Anyone Want to Play Along?

January 10, 2010

Winter Wonderland BW 2 WM

Like many of you, the winter doldrums are setting in and I am feeling like I am beginning to climb the walls. It is just way too cold to do anything outside and there are only so many places to go or things you can do indoors.

In addition, I feel less inclined to pick up the camera when we are inside. I miss the summer days and being able to whip out my camera almost anywhere and have great light and beautiful backdrops. I kind of feel like I have been in a creative slump and need some new challenges or goals to work towards when it comes to photography and this blog.

I would love to take part in something like "Project 365" where you take at least one photo each day and post it, but with a full time job, I know that I will never be able to keep up, so I have to set my sights on something less time consuming.

Black and White photos have always been a favorite of mine......and seem to be a popular choice with others too. Two years ago I started to hang black and whites on one of the walls in our home. My goal was to keep adding photos until the wall was completely filled. Well....let's just say that I can still see a whole lot of wall....LOL!

I take so many photos, but for some reason I don't process a lot in black and white.....and I would like to change that, so this is what I have come up with.......

"Black and White Wednesday"

Each Wednesday I am going to post a black and white picture. It doesn't matter what the picture is, it just has to be processed in black and white.

This will give me something creative to work on each week. It will help me refine my processing skills, because black and white conversions are not as easy as you think {more on that later} and last but not least.......IT IS GOING TO HELP ME FILL UP THAT WALL IN MY HOUSE:)

So what do you all think.......Anyone want to play along with me?

You can post a black and white portrait or a snap shot style photo, it can be a person, place, or thing.....whatever your heart desires, as long as it is black and white. You can tell a story with the picture, or just post the picture!!

It doesn't matter if you are a photographer or an ameteur, if you own a camera and have a blog or FB account, you can play along!!! And don't fret..... I will be posting every Wednesday, but you can come and go as you please. Play along as often as you would like. All you need to do is title your post "Black and White Wednesday"

I think I will create a link at the bottom of my post each week so that way if you are playing along, you can showoff your beautiful black and white for all to see:)

The fun starts this Wednesday...... I hope you will join me!


The above photo is the entrance to a farm that is a few blocks from our house. The long driveway lined with the white splitrail fence and gigantic trees has been calling out to me lately. I would love to take the kids down there for a shoot, but I want to check with the owners first. I don't want to get in trouble with my camera again for taking pictures where I shouldn't be. I hopped out of my car quickly to shoot this one from the edge of the road. The passersby must have thought I was nuts!

44 comments:

Kim said...

BEAUTIFUL photo..
I can't say that I will join becuase I am not that great with photos..
Have a great Sunday girly..
Hugs..

Lisa said...

What a great idea! I'll try to play along! : )

Love Letters To China said...

Would love to join in! Especially since I'm going to this workshop and need to practice during the week.

BTW.. the workshop is a locally held one. It was pretty informative. Only 5 other attendees so that made it nice and intimate. I'm still struggling with understanding the whole aperture, shutter speed, ISO, etc. My brain just doesn't want to wrap around it. We have homework this week so I will be practicing non-stop. Thanks for the advice on the lens. I think I might just do as you suggest. My hubby thinks I'm nuts but that nothing new! ;-)

Gail said...

Gorgeous image, Lisa! I adore black and white photography and I'll be joining you on Wednesdays! great idea. :)

Have a great Sunday!

Wanda said...

LOVE IT, love it, love it! I am so going to enjoy this challenge.

As much of a black and white person as I am - it has never been my favorite type of photo. (Not sure why....maybe I need the color being surrounded by so much blk & wh.)

And now that I've finally entered the world of PS and LR, I'm raring to go. I'm leaving now for the north mountains. I'll see what I can get, I think I see some sun behind the grey in the sky.

See you Wednesday!
xoxo

(PS. thanks for your feedback on my photos. I so appreciate you.)

Sandra said...

I'll play! Love the photo and love the idea :-)

These Are The Days said...

Sounds like a fun idea. I hope it warms up for you soon.

Jodee said...

Sounds like a fun idea! Black and white photos are my very favorite! Chef Daddy said he would teach me how to convert to black and white so I can join the fun this week. Otherwise, I have lots of Jenny's pictures I can post!

Have a great Sunday!

ZONE F DG TEAM said...

Can't wait to be linked up. I made a point of having some black and white photos for our wedding.

I particularly love black and white with traces of colour edited in... so I may have to cheat slightly...LOL

Football and Fried Rice said...

Hmmmm....I'll try? I am not sure I "can" - but I'dlove some inspiration!!

I LOVE the picture with this post - it is what I see when I look out my window (the snow, not the farm!)

Kayce said...

Would love to play along! I love B & W photos. Looking forward to seeing others pictures.

Tutus and Choo-Choos said...

I'm not sure how to do black and whites on my camera, but maybe. I'm taking part in the 52 week challenge of being in one photo each week. Have a good week!

a Tonggu Momma said...

That would be an awful lot of black and white rears, but I may join in occasionally. You know me, not that great of a photographer, but I will LOVE looking at your photos.

t~ said...

I'm thinking I might have to play along. I have a goal to take more photos this year...maybe this will help!

LOVE THE NEW HEADER!
You are almost there!!!

V said...

I'll try to play along! Love black and white!!

Lucy said...

Great idea Lisa! I may try to play along if I can. Your photo is beautiful, what a setting!

Faith Hope Love Photography said...

Love this picture...I will be sure to try join you as time permits. I like you am lacking in picking up my camera and need to sharpen my skills and keep on practicing. Can't wait to see you then ;)

Dita said...

Wow.........lovely shot. And yes, now that you mention it, I rarely see B&W on your blog.

I am excited about the new idea on wednesdays.....I'll be tuning in and hopefully learning as I go...as I always do from you, my sweet friend!

xoxoxo
Dita

Colleen said...

I would love to try and play along. This will be fun especially since I have not had too much time for blogging with our move right now. Black and white photos are my favorite!
I love your pictures of your handsome boy on your last post. Our Reed turns 13 this summer and we have just started talking about a cell phone for him. I am one of those that took along time to adjust to the whole idea of cell phones.
Love your new look here too!

Patricia said...

This photo is gorgeous!!

I will try to play along...it's a great idea!!

The cold is a killer this year, isn't it? I can't seem to ever get the chill out of my bones!

Jboo said...

Beautiful! Great idea -- we're going stir-crazy around here too. But warmer temps (20's!!!) are headed our way!

Have a great week!

Janet

Ice Cream! said...

Great idea, Lisa! Wish I could commit to join, but I am so not in the photography mode. Maybe looking at all of the great entries will put a spark under my rear :)
Have a great week!

Shelly and Family said...

Hi Lisa - As you may know, I have been very sick over the past week...I finally went to the dr's on Thursday and today was the first day I actually felt "somewhat" like my old self. Let me know your schedule for tomorrow. I will be home most of the day...so we can catch up. I must tell you...I still sound terrible :( Can you believe that today is the first day I have been online in....what seems like forever. I am so at a lost here.

Anyway, as soon as we come back from Disney...I so want to join in the onl B&W Wednesday!

OK - gotta go and clean out my emails...I am sure i hve over 100 that all need to be deleted.

Hope all is well is PA! Love you :)

Jo said...

What fun! I'll try but I'm not as talented as you.

Hope it's a little warmer for you ~ we are going hit a heat wave this week ~ a whopping 37 degrees. Break out the summer wardrobe! ;)

Jo

fleur de lis cottage said...

What a beautiful image...I hope to play along. If I don't get anything posted on Wednesday...shoot me an email and remind me, lol!!

Jeni said...

If I had a view like that I may be able to enjoy the cold a little...we have no snow, it's just freaking cold!

I love black and whit too...it will be fun to see some pretty pics every Wed...that is a great idea.

Marla said...

Count me in!! I think it's a great idea and I just love that shot!

Hope you had a great weekend!

3 Peanuts said...

I think it is a fabulous idea. DAve and I were hanging some professional portraits hat we had done of the kids YEARS ago today and I told him that we need to update them....he looked at me and told me to get on that! So, I have a goal of trying to get a good portrait of each of the kids this year to print large, frame and hang. I will play along when I can:)

carolinagirl said...

great idea. you know i know nothing about processing, but i can click my black and white option in lightroom. haha!

love that photo. i think the owners would be honored that you would want to use their drive.

so over this coldness! seriously!

Carolin said...

hmmm - sounds like fun, not sure I can get one every week but I'll try!

Steffie B. said...

I'll try to play along..... ;) I'll take my camera out tomorrow and see what I can do. ;)

Unspoken said...

I'll play! Keep in mind, you in a league so far above me, it will be a leap for me! But I want to do more photography and this is just the invitation I needed!

Ashia said...

i always love looking at your photos. i think i will try to play along with the bw wed! looking forward to it!

Sharon said...

I'll play along! Great idea. Seriously though, I would love to see this wall you are referring to. Since we just moved 6 months ago (can't believe it's been that long!), our walls are blank aside from a B&W canvas of L. I had planned on all of the photos on my walls being B&W but my problem is this: I don't know how to arrange them on the walls! I stink! I don't have an eye for it.

jenbusymom said...

Sounds fun to me, I'm going to try and keep up! Great pic!

elliotts said...

I'm going to try to join in when I can...what a great idea!!

Have a great week, hope you don't get any more snow. We are on the forecast for some more tonight...bring on the sunshine!!

Diane

Briana's Mom said...

Yay! I'm in! I'll give it a try! Love this idea!

:D

Michelle R Photography said...

Gorgeous b/w conversion. This sounds like fun!!

Mama Gringa said...

I will do my best.. I haven't had my camera in hand for a while, so it'll be nice to get back into the swing of it. :)

Anonymous said...

I'm SUCH a sucker for black and white ... definitely count me in to play along! I especially love doing pictures of my little girls in black and white. I feel like their features stand out so much better when one is not distracted by colors. This should be fun!

Robin said...

Great idea!! I haven't had my camera out in a LONG time :/ I will pick up & tag along with you ... I don't think I could keep up with Project 365 BUT I do think that I might be able to do a Project 52 ... don't know if there is such thing :)

Great pictures!!
Robin

Mom2Isabel said...

I wanna play, I wanna play!!!!
What fun. Count me in.

Laureen
AKA Mom2Isabel
www.MyChineseShamrock.blogspot.com

wendy said...

I'll give it a try.. sounds like a nice change
Have a wonderful Day
Wendy
PS found out about this on Sandra's blog!

Unknown said...

This sound like fun! I like this photo challenges and this one sound very interesting, so I think I will give it a try! Thanks for the great idea!