So … your team is losing the game. What do you do?

You sit in the stands, taking photos of the rain.

(because of course … you never, er … rarely, leave the game early)

Come on over to Life on the Bike and check out the rest of the photos from an otherwise great trip to Pittsburgh!!

Photo Shoots

Black And White Photography, Photography

Those of you who are familiar with Visual Venturing may recognize this photo from a while back. Being on the road this week, I thought it would be okay to revisit one of my favorites. I took this in Central Park while on a trip to New York City in September 2012.

I would like to say I planned every aspect of this shot, but I have to be honest: I was focused on capturing the young men silhouetted against the fountain and I had to fire off a quick burst of photos before they walked out of the frame. I was definitely surprised (and delighted) when I opened the file on my computer to find what else I had managed to capture. Had I tried to purposefully frame this shot, I doubt I would have been as successful. Have fun discovering the “extras”!

Visit VisualVenturing.com for more of my work.

European Bison

Black And White Photography, Joerg, Photography

The european bison, also known as wisent, or the european wood bison.
The last free living wisent in Germany was killed 1755.
In Germany a herd of eight wisents was released into nature in April 2013.
The wisent shown here is living with some more in the “Wildpark Weilburg”.
Up to now there are 500 Wisents living in several wild parks in Germany.

More of my images can be seen at – The Things As They Are In Pictures

Guest Post: David Jensen

Black And White Photography, David Jensen, Photography

I am David Jensen and my love of black and white photography goes back to the day I bought my Nikon FM at the recommendation of a co-worker. He also took me under his wing and helped me understand the basics of the camera and of composition. After that I was on my own to explore this new way of seeing the world around me. I find that, for many images, removing the color allows for a less distracted viewing of the subject. It also aids in seeing the line, shape and texture of the subject, intent becomes more clear.

Originally from Rochester, Minnesota, I have moved around a bit and now reside in Duluth, Minnesota. Living in northern Minnesota exposes me to a rich variety of subject matter for photography, but I often find myself attracted to seeing the abstract in the natural and in the human made world. The abstract is something I began exploring more in depth after return to school late in life to study filmmaking and photography.
Drawing inspiration from the book, “The Tao of Photography, Seeing Beyond Seeing” I now find myself being much more aware of my surroundings as I wander with a camera.

David Jensen
Northern Visions Media

Fallen

Black And White Photography, Joseph, Photography

Nikon D610 and Nikkor 24-85mm AF-S G VR lens – 1/250 @ f/5.6 – ISO 400

“Fallen Fireman”

Rest now my fallen brother
Lay soft your suffering back
Rest well and forever
Your memory shall not lack
Rest your tired hands
Wipe clean your weary brow
Rest with St. Florian
Your spirit now endowed
Rest here your breaking heart
We know you gave your all
Rest easy, you’ve done your part
You’ve answered your last call
Rest knowing that in god we sought
Oh lord, watch over another who just fell
Rest assured your troubled thought
As we ring the final bell.

Author: Unknown

Broken

Black And White Photography, Elina, Photography

Broken glass and city lights.

More of my photos can be seen here.

Venetian Gothic

Black And White Photography, Emilio, Photography

Please click on the image above to see a high res version

Whenever I had a paper due in school I would plagiarize from the World Book Encyclopedia. Not much has changed except Wikipedia has replace the World Book. So let me just dive in as if I actually know what I’m talking about.

Venetian Gothic is a term given to an architectural style that originated in 14th century Venice with the confluence (I would have substituted a plain, ordinary, everyday word here because no one I know talks like that. Confluence? What the…?) of Byzantine styles from Constantinople, Arab, and early Gothic forms from mainland Italy. The most iconic Venetian Gothic structure, the Doge’s Palace, includes traits of Gothic, Moorish, and Renaissance architectural styles.

None of the above has anything to do with the image above, as the image above is a photo taken a few weeks ago in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. The new world! We in the new world have a habit of duplicating and replicating and basically just plagiarizing every other culture in the world. But it’s not our fault. See, as a nation, we are made up of a lot of different ethnic type people from every other culture in the world. So it’s understandable! At least to me.

Maybe I should run for congress.

While I decide what my platform will be, please visit Photos By Emilio. We have images in every color to suit every mood!

Vista Cruising

Black And White Photography, Patti, Photography





   This car is a reasonably familiar sight to me but always, 
   it takes me by surprise.  A stealth car, it cruises by in
   silence as though on a visit from the past and still I am
   yet to catch a glimpse of the driver. 

   Under the glare of the mid morning sun I caught the 
   cruiser in action, not at all sure of what I might get, 
   in the full road rays of a quiet New York City moment.

Landscape

Black And White Photography, David, Photography

Now I’ll admit that Landscape shots are not what I’m good at. Those nice shots you see on chocolate boxes are great. With mine you’d have to give the chocolates away free. I have a mate who takes the most stunning landscapes. We live in Norway so it can’t be that hard..can it? Well for me I’ve never cracked the code properly. I’ve read all the hints and tips, all the composition guides, waited for the light to be dramatic, and come home with nothing too exciting. I think Landscape is just not my thing.

However having said that I do get the occasional shot that is worth a second glance like this one of the Sand buried church in the North of Denmark. Taken in late afternoon with my Nikon D800 and 24-70 lens then tweaked in Silver Efex Pro2.

I’ll just have to keep practicing :0)

Old Faithful

Black And White Photography, Photography

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6 lens at 42mm, 1/500sec @ f/5.6, ISO 160

Old Faithful Geyser is the most popular attraction in Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park. Traveling through the park this summer, my husband and I did our part to contribute to that statistic.

Pulling into the parking lot by the visitor center, we were astounded that we could actually see the geyser. Well, by that, I mean we could see the viewing area. A boardwalk with benches sits 300 feet from the geyser, and as the time approaches for the next eruption, the benches quickly fill. In the visitor center, we learned we had about an hour to spare, so we grabbed some lunch and then decided to find a place further back on the porch where I could more easily capture the eruption in all its glory.

This photo, one of many I took, is Old Faithful as it reached its highest point. The deep blue sky provided a beautiful backdrop for the white of the spouting water, but the multitude of colored t-shirts detracted from the beauty of this natural wonder. To my eye, black and white was the better choice.

Old Faithful erupts every 35 to 120 minutes for 1 1/2 to 5 minutes.
Its maximum height ranges from 90 to 184 feet.

Visit VisualVenturing.com for more of my work.