Really ignorant question from a beginner here... Is there any advantage to shooting in mono, when you could shoot normally and make it mono in PS or LR later?
Good question!. The advantage is that you will get to visualise the scene and shooting in mono when in RAW keeps the colour data that you then use in LR to process.
I'm my (limited!) experience, what makes a great B&W photo isn't necessarily what makes a great colour photo, so by restricting yourself it'll make you look for what makes the image work with the settings you're using.
Thank you Nigel, your 'one thought' reminder was exactly what I needed at the moment. Also appreciated that you stopped shooting and simply enjoyed the beauty around you. Your work is greatly appreciated.
It’s all circles, photography started out with B/W only. Now with a simple change of settings we have the choice to use it again. As for the walls, history of dry stone walls dates back some 3500 years. Mostly in the uplands of the UK, to mark out boarders, fields and control sheep. There are numerous websites that are dedicated to the subject. Thanks for sharing an amazing part of the country Nigel. Truly stunning scenery.
Nigel - This may be my favorite of your excellent content on TH-cam. Indeed B&W as a way to view directly in-camera and great for you to commit to B&W for these images as a way to improve your already excellent photography. Also, your filming is next level lately. Thanks for the inspiration.
NICE! Great tips, nice dialogue at a gentle pace, no screaming and puffed up commentary like many other vids. Your drone aerials add to the videos too. Kudos! Cheers from Montréal.
Really enjoyed this Nigel. I found it because this year I'm determined to focus on b&w landscape photography and I'm going to be in that area in November. Thanks for inspiring me!
An interesting video, Nigel, thanks. In the latter 90s I worked in Telford for some months. I should have photographed Snowdonia more, very beautiful landscape.
Enjoyed the B&W images. The split image showing exactly what you were seeing in the viewfinder was very helpful. (ie. height of camera and angle of view). Thanks
Great video and great challenges. I like the transition of colour video to the B&W part. It was easy to see visually what you were explaining. Amazing place!
Great to see you embracing B&W photography Nigel. I find that the simplistic images like your last shot with the moon and those lovely clouds have a timeless quality that will endure long after the appeal of the over-saturated, mega-vista landscapes has faded.
Very nice Nigel beautiful as always with you. There are so many times, I get excited about what I'm about to shoot, I forget to take a step back and really take in the vistas...like you said put camera away and look at these areas and vistas and enjoy them. Thanks Again Nigel
Over the last year been drawn to Black and White more and moving in a different direction with my photography. That's why I love it, as there no boundaries, just opportunities to try something different
Good theme and presentation. My first 35mm camera was bought in 1967 and B&W was much more affordable than color. After getting back into semi-serious photography a couple of years ago I think I subconsciously see in B&W. I feel a composition basis is simply line and light. That can make a good photo, then you can drive yourself mad with the other things to make a great photo.
I'm new to photography but I'm having a blast and your channel without a doubt has been the most helpful. You've really helped me understand how to use some of the editing tools tools, inspire me and provide great things to consider. Plus, I just enjoy how you explain things. In one of your previous videos you stated that you don't understand why more people aren't "clicking the Bell." It looks like your setting up your content as designated "For Children". This is preventing people from getting enabling the Bell notifications. I don't know why but when content is setup for children some features are disabled. Your content is safe for kids but not really made for kids like Disney or something. When I click on the Bell it informs me that the feature is not allowed because your content is created for children. Thanks and I hope this helps!
I enjoy shooting in the B/W mode and save as RAW files. I get the b/w on the screen but wait until later to see what the image looks like in color on my monitor. A little bit of both worlds. Excellent video with some interesting and thoughtful points, thanks.
Many thanks, Nigel .... I really enjoyed this video. As a result of early settlement of Australia by peoples from the British Isles, there are stone walls everywhere .... great for photography :)
Fabulous stuff Nigel! Great shots and a great video. The Doom style first person shooter explanation showing composition is really effective. Wonderful stuff!!!! Also good to hear the catch phrase and hear you talking to your drone again😀 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
As you mentioned dry-stone-walling to keep sheep from straying reminded me of a bit of trivia most people probably don't know about. Until the beginning of the twentieth century farmers used a rhyming counting system to keep track of the numbers of sheep they had, which was particualrly important in the days when flocks were moved between fells for grazing, or before and after shearing, and is thought to go back to the middle ages, although based on an ancient Celtic counting system. There were different dialect variations, mostly in Cumbria and Yorkshire, but also Cornish, and there was also a Welsh variant. The Swaledale version was the subject of a famous, and poignant, song by Jake Thakray in his usual witty and dead-pan manner. The words are in groups of five Yan (1), tan (2), tether (3), mether (4), pip (5); azer (6), sezar (7), akker (8), conter (9), dick (10); yanadick (11), tanadick (12), tetheradick (13), metheradick (14), bumfit (15); yanabum (16), tanabum (17), tetherabum (18), metherabum (19), jigget (20) The farmer would place a stone on the ground or put a mark on his crook for each count of twenty (jigget) then start again.
Great reminder that practicing photography skills is like any other skill....focus deeply on one thing at a time. I've been coming to this realization as a photographer in the last couple of weeks, even though I've done it elsewhere (music, skiing...)! I'll also definitely be using that great Mozart quote. Hard to argue with that level of genius.
I love how in this one you showed video from the photo’s perspective of you setting up the shot and looking at horizontal and vertical, and stepping left or right to get the path at the best angle for the shot. That was very helpful. Please talk through some more shots that way with the video. Very helpful!
I had one of my cameras converted to infrared bnw. I've gotten so used to shooting bnw that I instinctively look for textures, leading lines, contrast, patterns - as you mentioned - that are ideal for bnw.
Love that whole range - GlyderAu, Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach are all awesome. I was there three weeks ago. Your shot over to Tryfan looked spectacular. I am assuming you got up to Y Foel Goch or Gallt yr Ogof from Garth. Love the field videos, Nigel. This is why we watch you and this film is of real quality. What is difficult to articulate, and would be especially welcome, is why you are there and what emotion and feelings you take with you and develop whilst in the field. Pushing towards this end of photography would certainly help me to develop these elements into my work. Keep going!! :)
What one thing will I practice when out next? Monochrome of course! This video is so inspiring, the landscape so spectacular and, not least, the video editing between the hand-held, the tripod and the drone is superb. As you said last week, there's nothing better than being in the mountains on your own. Cheers from DownUnder. 😊
Stunning.... As a local guy also to these areas, I always see things totally different when I watch your vids, hopefully one day I will see this beautiful countryside half as good as you do, well done 👍
Another excellent video, Nigel! Thank you! I’m hoping to pick up my first macro lens next week after having borrowed one from a friend, so I plan on focusing on macro photography!
A very nicely produced film - and it is always good advice to concentrate on a single aspect of style or imagery when out on a trip, but sometimes harder to maintain and avoid the temptation of reverting back to standard practice - especially with such stunning vistas - but you are correct in saying that there is more learning in this approach and it can be beneficial to progressing skills in the long run.
I have to practice focus, my eye sight isn’t what it used to be and I have cheap lenses so I have to be very careful to get it right or I have a soft image. I love Snowdonia and thanks for sharing your visit with us.
Great video and an amazing location. Just to double check - all your pictures are focus stacks (I think I heard you saying that you took two pictures with different focus...)?
amazing... shocking storytelling Nigel😳 it is always a pleasure spending times with you and your experiences. Photography as a chance to “live”, properly :)
What a wonderfull area to be - I definitely have to go there sometime myself! As for B&W: I never go out with the intention to shoot in B&W - it Just happens in postprocess. Maybe I should....
I will be practicing how to use the X-T1 that I just bought! The moon shot is amazing, calendar 2022? Can’t believe we’re on the 8th page of 2020 already.
Amazing to get out in the camper van. We haven’t been out in ours for what feels like a long time. Looks quiet/empty compared to what I’ve seen on news reports.
Really great. Mostly I shoot in color, then switch to mono in post. More after the fact. But I can see the benefit of going to mono in camera. Did you experiment with any coloured filters, polarizer, etc.
Do check out the DPReview TV review of the M -- they point out because the image is being captured raw in B&W, there's no way do things like darken (what was originally) the blue tones -- a kind of adjustment that is really powerful IMO.
I like the quote "Great photography is about depth of feeling, not depth of field". I make a note of that, that can be useful in the future to throw that into discussions about pictures, which were made by bokeh-peeper-nerds for bokeh-peeper-nerds ;)
I must say I´m impressed how you edit and cut your film from vlogging camera and drone. It looks like you have a hole camera team behind you. I guess it must be a lot of work doing these vlogs.
You didn't happen to stumble upon James Popsys, who is @Snowdownia/Wales at the moment as well? That would be some pretty cool double feature episode! :-)
You always find the capture no matter where the location is and that's a skill that can't be taught. For someone who has access to the best landscapes/locations in the world it's so nice to see that little old Snowdonia still get's you exited. I loved all the images in this vlog but the iPhone composition of the wall and style was inspirational. 💯% on🔝 photographer 📸✔
Maybe it is just my monitor, but do you want much absolute black in your monochrome landscape images or do you want some detail in all of the shadows.? Lovely images as usual.
Could never see the interest in shooting in black and white when I have a perfectly good camera that shoots colour, going to give it a go, thanks Nigel
Really ignorant question from a beginner here... Is there any advantage to shooting in mono, when you could shoot normally and make it mono in PS or LR later?
Good question!. The advantage is that you will get to visualise the scene and shooting in mono when in RAW keeps the colour data that you then use in LR to process.
@@NigelDanson Ah, Ok. That makes sense now. Thanks for replying, Nigel. I appreciate it.
Love how you make it look yellow filtered, not orange,not red,my first would be red n pola...have you thought?,I left my I.r. filters at home!,Dang!..
I'm my (limited!) experience, what makes a great B&W photo isn't necessarily what makes a great colour photo, so by restricting yourself it'll make you look for what makes the image work with the settings you're using.
It takes colors out of the equation. I've often looked at scenes with great color but then looked in B&W and they just weren't all that good.
Thank you Nigel, your 'one thought' reminder was exactly what I needed at the moment. Also appreciated that you stopped shooting and simply enjoyed the beauty around you.
Your work is greatly appreciated.
It’s all circles, photography started out with B/W only. Now with a simple change of settings we have the choice to use it again.
As for the walls, history of dry stone walls dates back some 3500 years. Mostly in the uplands of the UK, to mark out boarders, fields and control sheep. There are numerous websites that are dedicated to the subject.
Thanks for sharing an amazing part of the country Nigel.
Truly stunning scenery.
Nigel - This may be my favorite of your excellent content on TH-cam. Indeed B&W as a way to view directly in-camera and great for you to commit to B&W for these images as a way to improve your already excellent photography. Also, your filming is next level lately. Thanks for the inspiration.
NICE! Great tips, nice dialogue at a gentle pace, no screaming and puffed up commentary like many other vids. Your drone aerials add to the videos too. Kudos!
Cheers from Montréal.
Super video. I love shooting landscapes in B&W. Thank you for more inspiration.
Oh so good Nigel. Thanks for bringing us along. Lots of learning!
Really enjoyed this Nigel. I found it because this year I'm determined to focus on b&w landscape photography and I'm going to be in that area in November.
Thanks for inspiring me!
Excellent Nigel. Thank you. That pano B+W towards the end was amazing.
Nice relaxing video for a Sunday with a coffee. Love that vista in B&W with the dark foreground and sunlit mountain.
An interesting video, Nigel, thanks.
In the latter 90s I worked in Telford for some months. I should have photographed Snowdonia more, very beautiful landscape.
Absolutely breathtaking. Watched it back-to-back, standing in front of the large screen the whole time. Brilliant!!
Beautiful landscape ....the walls are amazing. Thanks for the perspective in black and white.
Any only you to enjoy the view! Thank you again for great information and scenery.
Enjoyed the B&W images. The split image showing exactly what you were seeing in the viewfinder was very helpful. (ie. height of camera and angle of view). Thanks
Thanks for the conversation and the pointers.
Very nice and inspiring video, Nigel! Snowdonia looks amazing. Thank you!
Great video and great challenges. I like the transition of colour video to the B&W part. It was easy to see visually what you were explaining. Amazing place!
Great to see you embracing B&W photography Nigel. I find that the simplistic images like your last shot with the moon and those lovely clouds have a timeless quality that will endure long after the appeal of the over-saturated, mega-vista landscapes has faded.
Really liked this week's vlog, you got some great black and white images 👍
Great b+w photography, Nigel, I enjoy it.
Very nice Nigel beautiful as always with you. There are so many times, I get excited about what I'm about to shoot, I forget to take a step back and really take in the vistas...like you said put camera away and look at these areas and vistas and enjoy them. Thanks Again Nigel
Stunning photos Nigel, keep up the good work.
Outstanding presentation and photography. Really needed this on Sunday morning.
Over the last year been drawn to Black and White more and moving in a different direction with my photography. That's why I love it, as there no boundaries, just opportunities to try something different
Good theme and presentation. My first 35mm camera was bought in 1967 and B&W was much more affordable than color. After getting back into semi-serious photography a couple of years ago I think I subconsciously see in B&W. I feel a composition basis is simply line and light. That can make a good photo, then you can drive yourself mad with the other things to make a great photo.
Great video this week. Really enjoying them 😀. Thank you Nigel.
That was wonderful to watch. Beautiful shots as always
Never having visited the UK, I really enjoyed this fantastic video. Thanks for sharing!!!!
Thank you for taking such beautiful place !
I love the shots in monochrome!
Incredibly great views! Thanks for the video Nigel👌🏼
I'm new to photography but I'm having a blast and your channel without a doubt has been the most helpful. You've really helped me understand how to use some of the editing tools tools, inspire me and provide great things to consider. Plus, I just enjoy how you explain things.
In one of your previous videos you stated that you don't understand why more people aren't "clicking the Bell." It looks like your setting up your content as designated "For Children". This is preventing people from getting enabling the Bell notifications. I don't know why but when content is setup for children some features are disabled. Your content is safe for kids but not really made for kids like Disney or something. When I click on the Bell it informs me that the feature is not allowed because your content is created for children.
Thanks and I hope this helps!
Thanks Nigel! Your content has helped my photography improve.
Love your videos Nigel. Everything you do is so simple to follow. You're fast becoming my favorite landscape photographer :-))
Fantastic views. I must admit black and white does look great sometimes. Thanks for the video. That climb made me out of breath.
I enjoy shooting in the B/W mode and save as RAW files. I get the b/w on the screen but wait until later to see what the image looks like in color on my monitor. A little bit of both worlds. Excellent video with some interesting and thoughtful points, thanks.
Many thanks, Nigel .... I really enjoyed this video. As a result of early settlement of Australia by peoples from the British Isles, there are stone walls everywhere .... great for photography :)
Fabulous stuff Nigel! Great shots and a great video. The Doom style first person shooter explanation showing composition is really effective. Wonderful stuff!!!! Also good to hear the catch phrase and hear you talking to your drone again😀 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Doom! That was a great network game
Your track as background music are amazing
You showed us how B&W has it’s place in the photography world. Great job on the photos.
As you mentioned dry-stone-walling to keep sheep from straying reminded me of a bit of trivia most people probably don't know about.
Until the beginning of the twentieth century farmers used a rhyming counting system to keep track of the numbers of sheep they had, which was particualrly important in the days when flocks were moved between fells for grazing, or before and after shearing, and is thought to go back to the middle ages, although based on an ancient Celtic counting system. There were different dialect variations, mostly in Cumbria and Yorkshire, but also Cornish, and there was also a Welsh variant. The Swaledale version was the subject of a famous, and poignant, song by Jake Thakray in his usual witty and dead-pan manner. The words are in groups of five
Yan (1), tan (2), tether (3), mether (4), pip (5); azer (6), sezar (7), akker (8), conter (9), dick (10); yanadick (11), tanadick (12), tetheradick (13), metheradick (14), bumfit (15); yanabum (16), tanabum (17), tetherabum (18), metherabum (19), jigget (20)
The farmer would place a stone on the ground or put a mark on his crook for each count of twenty (jigget) then start again.
Great reminder that practicing photography skills is like any other skill....focus deeply on one thing at a time. I've been coming to this realization as a photographer in the last couple of weeks, even though I've done it elsewhere (music, skiing...)!
I'll also definitely be using that great Mozart quote. Hard to argue with that level of genius.
Looks like endless opportunities for the landscape photographer. Good insight. Rock on!
I can incorporate these insights in my streetphotography video’s as well! Thank you 🙏
I love how in this one you showed video from the photo’s perspective of you setting up the shot and looking at horizontal and vertical, and stepping left or right to get the path at the best angle for the shot. That was very helpful. Please talk through some more shots that way with the video. Very helpful!
I had one of my cameras converted to infrared bnw. I've gotten so used to shooting bnw that I instinctively look for textures, leading lines, contrast, patterns - as you mentioned - that are ideal for bnw.
Another great episode. Thank you for sharing.
Love that whole range - GlyderAu, Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach are all awesome. I was there three weeks ago. Your shot over to Tryfan looked spectacular. I am assuming you got up to Y Foel Goch or Gallt yr Ogof from Garth. Love the field videos, Nigel. This is why we watch you and this film is of real quality. What is difficult to articulate, and would be especially welcome, is why you are there and what emotion and feelings you take with you and develop whilst in the field. Pushing towards this end of photography would certainly help me to develop these elements into my work. Keep going!! :)
What one thing will I practice when out next? Monochrome of course!
This video is so inspiring, the landscape so spectacular and, not least, the video editing between the hand-held, the tripod and the drone is superb.
As you said last week, there's nothing better than being in the mountains on your own. Cheers from DownUnder. 😊
Bloody brilliant!
Would like to see a video on how to create a Noir preset in Lightroom for landscape. Thanks.
Stunning.... As a local guy also to these areas, I always see things totally different when I watch your vids, hopefully one day I will see this beautiful countryside half as good as you do, well done 👍
Excellent, Nigel! I also try to think in b&w when I see beautiful textures! I think it’s more simple to compose.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Literally came to your channel, torn between the b/w and color renderings of some photos. Timely upload! Thanks from Delaware
Another excellent video, Nigel! Thank you! I’m hoping to pick up my first macro lens next week after having borrowed one from a friend, so I plan on focusing on macro photography!
A very nicely produced film - and it is always good advice to concentrate on a single aspect of style or imagery when out on a trip, but sometimes harder to maintain and avoid the temptation of reverting back to standard practice - especially with such stunning vistas - but you are correct in saying that there is more learning in this approach and it can be beneficial to progressing skills in the long run.
Beautiful images! Love the quote by Peter Adams. Thank you 🙏
This landscape is so Braveheart. hahahaha Amazing content. Thank you for sharing knowledge.
Thoroughly enjoyed that thanks some great tips👌✌️
1:07 standing in the most beautiful landscape "... hoping to get some shots" 😉
ha ha - it is quite spectacular.
Really magnificent scenery and great video as per usual
It can be ever so beautiful standing there but can be a hell to get a good photo of it :)
I have to practice focus, my eye sight isn’t what it used to be and I have cheap lenses so I have to be very careful to get it right or I have a soft image. I love Snowdonia and thanks for sharing your visit with us.
Unfortunately a D90 doesn’t have that unless I have missed it! if it does I then I need to read the manual!
Beautiful! Did you happen to see Comet Neowise?
Some gorgeous images. Thank you 👍🏻
I find it really hard to see in b&w when I photograph landscapes, but that last pano was really beautiful with all those layers!
Lovely stuff
Great video this week and what a stunning location. I have always struggled with Black and White in the Landscapes. This really helped. 👍
Great video and an amazing location. Just to double check - all your pictures are focus stacks (I think I heard you saying that you took two pictures with different focus...)?
It’s nice to be allowed to walk about and experience the world. Where I live all the land is private with no trespassing signs.
Amazing, I loved all of them.
fantastic images & vid... very good info, thanks so much! 🙏🏼
Really dug the direction/editing in this video.
The entire video is a piece of art 🖼 😍
Going to have to find the camera manual / google how to get a B&W viewfinder picture..
Wonderful scenery as always. Just don't forget to take a picture of the Milky Way which would be absolutely wonderful.
amazing... shocking storytelling Nigel😳 it is always a pleasure spending times with you and your experiences. Photography as a chance to “live”, properly :)
Nigel, superinspiring approach, and wonderful images. I especially liked the ending - very human point, kudos! :)
What a wonderfull area to be - I definitely have to go there sometime myself!
As for B&W: I never go out with the intention to shoot in B&W - it Just happens in postprocess. Maybe I should....
Try it 👍🏼
great video Nigel. Who is the amazing vocalist on these videos?
"Sometimes it is better to be in nature and savour the moment."
I will be practicing how to use the X-T1 that I just bought! The moon shot is amazing, calendar 2022? Can’t believe we’re on the 8th page of 2020 already.
No - it seems 2020 is surreal
James Popsys and Nigel Danson in Snowdonia in the same weekend? Awesome!
Was he? He was hiding from me
If we're talking B&W landscapes in the modern era there's one name that springs to mind: Thomas Joshua Cooper
Amazing to get out in the camper van. We haven’t been out in ours for what feels like a long time. Looks quiet/empty compared to what I’ve seen on news reports.
It was fairly quiet to be honest but I was there midweek.
Is this James' backyard?
Thanks I really enjoyed that and a great viewpoint of Tryfan up there
Brilliant Nigel
For me, B&W is where I go when I feel I’ve “missed” a shot but really want to rescuer it. For some reason B&w is more forgiving. 🌸
wow you just eead my mind
Great nature,love the photos!
Tomorow is myday in mountains😀!
Really great. Mostly I shoot in color, then switch to mono in post. More after the fact. But I can see the benefit of going to mono in camera. Did you experiment with any coloured filters, polarizer, etc.
I've been thinking my next camera ought to be the new M Monchrom. This only confirmed the idea. Thanks for the inspiration.
Do check out the DPReview TV review of the M -- they point out because the image is being captured raw in B&W, there's no way do things like darken (what was originally) the blue tones -- a kind of adjustment that is really powerful IMO.
I like the quote "Great photography is about depth of feeling, not depth of field". I make a note of that, that can be useful in the future to throw that into discussions about pictures, which were made by bokeh-peeper-nerds for bokeh-peeper-nerds ;)
I spent a tonne of money on cameras and lenses that render colour amazingly. Then I shoot mostly in black and white. I love it.
You did well, since your black and white photography benefits from the high end equipment. (better microcontrast means better black and white photos)
Brilliant
I must say I´m impressed how you edit and cut your film from vlogging camera and drone. It looks like you have a hole camera team behind you. I guess it must be a lot of work doing these vlogs.
Thanks! Yep it is quite hectic! Ha ha
You didn't happen to stumble upon James Popsys, who is @Snowdownia/Wales at the moment as well? That would be some pretty cool double feature episode! :-)
You always find the capture no matter where the location is and that's a skill that can't be taught. For someone who has access to the best landscapes/locations in the world it's so nice to see that little old Snowdonia still get's you exited. I loved all the images in this vlog but the iPhone composition of the wall and style was inspirational.
💯% on🔝 photographer 📸✔
Thanks Daniel - appreciate that
Maybe it is just my monitor, but do you want much absolute black in your monochrome landscape images or do you want some detail in all of the shadows.? Lovely images as usual.
Could never see the interest in shooting in black and white when I have a perfectly good camera that shoots colour, going to give it a go, thanks Nigel
Great Video as normal, did you book a campsite or wild camp?
Do they happen to have a tree in Wales? 😃