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I Got a Nikon Camera, I Love to Take a Photograph
If you took all the girls I knew
When I was single
And brought them all together for one night,
I know they’d never match
My sweet imagination -
Everything looks worse in black and white.
With all due respect, Mr. Simon, I fear I must disagree. And so do the instructors of my online photography course, who say “Taking black and white pictures can be one of the most rewarding photographic exercises.” And so it is; I’d already taken several monochrome photos before I ever got to the current assignment, which is – you guessed it – black and white photography. And now I need some help.
Not to take the photos; that is (finally) completed. No, I need help deciding which pictures I’ve taken to submit for grading. There are three categories: architecture, landscape, and high or low contrast.
The high/low contrast was the hardest picture to set up and take, but the easiest to choose:
This is my submission for high contrast monochrome photography (low contrast is mostly dark tones). It took me awhile to decide what I was going to photograph, but not long to set it up with the help of Beloved (who ironed the sheet, draped it over the washing machine and then helped me with several different arrangements of the egg and the whisk – he’s a marvelous photography assistant!). Post processing took a little time, but once I figured out exactly what I was going to do with it, it went like gangbusters and I’m really, really pleased with it.
However, the other two categories are a little more difficult. For the architecture photo, we drove out to a neighboring city where there is a large, Gothic-style Catholic church. It’s completely anachronistic in its surroundings (downtown of a small, rust-belt city), and it has fascinated me since I first saw it. I think it may have been constructed predominately of cream-colored stone originally, but over 100 years in a highly industrialized area has left it nearly black with soot, especially at the spires, and there was no question that this was the structure I wanted to photograph for the architecture category. I have two pictures I’m considering submitting for the assignment – the question is which one?
This one was taken from the graveyard in the rear; it has wonderful atmosphere and shows the lines of the structure quite well.
This is the front of the church; I like the perspective – it makes it look rather eerie, don’t you think?
So, which one do you like the best? The rear view or the front view?
For the landscape photo, we drove around through Amish country; since it was a gray, overcast day I thought it would be perfect for black and white pictures. Sure enough, we eventually came across the kind of landscape I was looking for – fields of harvested and stacked corn stalks.
There’s a lot I like about this picture; the barn, the windmill, the cornstacks, the bare trees and especially the cloudy sky.
I was happy to get this picture; I’ve been trying to get a good “rear” shot of an Amish buggy for some time and its passing next to the old-fashioned thresher in the harvested corn field was an opportunity too good to miss.
Which one is better? The barn or the buggy?
Let me know which you all prefer, and I’ll let you know which I submit and what my grade is.
And thanks for your help!
My favourites are the whisk and the buggy. The whisk is simply unusual but the buggy, I really like the positioning of it within the frame, the contrast is excellent and the rough foreground makes it a really good shot.
LOVE the whisk and egg shot.
I’m partial to graveyard pictures, so that one gets my vote.
I’m torn on the landscapes, really like both of them. The Girl just came in, and her vote is for the barn.
I’ve been thinking of doing an online course myself, or of looking for a “physical” class nearby. Maybe after the new year, when things get a bit slower around here!
Mary Anne´s last blog ..I Really Am Really Thankful
Wow! These are fantastic! I love black and white photos, too. This is for an online course you are taking? How in the world do you have time, woman? I’m amazed at everything you do.
I like the second photo of the church and the horse and buggy picture is more interesting, to me.
Can you send me the details of the course you are taking? just in case I ever have five hot minutes to do something besides work, sleep and play Farmville?
Wow, great shots, all of them!
My fave is the front of the church, more depth and so imposing.
The landscape was harder to choose. Love them both. But I think I am more moved by the one with the buggy. And again, hard to tell on the computer, but it seems to have more depth.
Good luck, you wild, crazy photographer!
Maureen@IslandRoar´s last blog ..Spin Cycle: Holiday Newsletters
Incredible shots, Jan!
My vote is for the front of the Church – you’re right, that shot does make it look ‘eery’.
For the landscape ones, that’s a tough call, they’re both so wonderful! I’m sorry I can’t choose a favorite without resorting to a coin toss or eeney, meeney, miney moe…
Love them both! 
Stacy (the Random Cool Chick)´s last blog ..Random Tuesday Thoughts – Towering Dark Tree and 3D Nightmare
What online course are you taking? Inquiring minds want to know! I vote for the front of the church, but I love both of those shots. I like the buggy more than the barn just because I think it’s more unusual. How fun!
Twenty Four At Heart´s last blog ..Shopping at the Money Town Mall
Jan, I love your B&W, but no worries, this Mama would never take your kodachrome away. (sorry, it had to be done…)
I vote for the shot with the grave yard and the shot with the buggy. I like the other two, but I feel like I seen them before (especially the front of the church).
ps- did you hear that Kodak is getting rid of it’s kodachrome line at the end of 2009? So sad, really.
For me it is the front of the church and the back of the buggy. Love the egg and whisk.
Michele´s last blog ..RTT – Austin, TX, Stuffing Re-purposing, Rock and Roll and Yellow Snow.
You take fantastic photos Jan. I like the buggy a little more than the barn. The architecture is hard to choose, but I am a sucker for a graveyard….
Pseudo´s last blog ..Holiday Letters and Snarky Advice
Barn, barn, barn. Love the texture. And graveyard – just a littl more unique.
LPC´s last blog ..One Lavish Way To Find The Perfect Little Black Dress
Wow, you’ve become a really fantastic photographer Jan!
My vote is for the front of the church and the Amish cart in the field. They’re all amazing, but those are my favorites.
Jane Gaston´s last blog ..The Porcelain Doll
I’m with Suzanne and need to know what online course you’re taking. I need a course too. Are you using a black/white setting on your camera or are you manipulating the color in photoshop? Obviously I need HELP!!
p.s. All the photos are great!
Midlife Slices´s last blog ..The Accidental Project
Okay, my two cents:
Rear of church with graveyard (more evocative and emotional).
Buggy.
Let us all know what your grade is!
Great! Now I can’t get that song out of my head. Thanks:)
Linda´s last blog ..Shhh! I’m counting…
I like the buggy for that splotch of black which ties the photo together.
I love playing with the B&W on my camera. John complains since half my photos are colorless. He’s just jealous.
Sprite’s Keeper´s last blog ..RTT: Sometimes I..
First, they are all gorgeous photos.
I think I prefer the rear of the church with the graveyard. I feel like it tells more of a story.
And I like the photo with the barn. The haystacks in the foreground give the picture texture.
Jenni´s last blog ..Tis the Season
lol – Dear, I am not sure all these wonderful comments are gonna make your choice any easier.
I think they are all wonderful…but my favorites are the egg/whisk and the buggy.
I just love rear shots
Monica´s last blog ..Recycled Lies
B & W photography? Architecture? Landscapes? (crashbangclattersoundofmefallingallovermyself) Be still my heart! I LOVE b/w pics, have been knocking myself out with my new Pentax DSLR (plus bought a stupid big printer to do art prints), and I am an architect by profession. sigh. Whisk pic: good! The church: between those two I like the front shot. The one with the gravestones is good, maybe a POV down lower would really have made it pop. The landscape: like them both, but I think the edge goes to the buggy. Good luck, and let me know how you do!
Irish Gumbo´s last blog ..Falling In Love With A Gun Street Girl, and Other Tragicalamities
Online course? How much fun is that? Damn if I weren’t still in grad school, I could play online too…
I like the whisk, it’s just great. I like the front of the church. The landscape is tough – I think I would like the buggy better if it were cropped in tighter on the back of the thing – awesome perspective.
You are doing so well with this, I’m sure you’ll pull all A’s.
Erin´s last blog ..otherwise well tolerated
I do like all of the pictures but if your going to make me choose…I would choose…the front of the church even though I like the one that shows the cemetary. And then I say the picture with the barn even though the horse and buggy looks pretty cool too. Good luck with this!
Lori´s last blog ..Lesson’s In Waiting Rooms
I like the rear view of the church with the graveyard and the one with the buggy the best. You are an amazing photographer, those are some beautiful pics.
To me, the front view of the church suggests a timeless continuity and endurance while the back view and sad cemetery depict the decline of this wonderful old structure.
Soot encrusted stone contrasts with the lighter parts of the structure. It’s as though the symbols have protected it from the elements—–the statue and Christian symbols as well as the older Wiccan pentagram.