The weather has changed for the season. Though the sun still shines and it is warmer than we should rightfully expect for December, the cold and snow and ice will soon be here.
This change brings about change for anyone that creates images of landscapes. As the last orange leaves slowly leave the trees we photographers are left with a grey and brown wilderness. The colours are gone.
In their stead we must forage for interest elsewhere. And for me, that means contrast. Black and white photography is at it’s best when a composition features stark contrast within the scene. Like this image, originally a sunset near Port Colborne. I muted the sunset colours, heightened the contrast between light and dark with a curves adjustment, and added nuance to the evening clouds to make them less intense and more silky. I used another adjustment to drop the shadows to deep blacks, eliminating distracting foreground details so viewers can focus on the tree.
Those branches are stark witch fingers of winter against the darkening sky. A metaphor. I hope you like the image as much as I do. Leave a comment. Subscribe. Heck, do both. Treat yourself. And me.
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