Photo Challenge

A blend of black/white & color!

Recently I was invited to participate in a black & white photo challenge.  Well, it proved to be quite a challenge in more ways than one!  But I am glad :)

Over the summer I was "trying to learn" Photoshop and in the learning process I accidentally deleted quite a few of my photos....ugh.  Let me just say that I am and will always be a HUGE fan of Lightroom....anyway, back to the challenge.

As I started changing my photos from color to black and white, I began noticing a lot of things that I hadn't before... first, a number of things in my photography skills that I am not happy about. Other things it did was opened my eyes to shadows I hadn't paid attention to before, as well as details that you can only see in depth when they are in color, to name a few.

What came next in my thinking is somewhat of a jumbledness as I considered color vs black and white....

• I notice black and white images show me edges more than color. 
• With color photos there is so much to look at in the depth of color, as a photographer there seems to be more grace in the imperfections of the photograph.
• Black and white gives me a clearer indication of beginning and ending with shadows, in color there is more blend or flow opening a space to see uniqueness with each transition of color change.
• Color photos fill my being in a delightful way that black and white do not.
• As I looked at my photography in black and white it revealed I still have ALOT of skills to work on.  

As I consider all this, the way it speaks to me is that in my life I want to look at myself in black and white to see the edges, the shadows, the imperfections. As I look at others I want to look with grace and their uniqueness as one created in the image of God. Bottom line... I want to live life seeing myself and others in color, which includes black and white!

I think I needed to look at black and white to see what color is:)

Even if you are not a photographer, what would it be like to consider things in black and white vs color. And if you are a photographer, consider the challenge-then pay attention to what stirs in you as you look at the difference between your photos.