April Photo Contest Theme and timeline.

[alfredo]

April's theme is Flowers and Foliage in black and white.

You have two weeks to grab suitable images you can either capture in black and white, or convert from color. Use this as an opportunity to get to know your Channel Mixer, and other black and white conversion technique.
You will find some flowers will return unexpected results. Some yellow flowers can be aggravating, but foliage is always a joy to photograph and manipulate. You will learn to love the architecture of the plants. Play with the red, green, yellow, and blue channels, once you click the monochrome option.



You can also desaturate, or change the mode to black and white.

You can add a bit of tone, but use a light touch. Use it to enhance detail. If you aren't used to thinking in black and white, now is a good time to learn.

Good luck and I will be posting the entry thread on the 14th. You will then have up to a week to post your images.

Fire up your cameras, and have fun.

[Solly Mack]

1. Thanks, alfredo!

[alfredo]

2. Welcomed.

[flamin lib]

3. I might take part in this one! nt

[alfredo]

4. Go for it!

I hope we can win some converts into the world of monochrome. It's so liberating.

[MichaelSoE]

5. so you're making it tough for me ...

i have ton's of grayscale images of flowers .... decisions, decisions, decisions

[alfredo]

9. The hardest part is deciding what good, what isn't

[Blue_In_AK]

6. Not much of either here right now,

but I can hit the archives.

[alfredo]

12. Are there any buds coming out, or moss showing? A florist or greenhouse might let

you take photos.

[Blue_In_AK]

18. We're still under quite a bit of snow

but,I'll come up with something.

[alfredo]

19. Northern clime entries have some leeway.

[CC]

7. Glad you went with this one.

Not many flowers here yet but I do have house plants. Though thinking it just might be a good excuse to go get a bouquet to lighten up the kitchen table and make it at least seem a bit like spring.

[alfredo]

11. There you go. You're helping the local economy too.

If there's a greenhouse nearby, see if they will let you take photos.

[mnhtnbb]

20. So is it ok to submit a photo of cut flowers taken inside?

[alfredo]

21. Yes. Black and white is the only requirement

[mnhtnbb]

23. This is going to be tough to decide which one to choose.

I was out today taking photos--because our power was off for 11 hours thanks
to somebody who took out a utility pole in a vehicle accident during the middle
of the night--and the power company had to put up a new pole.

I do like one photo from today--very 1950's feel to it--but I like the composition
of one I took inside some time ago and converted to B&W.

Hmmm...what to do...what to do!

[alfredo]

24. Go with what you like, not what you think others will.

[mnhtnbb]

26. Good advice!

I've decided. Been converting a lot of photos to B&W but one stands
out to me. So, that's the one.

[alfredo]

27. It's not a recipe for winning, but winning is secondary to

Participating in our community.

[mnhtnbb]

39. This is going to be the first time I've submitted a "composed" shot.

I mostly take my camera out and shoot what I see, but I
like the composed shot in B&W better than anything else I have.

[alfredo]

40. That's great. I want people to work for the image. Not just any

subject is good for conversion. Daffodils are above my skill level. They don't play nice with conversion.

Everybody does dandelions, and the best stuff in the spring almost always needs macro. The new foliage is where many will find good shots.

[Mz Pip]

8. This will be good.

I've been playing around with converting to black and white.

[alfredo]

10. It's a whole different world.

[handmade34]

13. I am just starting to get

my camera out again after a tumultuous winter...


[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

[alfredo]

15. I like that!

[Johnny Noshoes]

14. Ah Black and white.....I love it!

Thanks this is gonna be fun.

[alfredo]

16. I hope so.

[Agschmid]

17. Kick!

Can't wait!

[alfredo]

22. I'm so glad I don't have to compete. I hurt my knee and

Won't be able to crawl around the woods.

[Mz Pip]

25. Camellia in Black and White

I've been trying to do some macro shots and converted this one to black and white. This will be a learning experience. I like that!

[alfredo]

28. Wow. That looks like turbulent clouds

[Mira]

29. i look forward to this one

realized today i can't work the camera with one hand - so i'll go to my files and play.

is this a blind contest and we pm the photo to you?
and are you planning to show the entries at the same time or show them as you receive them?

[alfredo]

32. Run out and get a Ricoh GR so you can

use just one hand. You can pick up a good used one for about $600.

[Mira]

33. that guy gets on my last nerve

and i'm not young enough for a camera without a viewfinder

blind contest? or not?

[alfredo]

34. It is not a blind contest. Kai is a jerk, but I like his cameraman.

[Mira]

35. wise decision for a first contest

imo
it's a handful even without that

[alfredo]

36. Yeah. I will have to wear a brace on my knee for a bit for my MCL.

That will keep me home.

[rdking647]

30. 1 question

would it be acceptable to use an infrared image? (they come out black and white,the foilage/flowers are white)
heres an example (not the image i'd be submitting)
[url=https://flic.kr/p/fFoZBL][img][/img][/url]

[alfredo]

31. Yes!

[rdking647]

41. great

took the ir camera out today,i think i have my entry

[Richard D]

37. Great topic

I look forward to seeing the amazing images.

[alfredo]

38. Thanks. Learn to love your channel mixer is the real theme.