Shadows and Reflections in Monochrome

A few years ago, a friend asked if I preferred a photo of his in color or monochrome. I didn’t have a preference and told him each conveyed something different. I think since we see in color there is an expectation that we want our photo to feel real, allowing us to relate to the photo in a way we know it. That’s how I make sense of it. With monochrome we can’t rely on color to guide our thoughts so we look closer, maybe at the finer lines, or a deeper meaning in the photo.

This week, I search for Shadows and Reflections in Monochrome. I loved the challenge! As someone who loves color, I wasn’t sure I could pull it off. Not sure I did, but I sure had fun playing around. As today progressed, I realized not only did my perspective regarding monochrome change, I also learned how to alter perspective on my own.

The shadow is the greatest teacher for how to come to the light. -Ram Dass

Monochrome guides your focus: Tell me. When was the last time you saw a flamingo and not talk about how pink it was? We all do it. In this photo, converted to monochrome, and cropped, the focus became the shadowed foot taking a step. I think the result brings a certain grace to the photo. Do you agree? And while I love flamingos in color, I love the definitive look of it’s foot today.

Monochrome impacts mood and emotion: If you photograph in color you capture clothing, sunsets, landscape, buildings…background noise. On another note, if you have never seen a baby discover his or her shadow, look for it. First of all, it is a lesson in the simple things. And here…without the distraction of the pink shirt and bright green grass, we notice the chubby little fingers and eyelashes of the the baby, along with her curiosity in trying to touch her shadow.

Monochrome creates mystery. On a recent trip to a nearby ghost town, I found the lacy shadow of a tree on the what used to be the hospital and town office. It looks a little foreboding and with the story of a double murder in it’s history, rightly so. The tree also tells us of the time of day, as the sun has risen in the east.

At the Desert Botanical Garden, a sundial is more elaborate, and tells us time with a little more accuracy. To think, at one time this mysterious way of telling time was probably high tech.

Monochrome is artistic. It is funny what you find when you start looking. My morning walk helped me gather long morning shadows, and reflection, but it wasn’t until I returned home that I thought it might be fun to experiment. I gathered household objects, sat by the bright window and placed items on the inside crease of an empty journal.

A ring was a nice start and I was hooked.