Twice in the past month I’ve been tagged by friends on Facebook to participate in a black-and-white photograph challenge. Post 5 photos in 5 days. Pretty doable, as far as challenges go. So I’m in.
It’s been a great excuse to go spelunking through my collected photographs stored in the caverns of Google+ Photos. Just one click drains all color out of the most spectacular sunset or the most riotous bloom. The black-and-white result, at first, can seem flat and boring. But then…
In the absence of color, other aspects of the image step into the spotlight. Structure. Texture. Light. Shadow. Line. Almost the way an x-ray reveals what the eye doesn’t normally see. What’s left once you’ve removed the green from the grass? the aquamarine from the pool water? It’s an interesting second act for a photograph. Here are the dozen or so snapshots I chose for these challenges. (And a couple of wild cards at the end.) For those of you who love taking pics, this might send you running into your own albums on a hunt for buried treasure. I’ve discovered that I even prefer some photos as their b/w alter egos.

Twin Palms, Palm Springs

Pacific Design Center, West Hollywood

White Rose, Beverly Hills

The End of the Road, Venice Beach

“Fish in a Barrel” – Summer Snap Peas, West Hartford

Los Angeles City Hall – from Grand Park

Swimming Pool, West Hollywood

Date Palm, Rancho Mirage

The Silvery Sea, Santa Monica

Winter Grass, Rancho Mirage

Century Plaza Towers, Century City
Then I started to play around with some sunsets. One I took recently at the beach in Santa Monica. One taken by my friend Jenn at Tod’s Point in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. They’re just not very interesting in black-and-white. Lots of gray. The sky’s reflection on the water is such an integral part of the beauty of these scenes. But, what if…

Unreflected Sunset, Santa Monica

Distilled Sunset, Santa Monica

Unreflected Sunset, Tod’s Point, Old Greenwich (original photo by Jenn Myer Trainer)

Distilled Sunset, Tod’s Point, Old Greenwich (original photo by Jenn Myer Trainer)