Confused on Monochrome...

Tentacion · October 16, 2007

I have 4 images...but not sure how they relate to monochrome theme...because I don't think I ever do monochrome...:D

Anyone wanna help??
#1

#2

#3

#4

TPBinKC · October 16, 2007

I like #2. I think it fits the theme and is a beautiful photo, but of course you always have great shots.

zeveck · October 16, 2007

I also really like #2. It feels like the best "monochrome", but I bet we'll get a lot of b&w, which makes #1 appealing because to me it is pretty close to monochrome despite bursting with color.

peterst6906 · October 16, 2007

I would describe those as all monochrome.

Regards,

Peter

PS. And I like them all.

pyroPrints.com · October 16, 2007

zeveck wrote:

I also really like #2. It feels like the best "monochrome", but I bet we'll get a lot of b&w, which makes #1 appealing because to me it is pretty close to monochrome despite bursting with color.

#2 is excellent

i'm not so sure about 3 & 4

HarleyPugs · October 16, 2007

I think...
both #2 and #3 are very nice.

Have you tried to clone the people out of #3?

Jon

Travis · October 16, 2007

#2 is my favorite for monochrome. #1 is closer to a tri-tone to me although I really dig the shot. I think it would be beautiful framed.

flybynight · October 16, 2007

#2
#2 is very nice.

nicoleshilliday · October 16, 2007

I think colorful when looking at #1. But it is an awesome shot!
I like 4 the best if you are going for monochromatic.

pemmett · October 16, 2007

Definition of Monochromatic
I used Google to define monochromatic and found the following few interesting definitions:

[SIZE=-1]A color scheme limited to variations of one hue, a hue with its tints and/or shades.
www.yannisstavrou.gr/art-glossary.htm

[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]A color scheme involving the use of only one hue that can vary in value or intensity.
www.kn.att.com/wired/art2/guide/glossary.html

[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Having only one color or the various tonal values of one color.
www.discountdecorating.com/ddoecom/index.php

[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Composed of tints and shades of a single color.
www.paperspecs.com/resources/glossary/m.htm

[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]consisting of only a single colour or hue; may include its tints and shades.
www.tki.org.nz/r/arts/visarts/glossary_e.php

[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Containing only one hue.
gallery.sjsu.edu/tutorials/colorterms.doc[/SIZE]
This begs the question if "Black and white" or just Black (with all it's shade) is monochromatic?
Does white count as a colour? Does Black count as a colour? Am I worrying too much?

nicoleshilliday · October 16, 2007

pemmett wrote:

I used Google to define monochromatic and found the following few interesting definitions:

[SIZE=-1]A color scheme limited to variations of one hue, a hue with its tints and/or shades.
www.yannisstavrou.gr/art-glossary.htm

[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]A color scheme involving the use of only one hue that can vary in value or intensity.
www.kn.att.com/wired/art2/guide/glossary.html

[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Having only one color or the various tonal values of one color.
www.discountdecorating.com/ddoecom/index.php

[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Composed of tints and shades of a single color.
www.paperspecs.com/resources/glossary/m.htm

[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]consisting of only a single colour or hue; may include its tints and shades.
www.tki.org.nz/r/arts/visarts/glossary_e.php

[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Containing only one hue.
gallery.sjsu.edu/tutorials/colorterms.doc[/SIZE]
This begs the question if "Black and white" or just Black (with all it's shade) is monochromatic?
Does white count as a colour? Does Black count as a colour? Am I worrying too much?

I don't think you are worrying too much...i have been thinking of this for a while now. I think it is all a matter of opinion. With that said, I am thinking colorful=many different colors, monochromatic=one color with different shades.

I like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monochromatic_color
(also posted in a different thread...sorry in advance for the double entry)

Pat664422 · October 16, 2007

Perhaps this is the first round of LPS where it's technically impossible to have an entry not fit the theme?

I guess a solid black frame wouldn't fit. Black is the absense of color, right? So as long as you don't do that...

HoofClix · October 17, 2007

To confuse you even more, Donna, I certainly don't think #2 is at all monochrome, but in fact is a high-contrast B&W image, with total black and total white.

#1, while dominated by green, is not really monochrome, as it contains white and black. Now if you were to crop in on the part of #1 that is all tree stump and frond, just a bit northeast of the center of the image, you will have there an image that is comprised of total green, even as the trunks are moss-covered (?) they look a shade of green, not brown... Try cropping in and let us see what that would look like in 800 pixels...

peterst6906 · October 17, 2007

HoofClix wrote:

To confuse you even more, Donna, I certainly don't think #2 is at all monochrome, but in fact is a high-contrast B&W image, with total black and total white.

#1, while dominated by green, is not really monochrome, as it contains white and black. Now if you were to crop in on the part of #1 that is all tree stump and frond, just a bit northeast of the center of the image, you will have there an image that is comprised of total green, even as the trunks are moss-covered (?) they look a shade of green, not brown... Try cropping in and let us see what that would look like in 800 pixels...

That's an interesting perspective that a B&W is not monochrome.

I would have thought, since to me it sounds reasonable from reading statements elsewhere on the net, that black and white are shades of grey, because they fit the definition of grey as being equal values of R, G and B. So even though they are at opposite ends of luminosity, the hue is essentially the same.

In a HSB color space for example, you can get from one to the other by adjusting brightness only, without affecting hue.

Am I wrong in thinking that?

Regards,

Peter

HoofClix · October 17, 2007

peterst6906 wrote:

That's an interesting perspective that a B&W is not monochrome.

I would have thought, since to me it sounds reasonable from reading statements elsewhere on the net, that black and white are shades of grey, because they fit the definition of grey as being equal values of R, G and B. So even though they are at opposite ends of luminosity, the hue is essentially the same.

In a HSB color space for example, you can get from one to the other by adjusting brightness only, without affecting hue.

Am I wrong in thinking that?

Regards,

Peter

Peter, you're not at all wrong to think that. B&W is monochromatic, varying around the color gray by adding or subtracting white and/or black. BUT, as a matter of interpretation, which is very much part of all of this, Donna's #2 in this case isn't really displaying variations of the color gray, variations made by adding black or white. The photo is either pure black or pure white(with the head in there of course). It's indeed a very nice photo, but I see it this way as regards the theme.

I think that the point is, depending on the judges, will they see the definition initially as you do, or as I do. That will be how things are decided.

Tentacion · October 17, 2007

OH MYYYYY...

I tend to thnk like Peter....RGB is missing and when you do Monochrome on my puter..the color immediately gets set to "gray"...when hitting the saturation, hue, and lightness, it changes the variations of gray, when I looked at the color code ....it goes from various hues of whitest white to darkest black...

So if I do monochrome in "color" I can only use one color in various shades...

What the HECK is MONOCHROME...I think Shay should jump in here somewhere with an example...of what they were thinking when they asked for MONOCHROME....cuz I'm more confused..:D ...Is anyone else???

OH MY this is REALLY confusing... Thanks everyone for your help, but I can see this is going to be a bit difficult, perhaps, I should just go with COLOR...:D and I was thinking of doing someting different

So black and white is considered "Lack of Color" with white being highest in contrast???

and here I thought, #2 hit the monochrome mark...ha ha ha ha ha

Looking at Hoofclif's comments, then does #3 hit the mark on Monochrome with its various shades of grays????

Feel Free everyone to post your Pics Examples here of what you think Monochrome is, it could help some of us out..

HoofClix · October 17, 2007

And Donna, to add a comment about your #1, and go back to Shay's comment in another thread here, where he says that some of us try to redefine the theme..

I don't say that a winning entry on the "monochromatic" side will have to be composed purely monochromatically. The art of the shot might be in how we break up the monochromaticity (sounding like The Police here) of the image. For instance, in the last LPS, my entry "Breaking Glass" was an attempt to show smoothness being violently interrupted. This wasn't necessarily noticed, so I ask you, in your #1, does the swiggling wall break up the scene in some theme-busting manner? Perhaps is would do so if you were to crop out the car and building on the left, maybe also some of the white sky at the top. Make it all wall and trees.....

HoofClix · October 17, 2007

NO, NO, NO.. you're on the right track and don't know it! It takes two to contrast. All black vs. all white. No gray in between. A high contrast image would go to those extremes and cut the gray out of the middle. But maybe Mr. Glass should chime in, as he's an expert on the term...

.....

peterst6906 · October 17, 2007

HoofClix wrote:

BUT, as a matter of interpretation, which is very much part of all of this... ...depending on the judges, will they see the definition initially as you do, or as I do. That will be how things are decided.

I think we agree on this and I don't know that our definitions are all that different either.

Regards,

Peter

Tentacion · October 17, 2007

Ok so far my take on the comments here....See how confused I am...

===================

Do Not Stray From the Path:

(My thought, monochromatic "green" hues with a touch of rule breaking which would be the white path??)

IS monocromatic a DULL hue??? Yeah I played with this a little....Need to replay after viewing here...but I like the crop

============

Just Lion Around

(as per Peter's/Mark's comments)

================
Egads...I'm starting NOT to like Monochrome...

Re-reading:
Looking at Hoofclif's comments, then does #3 hit the mark on Monochrome with its various shades of grays????

stirfry · October 17, 2007

Hi, Donna

I tend to agree with Hoofclix, and I have a more strict interpretation of "monochromatic" ... 'mono' meaning 'one' ...

Your second picture kicks butt

with both variations lending different feelings - the first variation doesn't seem monochromatic to me because it has total black and total white (as Hoofclix suggests). The second variation appears slightly more monochromatic to me because of the treatment.

In that vein, your original #3 and #4 seem more monochromatic (to me). Is that the airport, by the way? It looks like where the crew van used to drop us off

I dig the last one outside of the LPS, looks kitchy postcard - especially with the people in it. Cool.

It's interesting to see our different takes on #1 - I totally see it as an example of COLOR! Especially your original variation. Either way, it's a cool picture and if you enter it I'd keep the title ambigious as to your intent

.

Here is a (blurry) snapshot from this weekend, and what I think of when I hear "monochromatic" - the base color being brown, with a range of browns from uberdark to toffeelight filling the majority of the frame:

Best of luck either way ~ rise to the challenge, girlfriend!

Tentacion · October 17, 2007

stirfry wrote:

Hi, Donna

I tend to agree with Hoofclix, and I have a more strict interpretation of "monochromatic" ... 'mono' meaning 'one' ...

Your second picture kicks butt with both variations lending different feelings - the first variation doesn't seem monochromatic to me because it has total black and total white (as Hoofclix suggests). The second variation appears slightly more monochromatic to me because of the treatment.

In that vein, your original #2 and #3 seem more monochromatic (to me). Is that the airport, by the way? It looks like where the crew van used to drop us off I dig the last one outside of the LPS, looks kitchy postcard - especially with the people in it. Cool.

It's interesting to see our different takes on #1 - I totally see it as an example of COLOR! Especially your original variation. Either way, it's a cool picture and if you enter it I'd keep the title ambigious as to your intent .

Here is a (blurry) snapshot from this weekend, and what I think of when I hear "monochromatic" - the base color being brown, with a range of browns from uberdark to toffeelight filling the majority of the frame:

Best of luck either way ~ rise to the challenge, girlfriend!

Hey G/F....Yeah...#3 is the Ft. Lauderdale International Airport, #3 Purple Section, "departures" near Air Tran. Too Funny that you even recognized it...Good Eye Good Eye...

The Lion's Head is also there but in the "Arrivals" section, behind Air Tran Ticket Counter, and YES I was hanging out near the Ladies Room, cuz that is where this wall was...Getting many different angles of this shot...and then having MANY people ask me if they could be in the shot..

I agree with the "Mono" as being One...but isn't "chrome" sort of like a "dull shiny", at least that is what I think when I see think of chrome.

This theme is gonna be a kicker for me, it is burning my brain stem ova here (in my best Boston accent)...although I like my treated version of #2...Thanks for all the suggestions, opinions, comments EVERYONE..

BUTTTTTT on another note...I might go to COLOR since I will be going to the Bahamas next weekend...I will be 20 minutes from Atlantis and Staying at the Crystal Palace....Any suggestions on what to look for....

(besides drinking and gambling)

PLEASE Everyone feel free to continue posting to this thread, and posting your photos as examples of what you perceive of Monochrome...it could help all of us...cuz I do AGREE with Stirfry...it is fascinating to read the variations of what people perceive.!! (Cuz trust me, I haven't made up my mind yet..just like a female eh? )

Pat664422 · October 17, 2007

I was about to post that white light is the reflection of all colors and technically a black and white photo would belong in the colorful category. But then I looked on wikipedia and found that I was wrong:

"White is the combination of all the colors of the visible light spectrum.[1]. It is sometimes described as an achromatic color, like black.
White is technically achromatic, and not a color, since it has no hue."

So now we have a new term - achromatic! I looked up grey on wikipedia and found this:

"Collectively, white, black, and the range of greys between them are known as achromatic colors or neutral colors."

So aparently a Black and White photo is in the Achromatic category, not monochromatic?

Pat664422 · October 17, 2007

Stirfry,

Thanks for posting a great example of a monochromatic photo for us...

Tentacion,

I really like the black and white Lion's head picture and laughed out loud when I read your title for it. Nice one!

ulrikft · October 17, 2007

Hey!

My plan is something like this, with only different hues of blue. (From all white to all black). Have I misunderstood everything about monochrome then?

Shudderz · October 17, 2007

Tentacion wrote:

I agree with the "Mono" as being One...but isn't "chrome" sort of like a "dull shiny", at least that is what I think when I see think of chrome.

The word origins of Monochrome:

American Heritage Dictionary mono- or mon-
prefix

One; single; alone: monomorphic.
Containing a single atom, radical, or group: monobasic.
Monomolecular; monatomic: monolayer.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin, from Greek, from monos, single, alone; see men-4 in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage Dictionary -chrome
suffix

Colored: polychrome.
Color; pigment: urochrome.
[From Greek khrōma, color.]

When combined the word Monochrome as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary is:

American Heritage Dictionary mon·o·chrome (mŏn'ə-krōm')
n.

A picture, especially a painting, done in different shades of a single color. The art or technique of executing such a picture.
The state of being in a single color.
A black-and-white image, as in photography or on television.
[Medieval Latin monochrōma, from feminine of Greek monokhrōmos, of one color : mono-, mono- + khrōma, color.]

So, no, -chrome is not dull,shiny. "Chrome" is shiny, (my motorcycle has a lot of it on it:D ), but that's a different word. In monochrome it is the suffix -chrome as noted above.

On a side note, have fun in the Bahamas!

HoofClix · October 17, 2007

So we now ask if this theme is really one of two words that are complete opposites, or a variation of opposites.. Would "monchromatic" be the opposite of "colorful?" If colorful means "lots of colors," then is monochromatic strictly one color? or variation of the same color? What does "colorful" mean, anyway...

Trying to thwart Donna here by getting her confused, as I think she's on to something. If we let her go on her initial path, she might win!

HoofClix · October 17, 2007

This meets my idea of how to artistically meet the theme, by disturbing the peace of a single color. Great image there!

ulrikft wrote:

Hey!

My plan is something like this, with only different hues of blue. (From all white to all black). Have I misunderstood everything about monochrome then?

Tentacion · October 17, 2007

HoofClix wrote:

So we now ask if this theme is really one of two words that are complete opposites, or a variation of opposites.. Would "monchromatic" be the opposite of "colorful?" If colorful means "lots of colors," then is monochromatic strictly one color? or variation of the same color? What does "colorful" mean, anyway...

Trying to thwart Donna here by getting her confused, as I think she's on to something. If we let her go on her initial path, she might win!

I read the fine print...lol lol

Ok, so let me see if I got this....

MONOCHROME...is just another way of photographers saying Black and White (Lack of Color) i.e., (#3), and

Dgrin decided to trick us with the usage of VERBAGE INTERPRETATION?

, instead of just calling the theme...COLOR OR BLACK AND WHITE??

According to Heather (Shudderz) research...

American Heritage Dictionary mon·o·chrome (mŏn'ə-krōm')
n.

A picture, especially a painting, done in different shades of a single color. The art or technique of executing such a picture.
The state of being in a single color.
A black-and-white image, as in photography or on television.

Or we could go to the extreme i.e., (#1) and use ONE color and hit it with Various Shades/Hues of the same??

Am I getting this right?

Your right Mark....My mind, as you know, is always searching and going off on so many paths, it should be illegal all the right and left turns I make...:D

Ahaaaaa so then photo "Just Lion Around" (updated version) would hit the mark i.e. definition #3....and my photo #3 "Around the Bend" would hit the mark (various shades of the same hue) as per definition #1.???

DUH, I could have had a V8

:ivar

Shudderz · October 17, 2007

Crayons anyone?
So after all of this debating/researching/pondering Monochrome, anyone else feel like just shooting a box of crayons?

Tentacion · October 17, 2007

Shudderz wrote:

So after all of this debating/researching/pondering Monochrome, anyone else feel like just shooting a box of crayons?

ROTFLMAO...Yeah Heather, you can hit me with a double shot now ...and

I bet the Gods of Dgrin are having a REAL GOOD LAUGH (I'm so ashamed for being so blonde...

LMAO...Argh argh argh., I guess Felicia will have to give back the Blonde Moment Trophy now.)

Just goes to show, everything is subject to "interpretation".....

Confused on Monochrome...

Comments