Dear friend,
A thought:
Life is far more interesting and engaging when we can see MORE photo opportunities.
And the realization:
With monochrome (black and white), there are more options for seeing potentially interesting photos.
As a consequence, we find more motivation to shoot monochrome and to see in monochrome.
Monochrome assignments
- The first idea is to just allow yourself to shoot monochrome around the house. For example, shooting subjects, textures and things which might render interestingly into monochrome. This can be your kitchen cutlery, cheese graters or even just shooting photos of your home in dramatic high-contrast monochrome.
- Selfies of yourself: To shoot selfies of yourself in monochrome around the house in different lighting scenarios. For example shooting selfies of yourself in the bathroom, in the hallway, and experimenting with leading-lines.
- Study extremely abstract art (the ‘Suprematism‘ art movement) which is focused on the extreme simplicity of shapes, and forms. Kazimir Malevich is a great starting point.
- Study calligraphy. Calligraphy as a great way to understand shape, form, and aesthetics.
- Shoot nature: To shoot nature; get close, shoot macro, or shoot trees. Study the growth patterns of trees, the texture of bark, etc.
- Photograph your hand: Much interest in your own hand. Photograph your hand’s wrinkles, creases, and other textures. After our faces, our hands have the most personality and interest!
Upload your best monochrome photos to arsbeta.com >
Simplify
Monochrome as bliss, because we can abstract and simplify the things to the extreme minimal. Focus on the most extreme of the simple of forms:
Also, study more of my composition articles >
New: MASTER MONOCHROME Online Photography Workshop
If you want to elevate your monochromatic vision to the next level, I cordially invite you to my new MASTER MONOCHROME Online Photography Workshop (Jan 9th, 2021) >
This workshop is a very practical way for you to deepen your artistic vision, to re-spark your passion for photography, and to give you new direction and motivation in your photographic pursuits.
Monochrome articles
- Black and White Abstract Thoughts
- The Art of Post Processing
- How Do You Know if a Photo is Good or Not?
Free Monochrome Presets
You can download some of my free monochrome presets (for Lightroom CC and Classic here) >
Monochrome Articles
- How to Make More Meaningful Black and White Photos
- BLK
- Monochrome is Essential
- Black and White is Bliss
- Why is Black and White So Much More Artistic than Color?
More photographic ideas on the blog >
HAPTIC INDUSTRIES
Photography Christmas Ideas via HAPTIC >
- HAPTIC SHOP > (Ships USA + International)
- HAPTIC on AMAZON >
Black and white thoughts
- Canadian photojournalist Ted Grant: “When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in Black and white, you photograph their souls!”
- “Reality is like a chaotic deluge and within this reality, one must make choices that bring form and content together in a balanced way” – Henri Cartier-Bresson
- “There is no such thing as inaccuracy in a photograph. All photographs are accurate. None of them is the truth.” – Richard Avedon
- “I don’t like captions. I prefer people to look at my pictures and invent their own stories.” – Josef Koudelka