Birds in Black & White

BillN_33

BillN_33

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After a discussion with Gary, I thought I might start a thread for Bird Black & White images

what do you think? - post yours if you feel like it

two different "treatments"

CC always welcome ....... as well as the usual

B_W_Bird.jpg



B_W_Bird_GreatT.jpg
 
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I wouldn't go as far as to say B/W doesnt work for me but only a very few bird images would benefit from it IMO.
 
mikew said:
I wouldn't go as far as to say B/W doesnt work for me but only a very few bird images would benefit from it IMO.
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Yeh, black and white ones.
 
That will be mainly nesting or swimming coots with their eyes closed then ?
 
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To be honest, they are awful, I am sorry but I just can't see what you are trying to achieve with them?
 
Not my photos but I think a harsh comment above.

To be fair, I suggested to Bill that there would be many who liked their wildlife images in full glorious colour and who would say so on this thread.

That stated, photography is not all about record shots of birds (on this sub-forum) and their behaviour in perfect detail and with perfect exposure. B&W can: add artistic or creative effects eg. drama or atmosphere to an image through use of light and shade; emphasise a focal point; emphasise texture; reduce the effects of blown highlights etc.....

Just my £0.02.
 
Thanks for comments ........

They are more of an impression than a detailed shot ....... but anyway a few more to suck on ... one being a detailed shot

just a B & W treatment of these - no clarity or other adjustments

KF_B_W.jpg



GRU_B_W.jpg


Jackdaw_B_W.jpg
 
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Hi Bill

Think I am a long way off getting images like Danny Green or Dave Yarrow !

I think your top image above compares favourably though.
 
gary43 said:
Hi Bill

Think I am a long way off getting images like Danny Green or Dave Yarrow !

I think your top image above compares favourably though.
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Morning Gary and thanks

I need to look into the B & W processing software - the David Yarrow wildlife images are so "powerful" in B & W .............. I think far more so so B & W than colour and to answer Nigels point maybe that's what I am looking for in a small kind of way

We can all keep plugging along the same path (towards "perfection of detail etc), but it is good to look at what others do and to try the same

I have to admit that the Kingfisher image is a cheat ...... I did take the Kingfisher in that position against the sky and I did take the rising morning sun at the same time, (top of a mountain in S Africa a couple of years ago), ....... but then I combined the two images ....... unusual for me just one of the very few images that I have "cheated" with.

The cranes were taken overhead from our back garden with a 600mm Nikon and the Jackdaw was taken quite a few years ago.
 
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Hi Bill

Morning, I do don use it but my landscape-shooting mate who is multi award winning uses Silver Efex Pro (not sure which version).

I think this is regarded as the best conversion package out there.
 
gary43 said:
Hi Bill

Morning, I do don use it but my landscape-shooting mate who is multi award winning uses Silver Efex Pro (not sure which version).

I think this is regarded as the best conversion package out there.
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Gary - see my comments about the KF image as I edited my post #13 after yours.

I did have Silver Efex Pro on my old Mac but when I transferred, (migrated) all the stuff to my new Mac I seem to have lost it ........ probably because it needs the code and I have misplaced that

I'll keep at it, both ways ... I try to bring some debate into the section and that was my intention with this thread

I looking at some of my other images to see what they look like ....... but you must have to take the image with a B & W intention to be effective ... I think

here's another which I quite like ..... but to tell the truth it is better in colour

Kids_Room_B_W.jpg
 
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The kingfisher image is the only one that works imo, just taking a normal bird shot and converting to b&w doesn't do anything for me
 
A good photo is a good photo, whether it's b&w or colour, get it right and b&w can really add to a photo but not every subject works
 
NSNO said:
A good photo is a good photo, whether it's b&w or colour, get it right and b&w can really add to a photo but not every subject works
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"A good photo is as good photo" ...................................... agreed but obvious

"whether it's b&w or colour" - ............................................agreed ............................... I'm with you ..... but does that need saying

"and b&w can really add to a photo" -.............................. well maybe sometimes

"but not every subject works" .......................................... so are you saying bird images are not good in B&W, or that my images are crap and/or that good bird images are good in B & W

Don't really understand your point or maybe I have not explained the thread well?
 
Any genre of photo can look good in b&w but it's got to be taken with the intention of being b&w in mind, just converting a photo as an after thought won't work in most cases but there's no reason why bird photos can't work well in b&w
 
NSNO said:
Any genre of photo can look good in b&w but it's got to be taken with the intention of being b&w in mind, just converting a photo as an after thought won't work in most cases but there's no reason why bird photos can't work well in b&w
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Quote from my post in #15 above

"I looking at some of my other images to see what they look like ....... but you must have to take the image with a B & W intention to be effective"
 
I'll chip in with the photo below. I think the B&W conversion brings out the texture in the feathers quite nicely. Just my humble opinion.

5H3A3778_zpstkfcb1wl.jpg
 
That's Gary, I agree ...... your image start to focus on the texture more than saw a coloured version would ..... it could almost be an image without the birds head, or an image in which the birds head is not needed.......we should always try to experiment at all levels of our ability ......... OK not aiming to be any where near the experts but with all the possibilities that digital brings everyone can try to be a little creative

but I do not think anyone wants "to play"

I'll have another go - maybe I will get there in a few weeks

I saw this image as almost B & W because I shot it almost into the sun

B_W_BT.jpg
 
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To me, they can work in B&W. Difficult to get right though.

Perfect close ups in colour are fine, but sometimes different type of bird shots work well.
 
den said:
Most birds I photography are generally pretty colourful in their own right ,why take away all that colour ...and as BRASH says unless they are black and white birds ,just my opinion on the subject
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I'm not trying to take away the colour Denis, I really appreciate well taken good detailed shots and that's what I am always aiming towards ....... but I'm just "thinking out loud" and looking at a more silhouette or textured based or whatever based image to try to see "bird images" in a different light, (if you will excuse the pun).

Not asked anyone to post their best shots ... just their ideas in B & W so that we can have a discussion and exchange ideas and views ....... you never know something may come of it.

It is not a contest or anything ....... IMHO we should discuss stuff more and develop ideas ....... even though we all know where that may lead to ......... the Mods are watching
 
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Like the one below as well. A bit blown on the LHS but the conversion again emphasises the feather/eye detail.


5H3A0762b_zps11ofkszy.jpg
 
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I think in a way B & W detailed images can make you look closer as in your image above ...... maybe you tend to look into the image more and focus, the eye and "face" in your image....... I don't know, just a thought

that's quite a "powerful" image Gary ..... the eye does drag you to think about the bird as ....... not just a bird


here's another, it is probably one quarter the size of "the flock" /image really emphasising the shapes these birds make in flight, and you can see how we have copied them in the designs that we have created ... I think that you can see that more in B & W images ... they emphasis "shape" more

I'll bore you all stiff with them

I only wish that I could improve my B & W processing

B_W_gru.jpg


B_W_gru_2.jpg
 
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Thanks Bill, as you know I like a tight crop and this is one way of extracting a bit more detail out of such images.

I also really like the silhouette shots posted above. Very evocative and reminiscent of early morning strolls when there is dull light and not much contrast to be observed.

The shot above from you I also like a lot. I am sat here looking at the movement of the birds in this image rather than worrying about the picky matters of: how sharp; how well exposed etc. Some will, of course, not like it as a "bird" shot but it is a super image.

Edit: have just thought, I wonder if anyone can recognise the bird from my shot immediately above ?

Regards

Gary
 
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I like all 3 in your second post Bill. I think they are very acceptable.

Its horse for course. Some stuff ive taken with black and white in mind have attracted more positive comment in colour. Ultimately its whether you think it works.

Efex pro is very good but sometimes ot can produce over processed images.

Anyway here is my Marmite contribution to an interesting topic.

Avocet
 
I think that maybe to summarise:
...............it is very difficult to get a B & W "bird image" that is effective
...............it is a lot easier to produce a coloured "bird image" that is attractive
...............there are some very effective B&W "bird images" around .......... but they are few and far between and not easy to achieve
...............and some will say that B & W images of birds are only effective if the bird is black and white

All the more to keep trying and your Avocet image Gary is a very good example of what can be achieved with vision

Thanks to all for their opinions and postings
 
Thank you. When I took it i had this in mind, which, if you've seen my other stuff you will know is way out of my comfort zone.
 
The avocet shot shows how effective B&W can be, its balanced, well framed, pin sharp and holds interest, what it does'nt do is look like a shot that has beeen turned b&w in the hope that it will be ok. Maybe in the last shot you have posted Bill, a tighter crop with just the head would work better?, showing half of the body at the angle you have it just does'nt work, having said that the bird its self is maybe too plain with no real contrast?
 
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