Monochrome Photography
Posted on by Dianne

Monochrome Photography – It’s Not All Black & White

Patti challenges us with monochrome photography in this week’s Lens-Artists  Photo Challenge. Thanks, Patti! Monochrome photography is an interesting way to interpret the scene for a photographer like me who somewhat depends on a splash of color. I’ve had fun with it!

To meet this challenge,  I thought I’d share with you a short travelogue of my journeys over the last year. I spend my winters petsitting through TrustedHousesitters, and it’s taken me to some fine, fine places.

What’s Happening Now

I’m currently spending a little time in Colorado. It’s a blast from the past, an opportunity to get back to my roots, revisit landscapes forever held deep in my heart, spend time with family,  and heal. I was fortunate enough to land a housesit in Allenspark, in the southwest corner of Rocky Mountain National Park, which made this sweet sojourn with a land I love possible.

Rocky Mountain National Park
I spent a couple of weeks watching the deer and elk in Rocky Mountain National Park, my first mountain home, last month.

Winter On The West Coast

A year ago today, though, I was on the Long Beach Peninsula, Washington State. I was housesitting a very sweet dog and cat in a lovely old home just 4 blocks from the beach. It was wonderful to spend a whole month immersing myself in the Pacific Northwest, an environment I’d never before had the opportunity to really experience.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge
They call it Long Beach for a reason. You could walk forever.

Long Beach wasn’t my only coastal refuge this past winter. I spent most of the winter on the central California coast. I had a housesit in Monterey

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge
Monochrome sunset on the beach at Carmel

and one in Goleta, where I mourned the loss of the Monarch Butterflies.

Black & White photography
Eucalyptus blossoms in the butterfly groves

I even drove the Big Sur Highway a few times. It is amazing that this road even exists!

Lens-Artists
Pampas grass along the Big Sur Highway

In between house sits, I spent a lot of time camping at San Simeon. It was an unexpected wildlife treasure.

monochrome
The elephant seals were the main draw, but the phenomenal birding was an unexpected bonus.

I finally visited Mystic Hot Springs in Utah, which had been on my bucket list for years.

Monroe Hot Springs
Sitting in the hand of God at Monroe Hot Springs

Spring In The Desert

I visited four deserts, with a wonderful house sit in Tucson giving me a taste of the Sonoran,

Monochrome photography
I really loved my time in Tucson!

a bit of quality time spent on the Colorado Plateau,

Lens-Artists Challenge
The Colorado Plateau is still my favorite desert.

and, as always, following the flowers in the Mojave

Joshua Tree National Park
Superbloom in Joshua Tree this past spring

and the Lower Coloradoan Desert.

Anza-Borrego State Park
Yucca flowers in Anza-Borrego

Summer In Alaska

I always come back to the Wrangells, though. It’s true – there’s no place like home!

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
This is just a part of the view right from my front porch!

14 Replies to “Monochrome Photography – It’s Not All Black & White”

  2. Gorgeous monochrome shots, Dianne! The details and lighting here are magnificent. You have a wonderful eye for nature. We signed up for Trusted Housesitters. I’m glad you have had a great experience with them. We haven’t done a house sit yet. We’ve been moving around too much! I’m glad you shared your shots with us. They are beautiful.

  6. Really interesting way to temporarily experience different landscapes of the world. Wonderful images of your journey, Dianne. <3

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