Converting a Color Image into B & W

RR Challenge: Black and White Landscape

Photo was taken on Long Island at the Horton Lighthouse, overlooking the Long Island Sound. The North Shore of Long Island in New York.

Hello Robins

Time for a new challenge to enjoy. :) Marie(THATS ME!), author of the blog, "Photographs and Memories Too"(THATS HERE & THERE) submitted the challenge topic, "Black and White Landscape" during our recent challenge topic round-up, and I thought it sounded like a nifty idea. With the weather changing to rain and snow throughout the country, what better way to see the beauty in those cold days, then to get out with the camera and let the creative juices flow? You might even see a beautiful, picturesque scene out a window, and capture it, so don't feel like you have to go out into the rain and snow if you don't want to. :) Perhaps you took a lovely landscape photo last summer, that works as well, although a brand new photo taken by you is always enjoyable to see.

I posted a group layout on my AOL Journal.

When I convert a color image into a black & white, I use that Channel Mixer in Photoshop.
I go to Image/Adjustments/Channel Mixer. I then Click on Monochrome & adjust the sliders.
This is the best way to convert. I like making sure there is enough contrast so it doesn't look flat.

A Christmas Poem


Twas the month before Christmas When all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying Nor taking a stand.
Why the Politically Correct Police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.

The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a "Holiday".

Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!
CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod
Something was changing, something quite odd!
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.

As Targets were hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears
You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.
Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty
Are words that were used to intimidate me.

Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzer
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!
At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.

The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded.
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate "Winter Break" under your "Dream Tree"
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.
Choose your words carefully, choose what you say
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday!
~Unknown

Autumn in Infrared

Nov. 2007

Another shot from Rockefeller State Park Preservation.

Autumn in NY

Autumn in B & W

I've search for autumn color for weeks so I can just make it into B & W.
I try to get an infrared look & it works best with yellow trees & dark blue skies.
In this case the sky was cloudy so it really didn't come out exactly the way I wanted it to.

Happy Thanksgiving

This was created for a special person.(Only he knows) I was not going to post it but decided to. It represents some of the little gifts that God has giving me.

I also want to thank all the special people I have met through AOL, with all it's problems, if it wasn't for the AOL Journals I would have never been so connected with so many wonderful people.

Wishing everyone a Happy & Blessed Thanksgiving!
~Marie

Autumn 2007

Tarrytown, NY

RR Challenge: "Offer Three and Shoot One"

Round Robin Challenge

Click on image to see it larger on my AOL BLOG.

Montauk Point Lighthouse
Nov.11, 2007

RR Challenge: "Offer Three and Shoot One"

Greetings Robins! Time for your next photo challenge. Put on your creative caps as it's an open challenge. Post three future challenge topics with your entry and then pick one of your topics to photograph for your challenge entry. "Offer three and shoot one," your choice!

1. Anything in 3's, must be the same theme & presented in 3 images.

2. Photograph of your hometown, home state, country. Something beautiful that you love about where you live.

3. B & W landscape, you can use different techniques, use Photoshop filters....anything you want but has to be in B & W

My e-MALE Blog Favorites

On AOL, we've had some entries for blogplugs, so here are mine. This time guys only. These are my favorite male blogs that I enjoy reading. It's too bad we don't have the best alerts system on here because Blogspot has come a long way since many of us switched over from AOL. I admit I still use AOL Blogs, but Blogspot really has some cool features. Soooooo, You will see more posts, here, for now on.

Here are the blogs that I picked(in no particular order):

Paul, aka Waterboy & he can be found @ http://singlemanwriting.blogspot.com/

Paul drives me crazy, b/c you can't leave a comment on this blog, I hate when a guy has the last word! Ü He is talented in both writing & photography.

Jimmy, aka Stupidsheetguy @http://stupidsheet.blogspot.com/

Well, we all know Jimmy, what can I say, he knows EVERYTHING!!!....far from stupid~ (but then, he is a guy) Ü
I just want to add this, just in case you don't know Jimmy, he has a heart of gold, he is a people pleaser & always ready to lend a hand.

Marc, Grains of Sand @http://journals.aol.com/grofsand/GrainsOfSand/
He's our AOL's nostalgic, romantic dreamer. He's a very sweet guy who can make you melt with just a few words. Every comment he leaves is more like poetry.....He just has a beautiful way with words~

Greg, Photo Trek @http://journals.aol.com/radar446/PhotoTrek/
Amazing photos & very knowledgeable in photography, gives advice & photo tips.
He is an expert on capturing beautiful waterfalls!

Horton's Lighthouse

Horton's Lighthouse Sept. 2007
North Fork
Long Island, NY
Click here for My Photo Gallery
or on the title or image

Old Bethpage Village Restoration

Old Bethpage October 21, 2007
Long Island, NY

Click on the title of the top 3 photos & it will bring you to pbase galleries of each place I have posted.

Sunnyside

Sunnyside October 2007

These last few posts are my visits to local Landmarks, parks & Villages. I have posted more photos of my visits on my pbase site.

Lyndhurst Rose Garden

Lyndhurst Oct. 28, 2007
Tarrytown, NY

My Round Robin Photo Challenge is on Reflection

Life isn't about finding yourself.
Life is about creating yourself.

~George Bernard Shaw


The only service a friend can really render
is to keep up your courage by holding up
to you a mirror in which you can see
a noble image of yourself.
~George Bernard Shaw

"When the power of love
becomes stronger than
the love of power,
we will have peace."

Jimi Hendrix

Both my Journals are celebrating the 2nd Anniversary of Round Robin, so stop by Photograph & Memories on AOL to view my entry on Nature.
Happy Anniversary, Robins!

As you may have guessed from the subject line, the Round Robin Photo Challenges are two years old this month! Yes, on the weekend of April 2nd, 2005, Carly and Karen challenged each other to photograph "A Special Part of Your Hometown." There were three of us for the next Challenge, "Tacky Hometown Souvenirs," and the whole thing just took off from there.

So, in honor of our two year anniversary, we're interrupting our usual rotation of topic suggestions for a special "Best of the Round Robin Photo Challenges"

Early Spring 2005

The day the Lord created hope
was probably the same day he created Spring.
~Bern Williams


The seasons are what a symphony ought to be:
four perfect movements in harmony with each other.
~Arthur Rubenstein

Southampton, LI

Shinnecock Bay, October 2006

The Butterfly

"Let us not look back in anger,
nor forward in fear, but around us in awareness."
- Leland Val Vandewall

Visit my AOL Journal for more postings @ AOL Photographs & MemoriesToo!
http://journals.aol.co.uk/mariebm56/PhotographsMemoriestoo/

Shinnecock Bay 2006

Working with images in Photoshop using layers & blending modes.

Autumn Tree

2005

Muscoot Farm, Somers 2006

My AOL Photogarphs & Memories
has the same photo but I edited in Photoshop.
Check it out & let me know which one you like.