Monochrome Thoughts

Derek Smith • 26 August 2022
Taking a photograph in monochrome, or even converting the image to monochrome can enhance the details, convey a mood, or make a statement. 

Train your eyes to look for shadows, repeating patterns, textures, and lines in your composition. 

Think about the contrast in the images, the shades between pure black, and white. Early morning, or late evening sun can introduce some powerful contrast shadows into an image. Ask yourself “do the colours in this image compliment, or detract from the image”?

If in doubt about the suitability of a scene for monochrome treatment, and your camera has a monochrome mode take a monochrome shot!! Seeing a scene through the EVF in monochrome will confirm any decision you take. 

Winter is a great time to take monochrome images. With winter photography, particularly on an overcast day, there might not seem to be much difference from your original, colour image. Gray skies, barren trees, and white snow covering the ground almost creates a monochrome image before any post processing!

Three of the images here have been converted to monochrome on an Apple iPad, by simply completely desaturating the image, and adjusting the highlights, shadows, contrast, and sometimes the black point to give the optimum results. In photo editing software the HSL panel can be used for optimum black and white conversion; the Red channel should be set to 30%, Yellow 89%, Green 59%, Cyan 70%, Blue 11%, and Magenta 41%.

The image of Normanby Hall was taken initially in colour, the gravel path, light stone building, and a lacklustre sky made for a very poor colour image, switching to the Fuji monochrome Acros film simulation completely changed this image, the sky now has more detail, and the carved stonework on the fascia of the building stands out.

Farringdon underground Elizabeth Line has a pale paved platform surface, with white tunnel lining, in this image only the passenger, and the purple station logo showed in colour, which tended to detract from the image, converting to monochrome enhances the lines of the tunnel lining and the platform doors receding to infinity, giving a sense of space, and scale.

A mediocre image now of the Stanhope Memorial in Horncastle, the conversion to monochrome enhances the whole image.

Lindisfarne Castle, the strong sunlight made for a difficult colour photograph exposure, the conversion to monochrome enhances the texture of the rock, grass, and the castle itself. The sky is improved with more detail, and the image has an atmosphere.


Louth Photographic Society

by Graham Harrison 29 March 2026
Good Morning, All, Last week at the club member Chris Birchmore gave a presentation on MPP cameras which included some of Chris's collection of cameras and prints taken. There is a report on the evening on our blog page. Thank you Chris for an interesting evening. This week, Wednesday 1st April, we are holding a local and open PDI competition the local subject being nature, please if you haven't already, send your entries to Harry before midnight tonight. Members Steve Chapman and Dave Turner have volunteered to judge. Also on the Wednesday 1st April our Louth Photographic Society 70th anniversary exhibition will be open to view at the Louth Museum. Regards Graham
by Derek Smith 26 March 2026
Chris Birchmore gave an informative, and interesting talk and demonstration of his medium format film cameras. at the beginning of the evening Chris gave a potted history of the origins of the MPP cameras he was showing us. The cameras take a 5 x 4" film stock, and looking at the cameras it seems incredible that photographers in the recent past could take excellent photographs with these. The MPP cameras were often used by the British Armed Forcies during the Second World War, and throughout the 1950s, and 60s, and some of these medium format were still being manufactured in the 1970s. The prints that Chris showed taken with these cameras were of excellent quality, with an amazing depth of field. Many thanks Chris for a fascinating evening.
by Graham Harrison 22 March 2026
Good Morning All Last week at the club we held a committee meeting, which was very productive, we made the final arrangements for the exhibition, charity night, and studio evening as well as other items on the agenda. We are holding an Exhibition opening night at Louth Museum on Friday 17th April celebrating 70 years of Louth Photographic Society. There will be a small buffet and cold drinks available, if any member would like to donate a bottle of wine to the occasion please hand it to Harry at one of our club nights. This week, Wednesday 25th March, member Chris Birchmore will be giving us a presentation. The following week is a local competition, with the categoriess of "Local Nature" (up to 25 miles radius from St James church) and "Open" (unlimited mileage) please send your entries to Harry before midnight, Sunday 29th March. Members Steve Chapman will judge the Nature category, and Dave Turner the Open category. Regards Graham
by Graham Harrison 15 March 2026
Good Morning All Last week at the club we held our monthly PDI competition judged by Martyn Wrigg, the standard of entries was very high and well done to Tony Gaskins for a first in the Architectural Detail and Derek Smith for his first place in the Open. All the results are on our website under competitions. This week, Wednesday 18th March we will be holding a Committee meeting, just committee members for this one. The following week Chris Birchmore is the speaker for the night. Harry is now accepting entries for the PDI local competition, with the categories of "Local Nature" and "Open". We judge this competition in house so if you would like to judge one of the subjects please let me know. Regards Graham
by Derek Smith 12 March 2026
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by Derek Smith 12 March 2026
A PDI (Projected Digital Image) competition was held last night with the categories of "Architectural Detail", and "Open". Martyn Wrigg was our judge for the evening, and he competently judged the submitted images, although he diid surprise with some of his choices of placing, but that's a judges perogative. Martyn complemented members on the quality of the images presented, which had made some of his decisions difficult. First placed was "It's a Fixer Upper" in the Architectural Detail section, and "Dervish Musician" in the Open section. Congratulations to Robin Begley, who as one of our newest members submitted some impressive images, achieving a 3rd place in "Architectural Details", and 2nd in the "Open" category. All the results are now posted to our website Competition page.
by Graham Harrison 8 March 2026
Good Morning All Last week at the club member Steve Chapman gave us an insight into his life and especially his time at Ilam Park in Derbyshire photographing for the National Trust. Steve showed us many photographs he had taken of the people involved with the trust and the Peak District. The second half was dedicated to Steve's own work, some superb aircraft photography as well as many other subjects. There is a report on the evening on our blog page. This week, Wednesday 11th March we are holding a PDI competition, with the categories of "Architectural Detail " and "Open" to be judged by Martyn Wrigg of Barton. The following week is a committee meeting for the committee members only on that evening. For newer members we have two committee meetings a year. Regards Graham
by Derek Smith 5 March 2026
Last night Steve Chapman presented a selection of images from his archives. Steve had previously been a volunteer photographer for the National Trust, and he showed many photos from the Ilam Park Estate, Dovedale, it was interesting to see some of the "behind the scenes" photos. The Jacobite reenactment battle scenes were amazing, the uniforms showed great attention to detail, and there were some real characters among the reenactors. After the break Steve showed some of his general photography, he has a great photographic eye, as some of his photos showed with different colours, shapes, and leading lines. Steve has taken many photos of agricultural machinery, and risked life and limb to create some close up aircraft photos. For atmosphere, just look at these horseriders at the top of the hill on a cool early morning. For heartstopping imagery look at these children on the side of a building, the children are photos on the side of the building, however, Steve wasted no time in capturing this stunning image. Many thanks to Steve for a fascinating evening.
by Graham Harrison 1 March 2026
Good Morning All Last week at the club I gave you a PDI (Projected Digital Image) presentation showing photographs I had taken on my travels last year, following up with some past and present photographs of Binbrook. I hope you all enjoyed the evening and maybe saw parts of England you hadn't seen before. This week, Wednesday 4th March, our member Steve Chapman will be showing us photographs he has taken. This is Steve's first time showing the club his work so will be a very good night. Harry is now accepting your PDI's for the next competition, with the categories of "Architectural Detail" and "Open". The closing date is Friday 6th March. Regards Graham
by Derek Smith 26 February 2026
The N&EMPF Exhibition will be on display in Cleethorpes from 3rd March.