Practical Photography

10Clicks
MONO
#2 Make a moody fine art portrait
l A British winter is typically
composed of cloudy days
and a generous amount
of drizzle. This can put a
dampener on your creativity,
but why not turn it to your
advantage like Maren Klemp
(500px.com/maren_elize)?
“I have a strict rule when
it comes to my photography,
and that’s to never pick up my
camera unless I have a clear
idea of how I want the image
to look. When I’m planning a
picture I always draw sketches
and make notes regarding
the location, wardrobe and
camera settings. This process
can take weeks, but I find it
much easier to achieve a good
result by working this way.
“I knew that I wanted this
self-portrait to have a dreamy
and ethereal look. The subject
in the image is running alone
through a dark and isolated
landscape, while the umbrella
symbolises protection. In
order to make the image
more dramatic, I created a
lot of movement with my hair,
which was actually the most
challenging part of the shoot.
“The day I shot this photo
the weather was absolutely
terrible. It was raining and
there was a thick layer of fog
shrouding the surrounding
hills. While it might not
have been particularly nice
weather, it made the perfect
backdrop for the image.”
To convert a colour shot
into black & white, all you
need to do is put it into
Photoshop and open up
the Layers panel. Click on
Create new fill or adjustment
layer and then select Black
& White... Then simply use
the sliders to create the
perfect amount of contrast.
22 PRACTICAL PHOTOGRAPHY