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Monochrome
Juror's Statement
This was a difficult task. The number of extremely strong photos were well over
the limit of what I could include! Narrowing it down to the magic number felt almost
impossible at times. Don’t forget there are the whims of fate are in play along with
mood, taste and style preferences. I am not saying, nor would ever say, these are the
‘best’ photos but rather these are my favorites at this moment in time. I am also
looking to create an experience where the individual photos work together to create a
synchronistic whole.
Clichés, overworked themes, unintentionally technically inferior photos, bad B&W
conversions, nostalgia substituted for vision, as well as some excellent photos I’ve
seen submitted or used elsewhere too many times all got passed over to make room
for images that displayed unique personal vision or conveyed emotional expression- a
real plus for me personally.
Without the element of color, it takes even stronger form and compositional clarity to
carry a photo, since you don’t have the contrasting color differences separating tones
and shapes and adding interest. Good B&W is a skill that requires vision beyond just
a conversion app.
Technical proficiency is still very important, but only as it serves the photograph’s
purpose. Sloppy or shoddy craftsmanship can get in the way of an image’s intent yet
technique should always serve the photographers vision not be the vision itself. It
should play a supporting role and then get out of the way allowing for artistic
expression. Ansel Adams said it perfectly, “There is nothing worse than a sharp
photograph of a fuzzy concept.”
The strong images in this exhibit often ask more questions than they answer. They
show not merely what the photographer saw but transcribe what was felt. This is
visually much harder to do yet so much more compelling. I found these traits in
abundance in these beautiful and sometimes even mysterious images.
—Douglas Beasley
Call for Entries
In this exhibition, we explore the beauty and powerful expressive ability of monochrome photography. Any capture method and all processes, including black and white, alternative process and monochromatic toning, are welcome. The subject is completely up to you.
We are honored to have Douglas Beasley as juror for Monochrome. He will select up to 35 images for exhibition in our Middlebury, Vermont gallery and another 40 images for our Online Gallery. All 75 images will be reproduced in the exhibition catalog and remain permanently on our website, and be promoted on social media with links to photographer’s URL.
Information about our printing service and free matting and framing here.
Banner image: Eddy Verloes
Thumbnail: Kent Green
Click to enlarge
About the Juror
Douglas Beasley’s personal vision explores the spiritual and emotional aspects of people and place and is concerned with how the sacred is recognized and expressed in everyday life.
Doug currently works on fine-art based commercial projects around the world. Much of his personal work is supported by grants and commissions and is widely exhibited and collected. In 2010 he had a permanent installation at the Castillo D’Albertis Cultural Museum on Sacred Places of North America. He has been published internationally and featured in numerous photo magazines such as Zoom, The Sun, B&W, PDN, Shots and PhotoVision. His most recent book, Zen and the Art of Photography, is a collection of Doug’s writing.
Doug is the owner and publisher of Shots magazine, a quarterly independent journal of fine-art photography, now in its 32nd year of publication. Shots has long been his favorite photo magazine.
See Doug's complete resume here.