# Black&White Challenge: anyone interested in a new challenge every other week?



## gk fotografie (Dec 28, 2019)

Perform a specific theme in Black & White every 2 weeks. An ongoing challenge for digital shooters AND film shooters. The starting point of this challenge is learning to "see, think and design" in B&W and not just converting color photos into black and white ...

Who wants to participate?


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## jcdeboever (Dec 28, 2019)

I'm game


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## Soocom1 (Dec 28, 2019)

Hey as long as its for everyone.. 
Ill do what I can.


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## smithdan (Dec 28, 2019)

I'm in.  Two weeks may be a bit tight for film going on my previous experience.


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## Photo Lady (Dec 28, 2019)

Yes sounds good!


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## 480sparky (Dec 28, 2019)

Black and white only?  Or are the other 254 shades of gray allowed?


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## waday (Dec 28, 2019)

I’m in


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## Tropicalmemories (Dec 28, 2019)

Sounds good to me.


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## zulu42 (Dec 28, 2019)

Sounds fun and beneficial! I'm in for sporadic participation with varied enthusiasm.


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## waday (Dec 28, 2019)

Soooo.. will this be similar to the weekly photo challenges? Can there be a dedicated sub forum, or where will they be posted? I want to make sure I don’t miss them


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## otherprof (Dec 28, 2019)

gk fotografie said:


> Perform a specific theme in Black & White every 2 weeks. An ongoing challenge for digital shooters AND film shooters. The starting point of this challenge is learning to "see, think and design" in B&W and not just converting color photos into black and white ...
> 
> Who wants to participate?


Great idea.


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## gk fotografie (Dec 29, 2019)

Wow...nice, enthusiastic reactions!

I'm thinking of a challenge with a theme every 2 weeks (a theme that is well suited to work out in black & white) with annually a total of 20 themes, including 5 themes suggested by members.

In fact: in the summer there will be 1 theme per 4 weeks (instead of 2 weeks) and there will be no challenge by the end of the year, because everyone is too busy with other matters.

This B&W Challenge is going to be a fun thing, no competition, no prizes, but hopefully a lot of learning, experimenting and also experiencing how others approach a theme, everyone can participate - _*digital photographers and film photographers*_ - with as many photos as desired during each B&W Challenge, as long as they are NOT color photos!

The starting point is, of course, that everyone intends to photograph intensively for every theme, with every challenge I'll state what the first, subsequent theme will be. So, ultimately, everyone can work on themes a few weeks in advance, if they wish!

_(*edit* Because each edition also includes the following, new theme for the next challenge, extra time is created to work on themes, so, the possibility of eventually using images from your own archive for the B&W Challenge is removed)_

Just start next week and see how it all continues, I think!


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## gk fotografie (Dec 29, 2019)

waday said:


> Soooo.. will this be similar to the weekly photo challenges? Can there be a dedicated sub forum, or where will they be posted? I want to make sure I don’t miss them



Yes, in the way of the weekly photo challenge....but without links to all sorts of websites, examples etc., well, some pointers from time to time with certain themes seems useful.

I think the current location "Photo Assignments & Technical Challenges" is perfect for the B&W Challenge._ (If you are looking to sharpen your technical skills, or just enjoy participating in group assignments - this is the place for you!) _Whether this will (ever) become a sub-forum, is not up to me to decide, but first see if this challenge can get off the ground in 2020!!


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## gk fotografie (Dec 30, 2019)

smithdan said:


> I'm in.  Two weeks may be a bit tight for film going on my previous experience.



I understand that just taking pictures to fill the roll is an expensive affair and processing also takes quite some time. I believe I've found a solution and this can also help others, with every challenge I'll state what the first, subsequent theme will be. So, ultimately, everyone can work on themes a few weeks in advance, if they wish. It would be nice to see some film photographers join this challenge.


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## smithdan (Dec 30, 2019)

[/QUOTE]
I understand that just taking pictures to fill the roll is an expensive affair and processing also takes quite some time. I believe I've found a solution and this can also help others, with every challenge I'll state what the first, subsequent theme will be. So, ultimately, everyone can work on themes a few weeks in advance, if they wish. It would be nice to see some film photographers join this challenge.[/QUOTE]

This would be helpful.  Film shooters would not only have the extra time required but they could work on both themes at once.    I myself would prefer if possible to shoot new stuff for a challenge rather than use files as that's what it's all about.


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## vintagesnaps (Dec 30, 2019)

I can't seem to ever get it together for these things and deadlines are too much like work! lol but I like the idea of B&W challenges, it should be interesting. 

And I've said before I'd like to see the Terms on the site changed... They may be similar to a lot of Terms 'out there' but I think they could better enable photographers to protect their work while allowing the site to function as necessary.


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## Braineack (Dec 30, 2019)

I love b&w.  Fixes all my color cast/mixed lighting issues.


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## johnfreed0 (Dec 31, 2019)

gk fotografie said:


> Perform a specific theme in Black & White every 2 weeks. An ongoing challenge for digital shooters AND film shooters. The starting point of this challenge is learning to "see, think and design" in B&W and not just converting color photos into black and white ...
> 
> Who wants to participate?




I'm definitely in. 

How about the digital representation of the film image i.e. scanned film vs. scanned print?  Any restriction?


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## TarterTurtle (Dec 31, 2019)

Also in, sounds fun!

Sent from my moto g(6) using ThePhotoForum.com mobile app


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## jcdeboever (Dec 31, 2019)

I usually have an ample supply of short rolls I load from a 100ft roll.


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## smithdan (Dec 31, 2019)

This would be good incentive and a source of subject ideas to "finish off a roll",  not that any one of us have cameras lying around with unshot frames in them.....


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## photoflyer (Dec 31, 2019)

Always looking for excuses to experiment and develop skills.  Just use a consistent title so it is easy to find with a search.


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## johngpt (Dec 31, 2019)

Has a b/w challenge been created yet at the assignments and challenges area?
If not, when it is, could it be linked here to make it easier for me to find the first one?


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## gk fotografie (Jan 1, 2020)

johngpt said:


> Has a b/w challenge been created yet at the assignments and challenges area?
> If not, when it is, could it be linked here to make it easier for me to find the first one?



Nope, I've checked everything until 2005 and there's nothing like this.
Let me launch the first B&W Challenge next Sunday and we'll see if it's easy to find in the *photo-assignments-technical-challenges* section, I think so. If it really all becomes successful in the year 2020, then perhaps there's something to come up with if this challenge would be hard to find, but it seems to me rather premature to talk about something like that at the moment.


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## jcdeboever (Jan 1, 2020)

gk fotografie said:


> johngpt said:
> 
> 
> > Has a b/w challenge been created yet at the assignments and challenges area?
> ...


Loaded up 6 short rolls (12 ex). Im ready to go. I bought my yearly supply as I have done in the past few years. This year I ordered a 100ft roll of HP5+ along with the TriX, I want to experiment with this film stock in 2020. I bought a 100ft roll of TriX, 2 bricks of FP4 for 120,  2 5pks of ortho 80 120, 5 pack of ortho 80 35,  4 5pks of porta 400 120, 2 5 pks of 35 portra 400. 10 rolls of Ultra max 400 35, and some 120 and 35 of lomography color. That should get me through the year. I also have all the chemicals I need. Just need to buy some paper, I have 200 dollars left to get that, probably kentmere brand.


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## johngpt (Jan 2, 2020)

gk fotografie said:


> johngpt said:
> 
> 
> > Has a b/w challenge been created yet at the assignments and challenges area?
> ...


Thank you GK. I'll be checking this thread to see when you say you've posted the new challenge. I'm looking forward to seeing the photos that folks post.
Out of curiosity I went to Flickr and counted. Out of my last 200 postings, 20% were some form of monochrome.

GK, a question for you regarding parameters of your proposed challenge. 
Are you thinking straight black and white or will your definition be inclusive of sepia toning, cyan toning and other tonings often considered monochrome?


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## Tropicalmemories (Jan 2, 2020)

Just bought 2 packs of black and white Instax film - should make a fun change from digital for any of the challenge that may suit the tiny, slightly blurry images.


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## gk fotografie (Jan 11, 2020)

johngpt said:


> gk fotografie said:
> 
> 
> > johngpt said:
> ...



I don't know, difficult, as long as everyone starts with a black and white positive or negative image as a  BASIS before coloring, editing etc., then we are already on the right track.

In art, a work is considered monochrome if the hues are close enough to the human eye, but in fact it doesn't have to be a black and white photo or considered as such, if I photograph a setting sun in color then the shades of yellow-orange are close to each other and you can call this a monochrome, but such a monochrome you can't categorize as black and white photo.

Let me put it this way, whoever wants to give his black and white photos a sepia or blue tint in post or print before scanning, should do so. I want to try to get a nice and not to complicated BLACK & WHITE challenge off the ground, I'd really like it if a few people regularly participate and also want to leave something to the feeling and common sense of the participants.

For an idea I've chosen 4 extreme examples that I find acceptable within the term black and white, perhaps this will help.

View attachment 185004
View attachment 185003
View attachment 185005
View attachment 185006


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## zulu42 (Jan 11, 2020)

Today I'm going shooting for this challenge


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## johngpt (Jan 13, 2020)

Ah, seeing the notification that this thread had a new post from Saturday tells me that the first b/w challenge has been created.
I guess that challenge is already at the second week of its time frame.


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## Tropicalmemories (Jan 14, 2020)

johngpt said:


> Ah, seeing the notification that this thread had a new post from Saturday tells me that the first b/w challenge has been created.
> I guess that challenge is already at the second week of its time frame.



Still in the first challenge stage - the Hipster film users needed time to get their chemistry sets out. 

Some fascinating sets so far ..... ends on the 18th.  Current theme 'modern architecture'.


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## smithdan (Jan 15, 2020)

Fully intended to join in from the start,  tested, loaded and bagged up my 55 year old Spotmatic in honour of the occasion.

This early 20th century village doesn't offer any modern architecture,  suitable subjects 1 hour north.  -17c not only hard on the fingers but apparently Spot decided to get all squinty eyed with a stuck shutter.  Film wound on and mirror flopped so all seemed well.  Final few frames shot at indoor temps ok.

Enjoying seeing other's work for this challenge.

For the next challenge, frogs around here are patiently waiting for Spring so I may have to get creative.


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## waday (Jan 15, 2020)

smithdan said:


> For the next challenge, frogs around here are patiently waiting for Spring so I may have to get creative.


I think it’s frog perspective, not frogs... I mean, if you have a picture of a frog, that'd be cool, but I think it’s frog perspective.


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## smithdan (Jan 15, 2020)

waday said:


> smithdan said:
> 
> 
> > For the next challenge, frogs around here are patiently waiting for Spring so I may have to get creative.
> ...


Yes, it is Wade, misquote on my part.  I took it to mean Frog's eye view or suchlike.


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## johngpt (Jan 15, 2020)

It's not easy being green.
Especially in black and white.


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## Original katomi (Jan 16, 2020)

not sure if I will be able to take part on a regular basis but I have entered an image


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## Fujidave (Feb 25, 2020)

I actually have my X-E3 set to B&W, so I will try and keep up to joining in.


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