The Rock, Lighthouse and a Rose in Black and White

For those of you that have been following me, this post won’t be a surprise. I periodically post different captures from my black and white photography gallery with the reasons I think they stand out more using the black and white motif.

We’ll start with “The Rock”. I love this shot and showing it this way allows the detail of the rock itself to be highlighted.  The scene is unique unto itself with this huge rock structure, but it also emphasizes the white surf of the waves coming ashore.

The Rock

Next is “Admiralty Head Lighthouse 2” which is located north of Seattle, Washington. By showing this in black and white, the architectural details stand out as the center of focus. The subtle lines along the lower level of the first and second floor become more obvious along with the same type of lines along the top of the tower and second floor. The window framing actually pops because it contrasts with the white stucco of the building itself, as does the roof and top of the lighthouse itself.

Admiralty Head Lighthouse 2

“The Unfolding Of Petals” is a perfect example of detail that “pops” out with the absence of color. The color photograph of this rose is stunning and no getting away from the brilliance of the color. Having said that,  I did this in black and white because the amount of detail that pops with the petals is intense,  from the actual shaping of the petals to the veining that shows on each petal.

The Unfolding Of Petals

Thoughts?

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Seattle Sunshine

I want to extend my thoughts and prayers to all of those impacted by the wild fires up and down the west coast. I think of those who have lost their homes and/or evacuated from approaching flames to the fire fighters who have bravely been battling these fires.

My wife and I left Los Angeles August 31st for two weeks in Seattle (two of our daughters and their husbands live up there). At that point in time Northern California was battling significant wild fires and the smoke from those fires had migrated to Southern California. As we took off and started the flight north, there was a layer of brown smoke all of the way up the coast to Oregon. From Oregon on up to Seattle, the skies were clear and we were thankful to get out of the smoke.

Starting with our second week in Seattle, Oregon was now battling a number of fires and so was eastern Washington. Mid-week, the winds changed and the huge plume of smoke that had been blown out to sea from California and Oregon came inland and created the pictures I have attached.  I took these with my cell phone by one of our daughters house because I was blown away with how weird the sun looked. It actually got worse as the week went on with no sun getting through.

We returned to Los Angeles Sunday September 13th. On that day going to the airport in Seattle, the smoke was so thick you couldn’t even see the downtown high-rises as we drove right by them on Interstate 5 (the freeway literally butts up to downtown). Taking off from the airport was like rising through a thick layer of clouds that had a brown tinge to them. On the 2.5 hour flight coming south over Washington, Oregon and Northern California, looking out the window at 35 thousand feet, there was nothing to see but the brown cloud below us. It boggles my mind that there would be a smoke plume of that size. Think about any flight you have had of that duration and think about if there was nothing but smoke below you for the entire flight.

Seattle Sunshine

Street Scene

The air was so brown, these shots almost look like sepia photography.

Thoughts?

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Old Fashion Hay Wagon

From the bright colored abstract prints of last week to a very subtle look at a very old subject matter. I came across this hay wagon while doing a photoshoot of barns in the Amana Colonies area of Eastern Iowa. I almost drove by this, but caught it out of the corner of my eye at the last minute. I revisited the shoot recently and decided to take this hay wagon and create an art print of the hay wagon using a soft watercolor technique.

Old Fashion Hay Wagon

Thoughts?

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Frank Lloyd Wright In Abstract

This week, I’m really mixing it up and pulling two prints out from my Abstract work. In both cases, I created the art prints using an ink sketching technique and then a watercolor air brush to color it “outside the lines”. In both cases, I chose bright and somewhat surreal colors making a bold statement.

Well that’s nice Kirt, but what is the subject matter based on?? Both prints are based on a Frank Lloyd Wright house that was built in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The house is called the Meyer May House (wikipedia here). It is located in the Heritage Hills area close to downtown. The area houses a number of Victorian Mansions that are in stark contrast to this Frank Lloyd Wright design. Having said that, it is definitely not a “sore thumb” to the neighborhood, but continues a very classic and beautiful look to augment the other mansions.

Frank Lloyd Wright Home In Abstract Watercolor

Architectural Elements In Abstract Watercolor

This particular print focuses on a pedestal that is part of the exterior design. Using the same process, it creates a very abstract art print of one of the elements of the house.

Thoughts?

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