faerie's kiss or..the other swine flew

I couldn't resist following this creature through the LA Museum of Modern Art as she

interacted with some of the exhibits on display. She went about her visit playfully allowing

me to 'capture some of her playfulness. I enjoyed this hour of spontaneity immensely.

Hope you enjoy as well.

Lee,

In a comment in my portfolio, under one of my photos, you mentioned something about a difficulty on your part to get as many great black and white captures as you would like.

Let's take the above capture as a 'for instance'.

It is full of lively color, and you are almost an addict to strongly saturated color.

Try desaturating this, using the color version and not just desaturating it by taking the color out, but using 'channels' and the Black and White command from Photoshop CS3 or later to vary the tones of the various colors to shades of black and white and/or gray to achieve the best effect, and see if this doesn't look even better (or at least far different) in black and white.

I think you'll be surprised how great this would show in B&W, if this were in solely a black and white setting -- e.g. a portfolio or folder only of great B&W photos. I think it it would be a standout.

One thing, though, is that most PN B&W photos do not rate highly unless they are truly outstanding.

One of the truly outstanding photos in B&W that I have seen recently is 'Wings' by member Giuseppe Pasquali of Rome, which has not even got a 6/6 after 29 ratings although in my view it is close to perfection.

Lee, this is a great street capture . . . . worthy of any street artist and would make a great black and white capture.

I won't supply my version here, as I'm pretty under the weather, but I invite you to look at some of your work like this - and try desaturating (the way I outlined). You may have a treasure of B&W images you just passed over because you love color so much.

(or I may be completely out to lunch -- who knows?)

john

John (Crosley)

Hey John, Ol buddy,

Thanks for the nudge and encouraging comments about B/W photo making. I believe you may have become the turning point for me to explore tis. I also have decided (after reading your message) that I'll give the B/w setting on my camera a try as well. Seems the 5D is capable of shooting extraordinary B/W images from the gitGo.

Anyway. I'm also set back a bit today after some arduous physical therapy sessions yesterday. They are trying to correct some C3-C4 vertebrae overlapping (subluxation),

Seems to be working but after these sessions, the small of my back seems to ache and get cranky..I guess everything is connected more than we realize sometimes.

Her is wishing we both get weller sooner....

We need to to some tandem shooting sometime.

best to you

Lee