Category: Monochrome Challenge

Kathy’s Influence

/ Richard R. Barron / 1 Comment
A wooden cross marks a grave of some kind. I found this while walking Hawken, our Irish wolfhound, deep into the woods.
A wooden cross marks a grave of some kind. I found this while walking Hawken, our Irish wolfhound, deep into the woods.
The Fujica ST-605n was my first single lens reflex camera.
The Fujica ST-605n was my first single lens reflex camera.

Abby and I rewatched Three Days of the Condor recently, and enjoyed it immensely.

When I was about 16 I saw this movie, starring Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway. Dunaway portrays Kathy, a photographer who gets tangled up in the intrigue. In her apartment, Redford, whose character is Joe Turner, looks at some of her images on the walls; deep, rich, low-light black-and-white images. He remarks that the photos aren’t really autumn, but they aren’t really winter. They are in between – November.

Kathy: Sometimes I take a picture that isn’t like me. But I took it so it is like me. It has to be. I put those pictures away.

Joe Turner: I’d like to see those pictures.

Kathy: We don’t know each other that well.

Joe Turner: Do you know anybody that well?

Kathy: I don’t think I want to know you very well.

This scene made a huge impression on the early years of my own photography.

Snow blows across U.S. 191 near Monticello, Utah.
Snow blows across U.S. 191 near Monticello, Utah.

Late Fall Monochrome

/ Richard R. Barron / Leave a comment

The Monochrome Challenge continues with these late autumn images.

Richard R. Barron — richardbarron.net
Richard R. Barron — richardbarron.net
Richard R. Barron — richardbarron.net
Richard R. Barron — richardbarron.net
Richard R. Barron — richardbarron.net
Richard R. Barron — richardbarron.net
Richard R. Barron — richardbarron.net
Richard R. Barron — richardbarron.net
Richard R. Barron — richardbarron.net
Richard R. Barron — richardbarron.net

Monochrome June

/ Richard R. Barron / Leave a comment

The Monochrome Challenge, in which we shoot in black-and-white only, continues…

Richard R. Barron — richardbarron.net
Richard R. Barron — richardbarron.net
Richard R. Barron — richardbarron.net
Richard R. Barron — richardbarron.net
Richard R. Barron — richardbarron.net
Richard R. Barron — richardbarron.net
Richard R. Barron — richardbarron.net
Richard R. Barron — richardbarron.net

Monochrome in Mid March

/ Richard R. Barron / 1 Comment

I continue with the “monochrome challenge” with these images, all made while walking my Irish Wolfhound Hawken.

Peach blossoms reach for the setting sun.
Peach blossoms reach for the setting sun.

After what seemed like an interminable, cold winter, we have experienced some very nice springs days.

The oil lease road on the north end of The Patch curves away from me.
The oil lease road on the north end of The Patch curves away from me.
I don't know if this is art or is pretending to be art. I feel like I'm spinning my wheels when I photograph it.
I don’t know if this is art or is pretending to be art. I feel like I’m spinning my wheels when I photograph it.
The moon rises above tree branches as buds just appear on their tips.
The moon rises above tree branches as buds just appear on their tips.
This is an early weed called purple dead nettle.
This is an early weed called purple dead nettle.

More Monochrome

/ Richard R. Barron / Leave a comment

This afternoon got its light together at the last minute, as I walked Hawken, our Irish Wolfhound.

In color, it was certainly something. In monochrome, it was definitely something else.

Hawken hears a Who.
Hawken hears a Who.
Hawken explores the pond.
Hawken explores the pond.
Hawken's personality shows as he explores the first snowfall of his life.
Hawken’s personality shows as he explores the first snowfall of his life.
I lifted up a disk of ice that had formed in Hawken's water bucket.
I lifted up a disk of ice that had formed in Hawken’s water bucket.
Small icicles formed on the fence as snow melted and re-froze.
Small icicles formed on the fence as snow melted and re-froze.
The sun shines through a cedar.
The sun shines through a cedar.
Wheat grass stands in the pond, which is as full as it's ever been.
Wheat grass stands in the pond, which is as full as it’s ever been.
Puddles reflect the sky on my long walk with Hawken.
Puddles reflect the sky on my long walk with Hawken.

These images were shot entirely in monochrome capture mode, not shot in color and converted later.

The Monochrome Challenge

/ Richard R. Barron / 2 Comments

I published this to social media recently and got almost no response. This might be due to the Christmas holiday, which is now over. If this interests you at all, I would urge you to share it on social media or create your own monochrome challenge on your web site. If you participate in PhotoLoco, don’t hesitate to post it there. 

California-based Photographer Nic Coury recently acquired a Leica M246, a monochrome (black-and-white only) digital camera. He posted some images recently on social media, and they were very powerful, and perfect in black-and-white.

Thinking about this paradigm, I thought about how I sometimes like to shoot in monochrome mode to force myself to see things differently and take my photography outside its usual box.

Here is what I was able to conjure with my Minolta DiMage 7i in monochrome mode, on a recent short walk through the woods behind our home in Byng, Oklahoma…

Barbed wire clings to a branch as part of a makeshift fence.
Barbed wire clings to a branch as part of a makeshift fence.
One piece of equipment California Nic probably won't be able to legally carry is a sidearm. Given my recent experience killing a skunk, I feel justified continuing to carry a weapon.
One piece of equipment California Nic probably won’t be able to legally carry is a sidearm. Given my recent experience killing a skunk, I feel justified continuing to carry a weapon.
Our pond is full this fall and winter after a wet period in southern Oklahoma.
Our pond is full this fall and winter after a wet period in southern Oklahoma.
This very old truck is on the Palmer's side of the fence, but they've never objected to me photographing it.
This very old truck is on the Palmer’s side of the fence, but they’ve never objected to me photographing it.
These wheatgrass tips catch light all fall and winter. In contrast to my usual super-sharp-focus style, I chose to rack the "clarity" slider to minimum to enhance their softness.
These wheatgrass tips catch light all fall and winter. In contrast to my usual super-sharp-focus style, I chose to rack the “clarity” slider to minimum to enhance their softness.
This woodland is at the western edge of the patch, just before the new highway.
This woodland is at the western edge of the patch, just before the new highway.
The muted light creates a deeply moody image of these leaves on the ground in the woods.
7 The muted light creates a deeply moody image of these leaves on the ground in the woods.
I don't know what or who is buried here, except to say that this marker is at the head or a very foreboding trail that leads into a dark wooded area.
I don’t know what or who is buried here, except to say that this marker is at the head or a very foreboding trail that leads into a dark wooded area.
These puddles are caused by rain filling tire tracks from trucks that periodically come to pump oil and wastewater from oil wells.
These puddles are caused by rain filling tire tracks from trucks that periodically come to pump oil and wastewater from oil wells.
This bale of cattle panel fence has been on the north end of our property for at least as long as I have lived here, 15 years, and it has likely been here three times that long.
This bale of cattle panel fence has been on the north end of our property for at least as long as I have lived here, 15 years, and it has likely been here three times that long.
If you are a black and white fan or have something you would like to show off, we would love to see it, either on social media or your own site.