Monochromes
Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 1:35PM Winter hovers. The holidays are over, and in the shadows plants are sleeping. Cold hands lay icy blankets over the earth. Standing in my front lawn, I imagine faint lullabies flowing around tree branches, hushed tones coming through the frosty lips of the season. The landscape is a monochrome. Even evergreens have taken on subdued and murky colors.
I took the following photos yesterday. Not all of these pics have been converted to black and white. Can you guess which ones are just as they came out of the camera? 
There are four unconverted photos: the first two, the fourth (smaller photo on the left), and the last one. Did you guess them all?
Despite the dreariness, I did notice a few tiny green shoots poking up through the ground, testing to see if it is time yet. Time for what? Time for spring! And it won't be long. Though our summers can be oppressive, I am happy for our short winters. So next month I should see this:
Come spring, come!
daffodil, monochromes, winter landscape in winter
Reader Comments (25)
Hi Deb , did not guess all of them but just enjoyed the stark contrasts of your black and white which highlight the patterns and textures so well... and then there was the colour of forthcoming Spring at the end. Lovely post, thank you
Daffodils next month? How wonderful! Nothing doing in CT until April. I especially like photos one and three.
I'm sooo ready for spring. Love those daffs!
I did guess the unconverted photos :) It has been all shades of gray here the last few days. The snow passed us by this time and we got ice instead. There's nothing like an ice storm to make me long for Spring!
Amazing how the raw photos and the converted black and whites are indistinguishable. It shows how rich the absence of color can be. And how utterly gray a winter sky can look!
Hi Deb,
Oooooooh Daffs next month??!! They're normally quite late here, but I think that's just because I don't have any early species. I will, however have Snowdrops in the next week or two. Woo hooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool. So excited, perhaps too excited.
The only problem is, nothing else seems to be coming up, so I'll have a glut.
What a contrast. You have all shades of grey. My photos show all shades of green except for the few red shirt mammals. I admire your garden. I'm sure it is a conservation for many living creatures.
Dear Deb, I love your third photo and of course your bridge and rabbit landscapes. Lovely!! We are about to get at least a foot of snow. Spring . . . months off still. Ah! Beautiful photos!
I enjoyed the lack of color images. B&W is so refreshing and relaxing to the eye. And just a plain cool digital technique.
Deb, great photos! I think I missed one guessing. (the small one) Cannot wait to see those daffodils!
Yes, I guessed them right! Although almost white and black sceneries, I think they are just lovely, especially those branches of trees, I love them! Cant wait for lovely vibrant spring!
I wouldn't hazard a guess but beautiful photography Debs, and conveys a haunting atmosphere too.
Very nice photos. I would not have guessed the fourth one, And I thought the second one was one too.
those daffodils almost bring tears to my eyes! wont it be nice to see then again? very nice series of photos -- love the black and white and then the color.
I got all but the small one Deb! I'm right with ya! Can't wait for the daffodils to bloom. We are still under 7 inches of snow and no school yet this week! I really thought when I left northern NY that having a longer driveway would be easy because there's no snow in the south!! Whoops!!! ahahahaha!
Your garden is beautiful even in black and white :-) Is there a gardener in the northern hemisphere who isn't ready for spring?!!
The rivers of ice flowing through your gardens look beautiful. I think you got about the same amount of icy mixture that we did. Love the spring color at the end!
I love black and white photos. All mine LOOK like B & W this time of year. Spring is coming. I must go count the days.
You do have a bit of snow, my dear. Be careful of what you dream of....dreams may come true!
Lovely pics!
Yes every winter photo in all temperate climate blogs look the same: Monochrome! haha. That's why your alternative views should be our blogs from the tropical climes, so your emotions will not be affected by what you see around you. We are providing you with colorful choices. Meantime, we are also envious of yours because snow is alien to us, and somehow deep in our counsciousness we have a longing to frolic in the snow like you! I just wonder if we will be able to withstand the cold, which we are not accustomed to. But monochromes or not, your photos are very artistic and beautiful. I also sometimes get natural monochromes here as silhouettes during heavy fog.
I guessed right! Nature has a difficult time being in true black and white, although your unconverted photos (except the daffs of course) we're very convincing. I like how the snow plays to improve the contrast in some of your converted shots. Black and white photography is always tricky, as to be effective, the right light is key, or all your greys run together. Wow...that's got me thinking...whatever happened to black and white FILM? ;)
Daaffodils arrive in February there? How lucky you are! Waiting and waiting for spring here, I'm sure I'll enjoy yours vicariously before mine gets here.
I, too, dream of daffodils but will have to wait much longer. If we were never without the lushness of summer beauty would we appreciate it as much? Your photos are lovely and show the wisdom of winter.
I looked at your photos before reading your post, and was in awe of you having daffs blooming already. Ours may be peeking up out of the ground in a month when yours is blooming.
I guessed all but the smaller one of which photos were not changed to black and white. They are all beautiful!
Just found your blog. Thanks for sharing !!