2018 WEEK 8: B&W – Shadows / The Trevor Carpenter Photo Challenge

In our last B&W challenge we focused on Finding the Light. This week we’ll be focusing on the opposite: shadows. Seeing shadows is not always easy because as photographers, we’re not only drawn to beautiful light, but often we try to eliminate shadows (especially harsh ones) because they can be unattractive. However, shadows can be used to great effect as a compositional element adding balance, depth, definition and/or drama to a photo.

Shadows can be a compositional element creating balance. Similar to reflections, they double the volume of the subject. I can see the heart shape captured below as a popular choice, but there are many other mirrored shadows that might be interesting subjects. I encourage you to be creative.

Dicen que el amor está en todas partes by Jonathan Rubio H.

Dicen que el amor está en todas partes by Jonathan Rubio H.

Sometimes shadows are the subject. The shadows in the image below create an interesting pattern on the table and become the subject more so than the glass itself.

Juego de luces y sombras by Jonathan Rubio H.

Juego de luces y sombras by Jonathan Rubio H.

Long shadows can add depth to a scene. Whether it be the late afternoon sun casting shadows over a landscape or street lights on a city street, the long shadows give a sense of perspective and increased depth.

shadow audience by Georgie Pauwels

shadow audience by Georgie Pauwels

Shadows can add definition to textures. When textures are lit from the side, the resulting shadows increase the impact of the texture.

Dune Study I (All alone in the World) by Emmanuel Debrand

Dune Study I (All alone in the World) by Emmanuel Debrand

Shadows can add shape and contrast to an otherwise flat image. The geometric lines created by the shadows are quite fascinating in the photo below. They add a unique compositional element to an otherwise simple scene.

Shadow Study by Steve Soblick

Shadow Study by Steve Soblick

Shadows can also add drama. The image below would be completely different without the shadow projecting on the wall and the distortion of the shadow adds a bit of tension as well as mystery to the scene.

The Smoker By The Wall by an untrained eye

The Smoker By The Wall by an untrained eye

Don’t worry if you don’t have sun in your forecast this week. You can play with casting shadows indoors using a flashlight or any other light of your choosing.

Me and my Shadow by Mac McCreery

Me and my Shadow by Mac McCreery

For more information on the concept of using shadows in your photography, check out:

This week’s challenge:

  • Look for interesting shadows that catch your eye and work the scene to capture a strong composition. Or create interesting shadows with lighting of your choice and capture that.
  • Your final image should be a B&W grayscale image, but you can come to that image any way that you would like from capturing B&W in camera to converting in post-processing.
  • Don’t forget about proper exposure and contrast which are especially important in a B&W image.

The friendly community guidelines are pretty simple:

  • Post one original photograph (Your Image) shot each week per theme posted on this blog to our active community on our Facebook GroupFlickr Groupor 500PX group (or all three). Tag the photo:  #10thanniversaryphotochallenge #2018photochallenge #photochallenge #tempusaura
  • The shot should be a new shot you took for the current weekly theme, not something from your back catalog or someone else’s image.
  • Don’t leave home without your camera. Participating in the 2018 Trevor Carpenter Photo Challenge is fun and easy.

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About thedigitaljeanie

I’m a self-taught photographer and way back when I used to love taking photos, but I allowed a business that I started in 2004 to take over my life and my photographic repertoire was reduced to quick product shots and how-to tutorials. When I joined the PhotoChallenge in December 2015, I was looking to rekindle my creativity and bring some joy back into my photography. I jumped in with both feet and have not looked back. I believe that photography can change the way we see and interact with the world around us. Some people may think that I hide behind the camera, but I feel that I experience the world in a much more intimate way when I am creating a composition in my viewfinder. In those moments distractions disappear, my mind focuses and I am fully present. It is just me and my camera capturing a moment in time that might otherwise go unnoticed. My background is as varied as the photos that I take. I’ve trained and worked as a software engineer, a massage therapist, an English teacher in Vietnam, a photo restoration artist (which is how I learned Photoshop) and for the past twelve years I have run a small software business with my husband where I have been published in numerous books and magazines, appeared on PBS television, created designs for fabric, quilts and machine embroidery and won awards for some of my quilts. It should come as no surprise that I am intensely curious about life and love to learn new things. I am blessed to live in the beautiful state of Colorado, USA in the Rocky Mountain foothills outside of Fort Collins with my husband and cat. You can find me online at: Photos: flickr.com/photos/the-digital-jeanie/ Day job: KaleidoscopeCollections.com Facebook: facebook.com/jeaniesa