Oregon, March 2024.
From the video This is where I fell in love with Black and White photography.
Old truck
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black and white
This is where I fell in love with Black and White photography
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A trip back in time, to the place where I fell in love with Black and White photography. The location where I made the first monochrome images... intentionally monochrome, at least. And I haven't looked back since.
There's freedom in constraints
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Most of my work is black and white, square images.
Over the last few years, I've witnessed quite a few stunning and colorful sunrises, and found scenes that would have worked pretty well on a more traditional 3:2 aspect ratio.
And yet, I stick to monochrome and the square format.
Those are not the only restrictions I impose on my photography. Even though a bit fuzzier than the other two, I'm pretty selective with my subject matter and the conditions I like to shoot in.
All of this might sound pretty restrictive but it is, in fact, liberating. After some time doing photography, I know what I'm looking for and what I'm trying to create with my camera.
If I had to capture everything I found in my explorations in the most fitting way, rather than the way I see it, the experience would be overwhelming. By limiting some of my options, I can better find what I'm looking for.
How to find and create Black and White images
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Black and White photography gives us a new way to see the world. But because we life in color, the monochrome world can feel strange, and finding good images can be tricky. In this video, I offer some tips, things I look for when I'm in the field, and actions I take to make good Black and White images.
On post-processing: photography or digital art?
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How far can we go with photography? When does it stop being photography and start becoming something else, like digital art?
I discussed this topic in my newsletter a couple of weeks ago, and I thought it'd be interesting to make a video about it.
Black and White in digital photography: why, when and how
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Not too long ago, black and white was the default. This was due mainly to limititations with color photography, but today digital photograph has made easier than ever. Color is the default, and black and white is a choice. A creative one.
Many digital photographers don't realize that black and white is an option. In this video, we discuss why it's a good option, when to do black and white, and how.
Photographing colorful landscapes in Black & White
Today’s video is from Canyonlands National Park, in Utah. A landscape that is mostly about the colors: the red rocks, the green vegetation, the sunrises and sunsets… how do we photograph all of that in black and white?
As I explore the park, I share some tips and ideas to create good monochrome images in places where color is king.
Update: second part of this mini series is now available. I share a few more tips and ideas, this time from Arches National Park.
See through the fog: how to find contrast in foggy conditions
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Fog can be deceptive. As it happens with other weather phenomenons, the way our eyes and mind perceive a foggy landscape is different from what the camera will capture.
One of the reasons is that contrast can be tricky to find in fog. As we know, contrast is really important in black and white photography, so we need to know how to create it in foggy conditions.
Read MoreEditing 5 black and white images in Lightroom CC
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Images from the Elkhart County 4-H Fair
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The Elkhart County Fair was one of my first experiences in America when I moved here back in 2013. It was definitely different from what I was used to, to say the least.
6 years later, I went back. It was a fun day of fair food, attractions and even a Demolition Derby.
How I avoid the temptation to shoot in color
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As you might know, I make my images in black and white - and all the grays in between.
Sometimes when I'm out shooting, the colors are too beautiful to ignore. Many people wonder why I don't capture the scene that way.
The thing is, I do. A lot of my work is in color. I'm talking about the 200+ videos on my YouTube channel: over 2 years worth of trips, hikes and other adventures, all captured in color.
While making those movies, I try to compose every frame as if it was a photo I would take in color.
That's how I avoid the temptation: I don't, I shoot in color too.
An Ansel Adams pilgrimage in New Mexico
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I didn't have the chance to photograph New Mexico during my last road trip across the US, and that was something I wanted and needed to fix. I spent 10 days there and photographed some of the places I had seen through the eyes and work for great artists and photographers, like Ansel Adams.
Are photo books a good investment?
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In this video, I wonder about the value on buying photo books. Taking into consideration that we can look at images from our favorite photographers online, at any time and from anywhere, are books still a good investment?
I don't mean a financial investment, by the way. I mean an investment on our photography, to improve our vision and to get inspired.
Also in this video, I venture on the streets of Lisbon looking for a photo book. It'd be the first of my new collection. The chosen one: "Genesis", by Sebastião Salgado.
This image wasn't supposed to work
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I made this image during a walk yesterday evening. I had passed by this field dozens of times before, but something caught my eye this time.
This image isn't supposed to work: there's no clear subject, no anchor, no leading lines. And still, there's something about it that I love.
It might be the emptiness of the field, or maybe the blackness of the pine trees. Perhaps the two bright cottonwoods on the very left edge of the frame.
Whatever it is, I think this image has many of the elements I seek with my photography. Many times, that means following your instinct and forgetting about everyone else's rules.
Storks, Monforte de Lemos, February 2019
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This image was one of my first attempts at wildlife photography with my Bronica SQ-Ai. I failed.
As soon as I got close, the storks flew away and never came back. I waited with my tripod and camera ready for almost an hour. They didn't trust me and I don't blame them.
I moved on and kept making images, but decided to check on them again on my way back home, and good I did. They were back, and this time I won't let them leave without an image.
Having ran out of film, I grabbed my digital camera. That would've been my choice anyway, even if I had film. The Bronica proved too big and slow for a scene like this.
I clicked a few times, but it was with this last composition that I got what I was looking for. Inmediately after, they flew away again. This time, I didn't mind.
You can watch the whole thing on this video: "Wildlife" photography with the Bronica.
Like father like son, O Cebreiro, February 2018
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This is not a good place to photograph in the snow. It does snow a few times every winter, but it's not cold enough for it to stick around. You can get a few white days in the mountains, but that's about it.
That's why I wanted to make it to the mountains so bad a couple of weeks ago. A recent storm had left some considerable snow, but the days were about to warm up so the clock was ticking.
I was lucky enough to get a few hours of cloudy weather and I was able to make some good images. I'm still hoping for some more snow in the weeks to come, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
Dawn, A Coruña, February 2019
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Sometimes, the best images are the ones we don't expect to make. This is what happened on my recent trip to A Coruña.
This scene was just in front of the hotel where I was staying. I saw it on my second day there, and I visited the location multiple times over a period of 36 hours. I shot it during the day, at night, and before sunrise.
The one I shot at dawn turned out to be the best one, and one of my favorite images I've made this year so far.
White Death, O Cebreiro, February 2019
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I showed how I made and edited this image in a video a few days ago, so there's little else I can say about it.
Cemeteries aren't usually places I like to photograph. That day, though, I was looking for subjects that would look good with that layer of fresh snow. Things you wouldn't see covered in snow often in that area.
When I saw it, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to reach it. The path to the cemetery was covered in untouched snow, and the gate was closed. I still wanted to give it a try, and I'm glad I did. I had no problem getting inside.
After a short walk and trying a few initial compositions, I stumbled upon this one. Everything was perfectly in place, a big cross with its white tomb, and a line of other dark crosses in the background.
Once you see a composition, everything is very easy. The hardest part of photography is to recognize it when you see it.
Snow, faking film and why there are no rules in photography
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Finally got to shoot in the snow this winter! I take you with me on a short trip to the mountains, and then we take one of the images I made there, we edit it and we talk about what we can and can't do with our photos in post.
Wall of shadows, Estói, December 2018
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I stumbled upon this wall during a walk in Estói, Portugal, a few weeks ago. It was around noon on a bright day.
The hursh light was creating all sorts of shadows, and this street light and wall caught my eye. I'm not sure what those little windows were for, but they were the perfect match for the shadow and the paving stone.