Mt. Wrightson, Monochrome Reprise

Desert Horizons, #5. From Mt. Wrightson, Arizona, 2014

Not all images work in black and white. Sometimes color is an essential element and the elimination of it will leave the image blah, bland, boring, and just plain bad.

However, if the scene is high contrast, or there is unique texture, or the patterns, forms, shapes, and lines are interesting, then you might have the makings of a successful monochrome photograph.

Also, if the tonal range is on one extreme or the other–that is, with, say, predominantly two basic tones (dark and bright), or if the scene exhibits all the tones from Zone Zero to Zone 9, or even 10 and beyond, then these may also work well sans color.

If you spend time experimenting, looking at work in galleries, converting from color to black and white in post, setting your camera to display monochrome, and so on, then, with time, your eye will start to “see” in monochrome. You’ll be able to tell at a glance if what is in your viewfinder will be worth pushing along toward a beautiful B&W print.

Remnants of the July, 2005 Florida Fire near the summit blocks of the peak: