Stripped sky

The weekend was spent in the pretty riverside town of Maldon, in Essex, my adopted home town where my family live. One evening was fine and sunny – quite a feat for our soggy summer – so I took a walk.

It was getting late and golden hour was dawning, throwing lengthening shadows from the boats, while the skyscape was beautiful. Back in London, I decided to grab hold of the shot above and turn it on its head, stripping the image of its warm, embracing colours.

It is monochrome, the light has turned inside out. The silhouette of St Marys church has become more dramatic and galvanised. This second shot taken by the River Blackwater is untransformed, with rich, syrupy hues and liberal blobs of lens flare:

Does it make sense to drain a rich, sun-filled evening sky of all its colour? I’m fond of both but for very different reasons. I would be very interested to hear your opinions.

8 thoughts on “Stripped sky”

Mike on July 11, 2012 at 16:59 said:

I like the black and white sky. I am making my sky photos bigger on my blog so they look better. I made my blogs wider so they fit now ha.

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- mikeosbornphoto on July 11, 2012 at 18:03 said:
  
  Thanks Mike. Yes, bigger images is a good idea. I wouldn’t mind a wider template myself.
  
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Peggy Isaacs on July 5, 2012 at 22:30 said:

Lovely!

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- mikeosbornphoto on July 5, 2012 at 22:32 said:
  
  Thank you Peggy. Do you approve of the black and white? I think it just conveys a different feeling – not necessarily the one I experienced when seeing it in glorious technicolour!
  
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  - Peggy Isaacs on July 5, 2012 at 23:49 said:
    
    I do. I think the black and white effect adds an air of drama to the photograph that is not necessarily felt in the one drenched in sunlight. I think they are both beautiful in their own right.
    
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    - mikeosbornphoto on July 5, 2012 at 23:51 said:
      
      Thank you very much, Peggy. I should post the colour version of the first shot – it takes away the drama and ushers in a sense of calm and beauty.
      
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lautal on July 5, 2012 at 21:16 said:

As of myself it is good choice for the first picture in B&W and colour in second one. The second one is not really colourful but golden light is doing drama. I like it.

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- mikeosbornphoto on July 5, 2012 at 21:19 said:
  
  Many thanks for your feedback, Alexander. I find the colour photo has a dream-like quality, so much warmer than the monochrome – something I never did before with a skyscape.
  
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