January 2025 Competition - Black & White

[Tim Mayo]

=== Please Include Metadata with Images Submitted. The Creation Date Restriction is No Longer ===

Theme
For January our theme will be black & white which was one of our most popular themes of 2024. Please try not to simply convert a color photo into B&W, the best B&W photos have typically been given some consideration before pressing the shutter button to how they will look without color. If you need some inspiration then see these examples from Sony's World Photography Awards.

Competition Dates
Entries start: The date that this post is published.
Entries end: January 21st at 3am Eastern Time (9am GMT)
Voting starts: January 21st at 3am Eastern Time (9am GMT)
Voting ends: January 28th at 3am Eastern Time (9am GMT)

Shot Taken Date
Images can be taken anytime, there is no restriction like we had in 2024 for images to be taken in the current or previous two months.

What Do I Get if I Win?
I'm afraid now it's just the joy of taking park, but I will look into adding a special profile banner to winners profiles. In the past there have been vouchers for 1st and 2nd places, but we want to try and encourage people to enter without dangling a voucher code in front of them.

How to Enter + Rules

1. Post your entries in this thread by scrolling down to the reply box then hitting the 'upload images' button. Insert image as full not thumbnail.
2. Sony cameras only.
3. Camera metadata must be included in the images to verify.
4. Only one photo entry per member.
5. Keep the photos clean and family friendly.
6. Please don't use sky replacements or AI image generation.
7. You are free to change you image during the entry period.
8. Not essential but it would be nice if you added a little background information on your entry.

How to Vote (when voting opens)

1. Use the vote button (up arrow) to the right of the post (below post on mobile) to vote up images that you like
2. You can vote on as many images as you like apart from your own

Upcoming Themes for 2025
Our themes for the year have already been decided to give you a heads-up on what's coming next.

• Jan: Black & White
• Feb: Natural World and Wildlife
• Mar: Creative
• Apr: Action
• May: Mechanized Machines
• Jun: Land and City Scapes
• Jul: At Home
• August: Close Up / Macro
• Sep: Long Exposure
• Oct: Street
• Nov: After Dark
• Dec: Your Favorite Shot of 2025

Feedback
I'd really appreciate feedback about how the competition is running but please don't post it in this thread. Instead please post any feedback in this thread in the Feedback Forum.

Thank you for participating and good luck!

Tim

 

[Tim Mayo]

Please note the rules folks:

1. Sony cameras only.
2. Camera metadata must be included in the images to verify.
3. Only one photo entry per member.
4. Keep the photos clean and family friendly.
5. Please don't use sky replacements or AI image generation.
6. You are free to change you image during the entry period.
7. There is no date restriction like we had last year.

Thank you!

 

[Phil Vetra]

Hagow is only 5 months old at 80 Lbs he's only 1/2 size, a gentle giant. Part Mastiff, St. Bernard and another large breed. He's pooped after playing with the Grand Kids.

• ILCE-1
• FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II
• 70.0 mm
• ƒ/2.8
• 1/250 sec
• ISO 32000

 

[Tinopener]

My photography teacher

• SLT-A77V
• 50.0 mm
• ƒ/11
• 1/4 sec
• ISO 100

 

[stemlett]

Was out birding on a grotty and largely birdless day, this carrion crow was just sat in the tree above me as I approached. Not originally black and white but the light was so poor, converting it didn't make a great deal of difference. It's one of my favourite images of 2024.

• ILCE-1
• 420.0 mm
• ƒ/4
• 1/640 sec
• ISO 12800

 

[BrianN]

Happy New Year everyone, and with a huge snowfall on New Years Day I set off to my favourite woodland and in the middle of the snowstorm I liked how this looked like a winter scene from Winny the Poo

• ILCE-7M4
• FE 24-50mm F2.8 G
• 38.0 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/250 sec
• ISO 100

 

[BrianN]

Was out birding on a grotty and largely birdless day, this carrion crow was just sat in the tree above me as I approached. Not originally black and white but the light was so poor, converting it didn't make a great deal of difference. It's one of my favourite images of 2024.

View attachment 70403

Hi Simon, nice to see you here .....another great image

 

[Richard A]

Old steam loco detail. Railway museum on the outskirts of Sydney.

• ILCE-7RM5
• 28.0 mm
• ƒ/11
• 1/30 sec
• ISO 1000

 

[alexpler]

Yesterday I visited the recently restored Barcelona Greenhouse at Ciutadella Park and there were plenty of exotic plants with intriguing textures.

• ILCE-7C
• FE 40mm F2.5 G
• 40.0 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/100 sec
• ISO 250

 

[dragonsdreams]

At the risk of boring you with one that i sent in as one of my favourite images from 2024. Here it is again. If it's not allowed let me know.
If people want to have a go use the same camera settings as I did, convert to B&W, then use gaussian blur to enhance the effect.

'Air Born'

• ILCE-6700
• E 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS
• 78.0 mm
• ƒ/13
• 1/15 sec
• ISO 100