Telling Stories Through Black and White Photography: Waiting For Food and Fun

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by Lisa

Every week Paula of Lost in Translation hosts a fun Black & White Sunday challenge and this week she’s welcomed guest host Allan Hamilton to share his expertise on the subject of narrative black and white photography.  Allan’s guest post is full of great tips for creating engaging images that provoke thought without the distraction of color and I encourage everyone who’s interested in black and white photography to spend a few minutes reading both his post and Paula’s response.

Our challenge is to share photos of people that tell a story and while these two pictures are from different days in Seattle they each capture moments of waiting.  I know what happened before, during and after the photo of Ryan and my niece Ava waiting for lunch but the empty table and chessboard in Westlake Park could have dozens of interpretations.  I wish I knew who started the game and who eventually sat down to finish it on a hot summer day in the middle of the city.

Processed with VSCOcam with lv02 preset

Processed with VSCOcam with b6 preset

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Lisa

33 thoughts on “Telling Stories Through Black and White Photography: Waiting For Food and Fun”

  1. I’m impressed with the clarity and intensity of the shot of Ryan and your niece. The girl is really photogenic 🙂 The scene reminds me of old masters (of painting). The scene in the park with a chessboard is intriguing – it says “unfinished” as much as “waiting”. I am flattered by this contribution. Thank you, Lisa.

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    1. I’m so happy you enjoyed these, Paula. Ava is a lovely girl and she has fun posing for photos but catching her in a quiet moment is rare so I’m glad I had my phone out and ready to shoot.

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  5. Both great images. The first has a lovely clarity of light and shadow. The second has that soft focus look which is almost 1930 style. I like how Ryan looks so thoughtful and how your niece is looking directly at the camera.

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    1. Thanks for your comments, Jude. I’m glad you saw the light and shadow in the first image and appreciate the quiet moment in the second. We had just finished a 2 hour walking tour of the Seattle Underground then found a sandwich shop for lunch. Ryan was dreaming of a turkey club and Ava was admitting she was tired. We had a great afternoon together. 🙂

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  7. The second photo has that vintage look. I guess the location adds to that impression too. I might just join this b/w Sunday Challenge although I hardly take B/w.

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    1. The building we were in was quite old so I can see the vintage touch in this photo along with the processing. I hope you decide to join in Paula’s Sunday Challenge, it’s a nice way to try something new and play around with b&w.

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  12. I really like both photos, Lisa. The one with Ryan and your niece is wonderful. It so beautifully captures a particular moment in their lives, both ordinary and at the same time special. The park scene is so much less intimate and more energetic, but also very compelling. I think you have a really good eye for what translates beautifully in black and white!

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