater the contrast, the greater the potential. Great energy only comes from a correspondingly great tension of opposites.
Carl Jung
Contrast must be one of the most used words in photography. Usually we are talking about the lighting conditions for an image; the contrast between the light and dark areas. Sometimes it can be hard to balance these if the contrast is great, as in my shot below.
A little post-editing helped to bring out the details of the rocks and beach in the foreground but they are still rather too dark. However they do help to create a natural frame for the view beyond.
But today, for this post for Amy’s Lens Artists challenge, I’ve decided to present some shots which illustrate contrasts of different kinds: in their subject matter. To make my job harder I’ve tried to find examples where a contrast is apparent within a single shot! However I couldn’t resist including a couple of pairs of photos.
My feature image is of trees and tree ferns in Costa Rica’s cloud forest, contrasted against a pale sky above.
There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast.
Charles Dickens
Light and dark: visitors at an art installations exhibition in London
Black and white: a door in Filandia, Colombia
[this is not, by the way, a black and white image!]
Morning and evening, contrasting times of day: the view from Lagarta Lodge, Costa Rica
Bright weather and stormy: the Thames at Bermondsey, late afternoon
Front and back: in the Botero Museum, Bogota, Colombia
Old and new architecture: the Richard H. Driehaus Museum, Chicago
[this is the original colour version of the monochrome edit in my Chicago in black and white post]
Old(er) and young: in the minority village of Phou Taen Khamu, Laos
Hard and soft: the Vishnu statue at Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave, Pokhara, Nepal, draped in silk and marigolds
Motorised and non motorised transport: on Temple Road, Udaipur
Land and sea: from a flight to Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica
Wet and dry: Wadi Bani Khalid, Oman
Dead and alive: flower growing on Mount Paektu, North Korea
57 Comments
Leya
Ah, great take on as usual, Sarah. You made everything so clear…Loved front and back! I would never have thought of that myself – so clever and wonderfully caught.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you – I don’t think I would have thought of front and back had I not spotted those two shots while browsing my archives for ideas!
Wetravelhappy
Very well explained Sarah. I also need to brighten some of the beach photos with some rock or objects in the foreground (is that how you call it?) that are too dark.
I love both the day and evening photos of the beach in Costa Rica. 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 😊 Yes, objects in the foreground is exactly right
equinoxio21
Precious work. Thank you.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 😊
Anita
A great collection Sarah! I love the photo of the woman and the baby and I also like the different views from the Lodge in Costa Rica.
The front and back made me smile and your photo of motorized and non-motorized transport is very telling, one wonders if and how they even get to where they are going 😁
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Anita 😊 I always enjoy hearing which photos especially appeal to people. And I know what you mean about that road in Udaipur but somehow on Indian roads it does seem to work out OK!
grandmisadventures
I love the quote from Jung-I think sometimes we forget how important that tension of opposites is. Beautiful collection of opposites in every way 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
I think that’s true, we have a habit of assuming tension is always a bad thing!
SoyBend
The morning and evening shoreline pictures in Costa Rica showed beautiful contrasts, Sarah. I really liked your photo of the older woman holding a baby in a colorful sling.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Siobhan 😊 That woman was so happy to pose and show off her grandchild!
Sofia Alves
I’m not sure it will post my previous comment as it will be anonymous… I really don’t like this new comment thingy at all… too quick to press reply!
Second take:
Excellent post, as always, Sarah. Old(er) and young, wet and dry, hard and soft, you really took this challenge to a different level of detail.
Sarah Wilkie
I don’t like it either! Your first attempt is waiting in my pending list to be approved but I’ll bin it as you went to the trouble of repeating it. Thank you for that and for the kind feedback, as always 🙂
Johnathan Hall
Great selection of different types of contrast within an image or across a diptych!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you for the nice feedback and for the follow 🙂
Johnathan Hall
You’re welcome, it is a great post. I will look out for more posts from you in my reader 🙂
Image Earth Travel
Great collection of contrasts, Sarah!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, glad you liked them 🙂
photobyjohnbo
Nice collection of contrasts, Sarah!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you John 🙂
margaret21
What a thoughtful and intriguing post. I love this.
Sarah Wilkie
Aw, thanks so much Margaret 😊
thehungrytravellers.blog
Very clever, Sarah, some very different interpretations of opposites. Love the “same place, different time of day” shots.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Phil 😊 I was spoiled for choice with that view from Lagarta Lodge, I took so many photos there at various times of day!
bushboy
I was with you and your excellent photos but you lost me for a few minutes as I couldn’t see properly through tears of laughter at “Front and back: in the Botero Museum, Bogota, Colombia”. A wonderful post that has everything Sarah 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Brian – I’m glad to have made you laugh with that one, I thought it might surprise a few people!
Mike and Kellye Hefner
Lovely contrasts, Sarah! You chose your shots so well, and I enjoyed seeing all of them.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Kellye, I’m happy you enjoyed them 😀
Wind Kisses
And I loved the last image!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you again – I confess that one was an afterthought so I’m glad you liked it 🙂
Wind Kisses
A nice surprise.
Wind Kisses
Stellar examples and photos Sarah. The initial quote set the stage for the “great potential”. The B&W. door is simple, yet artsy. The morning and evening views of Costa Rica showed the difference of a few hours. I chuckled at the front and back. Clever. And I was touched by the tenderness of the young and old photo. Always a great gallery and additional inspiration for all of us. Thank you.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Donna 😊 I’m really happy you liked these so much, and it’s always good to hear which ones especially stand out!
Wind Kisses
I am glad to hear that. I know I enjoy if certain photos of mine stand out, but I am not always sure others want that. That said, I think I have know you long enough that you know I am one of your best cheerleaders anyway. lol.
Sarah Wilkie
Aw, thank you for that 😊 And yes, I’m always interested to hear which images people like best, especially when different people choose different shots!
Wind Kisses
Me too.
Egídio
What a beautiful gallery! I really like the opening photo and its perspective. Fantastic!
Sarah Wilkie
Aw, thank you 😊 The cloud forest is amazing, especially the tree canopy overhead!
sustainabilitea
The door knocker is amazing and the photo’s grand as well. 🙂 I love the header photo and the old(re)/younger. Must admit the front and back was an eye-opener (or maybe closer.) 🙂 Lots of thoughtful examples, Sarah.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Janet, glad you enjoyed these 😀
Sue
What a great set of different contrasts, Sarah! The Udaipur image of motorised and animal transports looks quite alarming!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Sue 😀 That road in Udaipur is fairly typical for that part of India (and much of the country I assume!)
Sue
Goodness! Worse than a Cuban motorway!
Sarah Wilkie
Far, far worse!!
Sue
Yes, I know you are right!
JohnRH
Great selections, as always. Love that banner shot too. Love the Costa Rica pix, Chicago, young and old, et al. I think it was Paris some years ago that I saw Botero sculptures up and down the Champs Elysees. Unique. I’ll have to check my archives to verify I’m not imagining that! 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you John 🙂 Seeing the Botero sculptures on the Champs-Élysées would have been quite amazing, I imagine! Glad you enjoyed so many of my shots.
Amy
Excellent contrast/difference take on, Sarah! The back light of the art installations exhibition is incredible. I love the seascape of Costa Rica. The front/back is a good one! The mix transportations in Udaipur is unique. Beautiful land and sea, so is the last image. Thank you for sharing your creative approach for this theme.
Amy
Oops, mixed…
Sarah Wilkie
I knew what you meant Amy, and thanks so much for the lovely and detailed feedback 😊 I had fun putting this together, as always!
Monkey's Tale
You either have an amazing memory or spend hours scouring through your pictures to find these comparisons. Well done!! Maggie
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Maggie 😀 A bit of both really – I remembered some of these shots and then hunted around for a few more that also fit the theme!
Anne Sandler
Great comparisons of contrast. Your post showed a great deal of creativity. It always amazes me that there could be storm clouds and bright sunshine in the same sky. Your photo came close to showing that. Great work.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Anne 😊 I took that photo on a walk with friends this past weekend and it seemed perfect for the theme! We had a real mix of sun and showers that day 😀
Tina Schell
Very creative approach Sarah, beautifully executed as always. Absolutely loved front and back in Bogota. Also loved the black and white door knocker.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Tina 😊 I had fun compiling them, especially the Bogota ones!