Narrowing it down

[alfredo]

All have black in them. The one with the two young women, is iffy for the theme. The greens are more important, but the black of their hair looks good against the background. The girl on the left reminds me of a Modigliani model.

The Clematis is also iffy. The black background is in a supporting role.

[JeffR]

1. Clematis may only have black in a supporting role

but they award Oscars for supporting roles for good reason. Without the black, much of the drama would be gone.

Having said that, the third one reminds that black is a foundational part of our everyday visual experience. Velazquez would have liked the rendering of that scene.

[alfredo]

2. Thank you. Had an usually good outing that day. The light was right.

Tonight I watched the PBS special on Elia Kazan. I want my B&W images to have that same feel. Orson Wells is another master of light and dark, and I think of him during post processing. The Third Man inspires me.

[JeffR]

11. I had to miss the Kazan special, and I hope they'll show it again.

I also had to miss Touch of Evil the other night. I love the feel of noir too.

[alfredo]

14. Look on the PBS video page. They have a lot of videos there.

Touch of Evil is a masterpiece. The opening scene has been the subject of many film criticism classes. "Hard Days Night" is also notable for cinematography.

[JeffR]

16. Nothing but the preview there yet

but I'll keep checking.

[alfredo]

17. Tonight it is Patrick Stewart in Macbeth.

[Callalily]

3. Although I may be a bit

partial to flower photos (JeffR's comment about black not being the focal piont has me a little worried), my choice would be photo #2, the lineup of "spirits." It definately has the "black" component, great composition, interest, and that splash of color!

[alfredo]

10. Just got back from a short trip to the coop. Got a few image I hope will work

[Mira]

4. Struggling with these.

All worthy, but none of them spell BLACK to me sufficiently.
I'm doing to you what my few family folk have done to me for a week... in essence they said..."very nice, very interesting, but maybe you could try something else..."
I find myself wanting to crop the first one to the top of the heads, then the bar is across and disturbing, but it turns "black".
Same on the third one, a radical crop to the top of the gold light with just knees on down showing, and then the foreground starts spelling "black".

The bottles are actually the blackest of the photos, when I step back and look at it on my screen, that's what that photo actually says, in spite of the color, because the colors emerge from all black.

And the girls: you're right on the left one being all but an incarnation of a Modigliani model, they don't predominantly express the theme to me.
The beautiful flower, in that one it's a stretch, too.
I like what JeffR said, though. He speaks English better than I do.

:rofl:

[alfredo]

6. To me, the lamp is an essential part of the image. It is

part of a triangle formed by the crossbar and the clouds. The crossbar is a dividing line between heaven and earth. As far as cropping the top out is concerned, I didn't want to overcrop to point of losing sharpness.

I feel the asphalt is another "black" element. The long shadows move the eye to the figures and the sun splashed "chosen one."

Still, the bottle image is probably the one that best suits the theme. Tomorrow I am hoping to do a quick shoot after my doctor's appointment.

The girls don't fit the theme, but they are cute, and the colors still look good to me.

It was tough staying away from the monochrome button in the channel mixer. I have fallen back in love with old black and white movies. Blame David Lynch. His "Eraserhead" got me back into looking at the story telling possibilities of black and white. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU7OqGCIcak

The bottles are as close as I can get to black and white without going there.

Thanks for the feedback. It helped me move toward a choicd.

[Mira]

13. I was nuts to suggest the crop on number one. I think

what's going on with me and with this theme is that I am thinking more about BLACK and am not very flexible. The more I see of what you and others are pondering as entries, the more I realize that I'm stuck on an almost all black image and that this is not necessary.

I fully understand what you are saying about the triangle and the beauty of your photo as is.
I think it is beautiful. I was just stuck on theme of black.

Wait til you see my entry (if I don't change my mind), and you'll note my preoccupation.
But I think I'll go with it, because I shot it just for this contest, and it was a great fun thing to do.

:rofl:

[alfredo]

15. There are no one way to see a photo or see the theme.

The contest will be judged on merit, not on blackness.

[alfredo]

18. Correction: There is no one way...

[Celebration]

5. my favorite photo by far

Is the third one! As you know I commented before on one one almost the same. That absolutely is "my kind" of photo! Admittedly it doesn't scream black to me, but it does maybe speak it. The asphalt is probably considered black, and that makes a difference.

The bottles are more related to the theme to me, and that is an excellent photo. They all are great, really. I just don't think black hair, or flower with black background speaks the theme black that creatively, if you know what I mean? It may be a personal thing. I am not sure how much people pay attention to the stated theme, except in a sort of general way.

Good job on all of these.

[alfredo]

8. The bottles and the third image are my favorites.

The third one is better at telling a story.

I suspect that most of the images will be still life and landscape.

[Juneboarder]

7. I like the 2nd pic...

great shot and not to mention the Framboise is a great drink!

[alfredo]

9. I knew my fellow hop heads could relate.

[Solly Mack]

12. I really like the first one.

The bottles are most like the theme. The Clematis is gorgeous! I like the black hair and smiles picture. I like the shadows in the third one.

[alfredo]

19. Thanks. I have a bunch of others I haven't shown yet.

I have to look them over more to decide which on I like the best.