Weekly Black and White Photography Thread Year 2 No. 14 (17 May 2026)

Welcome to the Weekly Black and White Photography Thread

We’re dedicated to fostering discussions about Black and White photography. This open peer-to-peer forum allows critical feedback on images, leading to discussions on techniques, styles, interpretation, and storytelling. The first few weeks response has been outstanding - keep them coming.

It’s easy - To participate: post an image or essay with a title, short description, and explanation. All comments must include the image or essay as a quote. Replies may or may not include quotes.

THREAD GUIDELINES:
1. This thread is for learning about Black and White photography.
2. Post one image or photo essay for comments.
3. Entries can be single images or short photo essays (3 to 10 connected images that tell a story).
4. Give your entry a clear title and explain the Story it tells.
5. Provide constructive feedback to others..
6. Go beyond simple praise or dismissal.
7. Explain why you like an image or essay.
8. Negative feedback is welcome (be polite, honest, and constructive).

We refine our skill-craft through feedback - Analyzing prints pinned on the virtual wall is our approach, but discussions of styles and techniques are also encouraged. While most images are captured digitally, Black and White film can also discussed. The focus is on image.

Post a photo or photo essay and get comments and feedback. In return, give honest but constructive opinions of others’ images. There are multiple levels of feedback: composition, technique, emotion and storytelling, etc. Explore the image in your head, considering composition, perspective, toning, balance, exposure, and tonality. Consider the story, emotion or opinion the artist is trying to communicate.

Downloading and reposting - It’s often challenging to verbalize useful comments about images. Instead, it’s often easier to “show.” Unless the original poster specifically states otherwise, participants are free to download, alter, and repost images in replies to express their analysis and critique. The reposted image may remain permanently or be removed after a short period. Downloaded and altered images shall not be used for other purposes or uploaded elsewhere.

Encouragement - When I first pinned a print on the cork-board for the professor and class to analyze, I was apprehensive. However, it proved to be an effective way to learn and develop my skills and vision. Well reasoned analysis and comments aid the artist in improving their vision, skill, and style. The goal is to promote and encourage people to enhance their artistic vision and skill in Black and White Photography by providing constructive feedback. General feedback is also welcome. Sharing techniques for capturing or processing images that aid in creating good Black and White images or photo essays is appreciated in replies.

Why focus on Black and White - As Elliott Erwitt said, “Color is descriptive. Black and White is interpretive.” Or as Clyde Butcher often said, "Only in black and white can I see the design and textures. I don't consider color photography art. Black and is interpretation. Color is duplication." It’s an abstraction that simplifies photography by focusing on composition, forms, shapes, tonality, textures, and emotions.

Clyde Butcher talks about the hundreds of photographers who flock to Inspiration Point in Yosemite National Park for the “golden hour.” However, the composition at sunrise is poor. For Black and White, it’s not about the color of the light, but the quality of the light. Ansel Adams arrived midmorning when the light was “right” to produce his iconic images. His iconic book, “Yosemite and the Range of Light,” had a significant impact on conservation and environmental movements in the West. It also attracts thousands of photographers each year to capture the “Range of Light.”

clydebutcher.com

Nick Ut’s “Napalm Girl” captured the horrors of the Vietnam War and profoundly impacted the United States. Stripped of distractions, the image exposed the terror in the children’s faces, prompting critical questioning of government actions. W. Eugene Smith’s “Minamata” warned the world. It exposed a corporation poisoning water and killing residents, highlighting the suffering of the Minamata community for profit. William Henry Jackson’s photographs convinced Congress to preserve Yellowstone as the first national park, leading to the creation of the National Park Service and commitment to wild land preservation.

Black and White strips away distractions to expose the story. It tells unique stories in various photographic genres, from landscapes to social documentaries to portraiture.

Additional Resources - It is encouraged to discuss additional resources on Black and White photography in posts, whether in your images or commenting on others’ when those resources aid in the goals of the thread.

Growing Together - The Black and White thread focuses on growth and learning together. Be active, honest, and respectful.

Early Spring

In a normal year, at this time this field would be under a couple feet of snow pack. It has not been a normal year in the Rockies. The hay field was lush and green with irrigation flowing. The there was little snow left even at the higher altitudes.

Truman,

This does not bode well.

(nice shot BTW)

Steve Thomas

No it doesn't. This was April 6. The location is near Aspen - actually heading up toward McClure pass. All four ski mountains around Aspen were closed. Vail and Beaver Creek were closed. This should be the prime time for spring skiing. The reservoirs in the Colorado basin are all dangerously low and it was only April when they should be filling.

Face painting

Nice capture. The intent on the woman's face as she paints her (I expect) daughter's face. The definition of the decisive moment.

From a recent trip to Castle Air Museum. F-100 Super Sabre with B-36 in the background. Constellation aircraft that the pigeons would like to think is there own. Cold War/Vietnam.

I particularly like the birds playing around on the B36. The juxtaposition of the F100 and B36 in the last shot is quite interesting.

I read that whole west coast had little snow and all the skiing resorts had issues. And in Europe the weather is also quite different, not sure if it's one-time fluctuation or signing more persistent pattern.
I like this image, the low and high clouds fill sky nicely and draw attention to the mountain on right.

Painter seems to be bit too young to be mother. It was public event and there was many children waiting their order for face paint, so it's about providing service, mother was probably somewhere there is crowd.
I called that scene by myself "anticipation", as I happened to capture moment just split second before the paint is applied. But it can be characterized also as decisive moment, as everything seems to be aligned here. BW works better for this scene as in colour version the black-red shirt of painter was bit too intense and grabbed all the attention.
Interestingly enough later I went to Fotografiska museum to see photo exhibition and on my way out bought small book with HCB most famous photos to examine how to capture that decisive moment...

I like the framing in these images, the shapes created by plane and propeller.

The Colorado river basis furnishes water to Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, Nevada and Souther California has been suffering long term droughts for the past 20 years. Two major reservoirs Lake Powell and Lake Meade which are major sources of power are so low that emergency actions to dump up stream reservoirs (particularly Flaming Gorge) to dangerously low levels to keep the water intakes to drive the turbine below the water line. Major changes will have to be made in the Colorado river basin in the next few years to put in necessary water conservation. This year was particularly bad - 40% of normal snow pack and a rapid melt off with a very warm spring.

Very pleasing image to view. Very much reminds me of Ansel Adams style with the contrast and lighting. It is concerning about the snow. Was just in the Sierra Nevada, and some of the passes were open/opening much earlier than normal.

The crazy part to me is that lonely about 8 years separate the first flight of each. Technology was evolving quickly at the time.

One of Istanbul's Hans