portrait – Ritva Sillanmäki Photography

Monochrome Moods in Portraits

Black and White photos, People, Photography

In the absence of a theme for Monochrome Madness, I experimented with one image in three versions, focusing on varying lighting and contrast to bring out different moods and emotions in the monochrome portrayal. The main subject of the monochrome portrait is a young girl who appears immersed in deep contemplation, portrayed in a serene natural setting as she thoughtfully gazes downward, which beautifully highlights her profound connection with the environment around her.

Moody monochrome portrait capturing a moment of contemplation in a natural setting.

This reflective posture suggests an internal narrative, inviting viewers to interpret her thoughts and feelings, yet it does raise questions about what is truly occurring in the moment. What the photograph suggests may evoke feelings of curiosity and tranquility, but it is a juxtaposition to the reality that, in truth, she was looking at her phone, texting friends, I assume, as many young people often do in their daily lives.

A contemplative moment captured in monochrome, featuring a young girl deeply engaged in her surroundings.

This detail presents an interesting contrast between the serene aesthetic of the image and the typical distractions of modern life. I took this photograph last summer, that is obvious by her clothing, which indicates warmth and leisure, making it clear that it is not a recent one. The sunlight filtering through the leaves further adds to the nostalgic quality of the piece, linking the past moments of carefree summer to the present.

A young girl thoughtfully gazing down, surrounded by nature.

The contrast of shadows and light

People, Photography

A thoughtful black-and-white portrait of a man shows a ton of emotion and introspection. You can really see the lines on his face and feel the heaviness of his thoughts. The play of shadows and light highlights his furrowed brow and slight frown, hinting at some personal struggles and deep reflections. Every little detail makes you think about the quiet stories behind his gaze, sparking a sense of empathy and a better understanding of what it means to be human.

How to describe this portrait I took was a bit tricky, but this is what I came up with, does it resonate with you?

A black and white portrait of a contemplative man, displaying deep emotion and introspection. — A contemplative black and white portrait of a man, reflecting deep emotion and introspection.

Posted for #Six Word Saturday and November Shadows

it’s just me

People, Photography

Trying to keep up with appearances. For a challenge I took a different kind of selfie with my mobile and now chose it for John’s Cellpic Sunday

Mid-week Monochrome #124

Black and White photos, People

I have a soft spot for black and white photography, I also have a sweet spot for tmy grandkids. I can sit for hours and I watch them play and fight…no thats not true, I cannot watch them fight 🙂 I end up telling them to stop.

They are lively and to get them to sit down and giving me a chance to get a photograph of them is not that easy. This time I did not give them an opportunity to refuse. I sat them by thhe window so I could use the natural light and get nice contrast and shadows, Then I edited them in this moody way, I know childrens photos are not usually edited this way, but I liked them. What do you think?

“There’s something strange and powerful about black-and-white imagery.”

Posted for Bren’s Mid-Week Monochrome and Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

52 Frames: Week 22: Everything In Focus!

52 Frames, Landscapes, Traveling Crete

We’ve all seen wonderful images where a particular subject is in focus and the rest of the image is soft, so our eyes are drawn to the main element. This week, we want to see Everything In Focus. This is where your choices of subject, composition, lens selection and depth of field all come together to give us sharp images front to back.

Took this in Crete, it is from the entry to the Samariá Gorge. The gorge is situated in the National park of Samaria, in the White Mountains in West Crete. This majestuous gorge is considered one of the great attractions of Crete. It was created by a small river running between the White Mountains (Lefká Óri) and Mt. Volakias.
I took some with f/22, but as I did not have a tripod, the are a bit shaky. I think this is a sweet spot for these shot f/14

Stability: Use a tripod or some sort of support to eliminate any chance of camera shake.
Shutter Speed: A high enough shutter speed to freeze any motion in your shot will get rid of blurs caused by movement.
Depth Of Field: Focusing to infinity at the highest aperture (f/22) isn’t always the best choice. Picks an aperture that’s at the sweet spot of your lens – usually a few stops below the max.
Focus Point: Try focusing at different points – one third of the way in or half the way in and see which gives better results.
Focus Mode: Single will usually be a better choice than continuous. Also, consider using manual focus to get sharp images.
Live View: Use live view and zoom in to your focus point to see if it’s sharp enough and lock in your focus.

52 Frames, Week 5: Black And White!

Black and White photos, People

Why does black and white photography so often grab our attention more? It’s because we have the ability to create STRONGER elements in our frame, by taking away much of the distraction that often comes with color. It’s simply less “things” for our brains to take in. But more than that, black and white will accentuate just that, so you can create more contrast and light/shadow play within your frame to tell a powerful story.

They evoke stronger emotions by paying greater attention to shadows, contrast and texture – three photographic elements that push good b/w images to become great ones.

Here a photos I am considering as one of my shots for BW entry. What I am trying to bring to focus in these shots are natural, age positive, emotion. My husband is a good sport as he is always ready to pose.

Any suggestions, idea, what do you think, can you find the elements of a good black and white shot in these.

How to survive November 2020-8

Black and White photos, People

My boys have a great dad, Happy fathers day to the father of my children.

If you wish to participate in this survival of the darkest month challenge, use this link to add your post to it. PARALLEL LINES

My old photos are this time of my dad, who passed away along time ago in 1982, but he still remains in my memories. The b&w one below is the first photo I took of my dad, and also the first time I took photos in the early seventies..

Six years old

Black and White photos, People, Photography

The dreaded photographer’s block. I,ve had it. I have it now, sort of, As one is mostly at home.

You sit on your couch, you look at your beautiful gear, and you just don’t feel it. You can’t think of anything worth shooting. Nothing takes you.

It’s frustrating as hell. An empty feeling.

At this i take a look at archives and edit old photos that I have discarded previously, with my new found editing skills I am able to breathe new life to them. Maybe this will get me going.

Mostly I have taken photos of my grandchildren, when they let me.

the look

Black and White photos, People

Minimalist Portrait

Black and White photos, People, Photography

mimimalist portrait

Smile

People, Photography

Boys (48)-2 Boys (48)-3

Looking out

People, Photography

Boys (11)-2

Indian woman

Black and White photos, People, Photography

Indian woman-3.jpg

Baby

People, Photography

baby-1-of-1

Strike a pose

People, Photography, Travel

I took photos of this girl, she posed next to a graffiti in Wynwood walls, I tried several editing ways. What do you think, which one works?

wynwood-walls-62

wynwood-walls-74

Side portrait

People, Photography, Travel

side portrait bw.jpg

A blacksmith

People, Photography, Travel

This blacksmith ( http://www.iikanpaja.fi/) , Iikka Pyötsiä was selling and showcasing his craft at Hvitträsk yesterday at the Chrismas market. I have studied sculpture with him and he his very talented in that area too and I know he has done pieces that combine both metal and sculpture’s done with clay.

Girl

People, Photography

brown-haired-girl-3-of-3

BW Beauty shot

Black and White photos, People, Photography

Veera

like this message I received 🙂 Now I need some good luck!

106395 submissions and
The ViewBug team has chosen one of your B&W images for inclusion in our Black & White Masterpieces photo contest! We considered many factors when choosing images, and we thought your image was perfect.