The Indian summer that some parts of the UK have been enjoying recently has all but evaporated and the clouds have rolled in. That, plus a strengthening wind, can make for miserable conditions to some; but not surfers and photographers - at least not this photographer. I always try to take advantage of poor weather, knowing that I can get images that positively demand the mono treatment. I always shoot in colour and convert using software, even though my camera has the option of recording files in black and white. I prefer the former as I still have the option to retain the colour should I wish to.
The real advantage of monochrome photography is the freedom to dodge and burn-in areas of the image to either accentuate or suppress tones and alter the mood of the original exposure. This has been part of darkroom work for decades, but with digital manipulation the results can be assessed on-screen whilst doing the work. With wet printing the effect was not apparent until the print came up in the developing tray, then fixed. If the results were not as desired then another print had to be made.
The surfer was photographed this morning, at Boscombe Pier, Poole bay, Dorset. Despite the fact that there is a bespoke surf reef just a few hundred metres away, nearly all surfers prefer the waves found near the pier. This reef, open for almost a year, has now been recognised by local authorities (and those it was built for - and the builders themselves) as not to produce the desired results.
50mm f/1.8 AF Nikkor. 1/1000 second at f/8. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400
© 2010
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