Picture This

Picture This!
Monochrome: In Camera

Shutterbug Staff  |  Nov 1, 2007

Black and white has always been a very expressive photographic medium. When digital came along it was all RGB, all the time. But black and white was always there, although in some cases it took some skill in image editing to get it right. Increasingly, digital cameras feature a Monochrome mode, many including "filter" effects that emulate the tonal interpretation as if color filters were placed over a lens on a film camera loaded with panchromatic film. The Picture This! assignment this month was using this unique feature to make black and white images "straight" from the camera without using external software by working in the Monochrome mode. (Of course, they remain RGB images, but desaturated.) Readers sent in a wide variety of black and white images, many classic subjects prime for a monochrome eye.

Old Tires And Van

Dick Herpich's tonally rich image was made with a Nikon D80 in B/W mode with red filter emulation and a +1 contrast setting. Exposure through a Nikkor 24-85mm lens was f/13 at 1/250 sec at ISO 320.
© 2007, Dick Herpich, All Rights Reserved


Leaving On Time

This classic steam locomotive was photographed by Richard Southwick with a Canon EOS 20D in B/W mode with an orange filter setting. Exposure was f/8 at 1/200 sec.
© 2007, Richard Southwick, All Rights Reserved

Ice & Snow

John L. Patterson photographed this wintry scene with a Canon EOS 5D set on Monochrome with a red filter effect. Exposure was f/22 at 1/800 sec. He also printed this on an Epson R2400 in Advanced B/W mode set to "cool."
© 2007, John L. Patterson, All Rights Reserved

Play Date

This tender portrait was photographed by Michelle Axtell-Horder with a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi in Monochrome mode. Exposure was f/5.6 at 1/40 sec at ISO 100.
© 2007, Michelle Axtell-Horder, All Rights Reserved

Classical B&W

The highlight edges and deep tonal values make this a classic shot of a classical instrument, photographed by David Prewitt using a Fuji S2 Pro camera in Monochrome mode.
© 2007, David Prewitt, All Rights Reserved

Weather Horse

Crisp shadows and a dazzling spectral highlight make for a textural play in this photo by Shannon Corr. Exposure with a Canon 580 Speedlite and a Canon EOS 5D was f/6 at 1/30 sec using a Sigma 12-24mm lens.
© 2007, Shannon Corr, All Rights Reserved

Hearst Building

The play of shadow, light, and form create a classic black and white mood in this photo by Gerald Swede. Exposure through a Fuji FinePix E900 in Monochrome mode was f/7.1 at 1/320 sec.
© 2007, Gerald Swede, All Rights Reserved

Light Shutter

In a classic black and white approach, the textural quality of this field of mid tones is enhanced by the silvery light fixture in center frame. Abery Clark made this image with a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi with a red filter effect; exposure was f/11 at 1/200 sec with the ISO set at 200.
© 2007, Abery Clark, All Rights Reserved

Grand Canyon Of The Yellowstone

Dr. Richard Santee made this classic landscape with a Leica D-Lux 2 set to B&W "color effect." Exposure was f/8 at 1/200 sec at ISO 100.
© 2007, Dr. Richard Santee, All Rights Reserved

Ice Flow

This abstract view of ice on a shoreline was described by photographer Bryan L. Davies as "...a volcano spewing forth little ice particles." He worked with a Canon EOS 20D with a sepia tone effect setting and exposure was f/16 at 1/640 sec at ISO 400.
© 2007, Bryan L. Davies, All Rights Reserved
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