Over the last weeks, when I posted a Holi picture, and I gave it a textured, monochromatic feel to it, some of you felt that it was spooky, surreal. Some thought that the photograph looked like an army of mummies; that the photograph was almost hypnotic; that you would not want to come across those men on a dark night.
Oh, I did think of calling this post, ‘Monochrome Madness’ but, I thought that Leanne Cole may spank me, so I called it Monochrome Mania.
Colours evoke emotion. This, we know. The original picture was taken during the Holi celebrations, and is a period of intense celebration and colour. It is a time when the seasons change. I shan’t go into the history and mythology of the festival at this point.
Monochrome photography is generally deemed to be black & white photography. Colours have been removed. However, what you have in monochrome photography, are three colours – black, white, and shades of grey.
Monochrome, literally, means ‘one colour’.
These two Holi pictures are actually quite monochromatic, and the different interpretations evoke completely different emotions.
Have a look at the two images below, and let me know what emotion each evokes in you. The editing process for each has been extremely simple.
Different moods conveyed by such a simple change
A small change can do much!
True!!
It is such fun seeing how a single image can change its feeling.
Simple changes can be profound
Between the black and white and the color I see death and life…
In a way, yes.. My son thinks the B&W one looks like an Uruk-Hai army.. Death
Yes! That’s what I thought! An army of death. Or souls crowded in some in between world…
Yeah… I thought it was an abstract design.. Then, you mentioned death.. And then I thought, hm yeah.
Funny how that happens!
True,true!
I have to start with a ‘Wow,’ my Dear Rajiv! I shall have to think of Using this method for my posts. You have given me Ideas, for which Thanks.
As for the two photographs, the first one said to me: ‘Move on, quick.’ And the second one spoke of Joy!
Great Work. Keep it Up. Regards. 🙂
Thank you!
🙂
You seem more with the red tinge and I would rather like this in my hallway…but the monochrome one is more atmospheric and I would not place this in my house in case I walked past it in the night and scared myself silly
I am not yet sure which way I would swing…
( too much information! 🙂 )
Ha! But, I am planning to do a Black Holi series soon…
You can see more of the individual faces in the red photo so it isn’t ominous like the other black /grey/white one. It does impart more of a celebration to the photo.
Leslie
It does… But, I shall do a Black Holi series
That will be interesting to see, Rajiv.
Leslie
The first image I found almost threatening .. While up the second is alive
Well, Uruk-Hai, is what my son said!
The black and white image does, for me, invoke a feeling of the dark force. Not much festivity in that feeling. The second image conveys more of a festive mood
Very different emotions, yes?
Very much so!
I like the top one. It feels real to me. The bottom one all I see is red and find it quite jarring. (I am not a fan of a lot a red). I have been messing around with GIMP a lot lately and trying to capture the right mood is something I find very challenging. It’s fun though!
Well, the red was actually just that. The men sat there in a red haze, and sang. It was surreal
Yeah that much red drives my brain crazy, I can only imagine how surreal it was. 🙂
It was!
The first one is really fascinating, because it makes the scene look very fascinating.
The red version has more an artificial feel.
Yeah.. Strangely, I did practically no colour tampering with the red.
I think that I am now tempted to do a Black Holi set of edits
What a lovely idea, just a simple change of colour!!
Travelshoebum
Thank you! Just a simple change it was
Hey! Perhaps you ‘d like to check some travel photography from my side https://travelshoebum.com/2016/04/07/stunning-beauty-of-kashmir-in-pictures-part-ii/
I will indeed do that!