Blossoms: Black and White vs. Color

Usually I prefer color. I've heard it said that film photography did black and white better, but digital photography does color better. Your mileage may vary, of course, and I'm no expert at film photography, but the fact is, I see in color.

And so usually I like color better, and I don't even think about black and white.

But I was playing in Lightroom and I happened to turn these flower shots into black and white and something about them grabbed me.

Of course, I like the color too.

For me, the black and white feels completely different. Colder, lonelier maybe, but no less beautiful for all of that. And the color is just kind of flaunting.

Technically this last shot isn't one to write home about, but I'm also enjoying it right now.

So which do you prefer? Black and white, or color?

A Shelter Menagerie

Something to start your week off with: a mixture of cats, kittens, bunnies, guinea pigs, and hamsters.

More than you could ask for, I know. Enjoy the fluffiness!

Something Pretty on a Saturday

Toni and Joe

Joe and I first became friends in a chilly first period chemistry class our sophomore year of high school. There was something about shivering and learning about trivalent bonds that just somehow . . . bonded us.

And even though she lives in New York now, and has for donkey's years, I was lucky enough to capture her and her mom Toni during a brief break here. See, Toni's not just your average mom - she co-founded a groundbreaking and kickass business, just to mention one of her amazing exploits. She's also amazingly crafty and creative - when we graduated high school she gifted all of us with pillows that had pictures of all of us on them. And that's just scratching the surface.

Joe, Miya, Toni, thank you so much for being you. Amazing, strong, beautiful women.

Joe, I can't wait until you're back here for good. I'm so glad it's coming soon!

Aren't they just fantastic together?

You're both beautiful. And that's just that.

So girls, what are we doing for Valentine's day next year??

Self Portrait - March

I know, I know. I missed February. And technically, this isn't really a self portrait, because Evan pushed the shutter button. But I did choose the spot to stand. I think that counts for a lot, right? Right?

When this was taken, I had slept for three hours, and then gone skiing all day. After two years of not skiing at all. So I was a bit sore. And tired. But happy. It was a really good day.

Evan - A Bokeh Panorama

This is a new technique I've been fiddling with. It's called either a bokeh panorama, or the Brenizer technique. Either way it's pretty fun, although it does require a bit of massaging in photoshop. Basically it's a panorama with very shallow depth of field, although that's not the best way to describe it. But it is fun. And that's what matters.

Read a bit more about the technique here, here and here. (The first two are links to where I found the method in the first place, and the last one is another tutorial I found helpful.)