Fade to Black (and White)

I love black and white photos.  There's something about the stark simplicity of monochrome that intrigues me.  Details that would get lost in the whirl of color take center stage. 

But often the bright hues of real life captured on my sensor can be distracting.  I get so caught up in color, I forget about converting my shots to B & W. 

Thankfully the 52 Photos Project chose "Black and White" as its meme for the week.  A perfect opportunity to view some of my favorite images in a new light.

Fog in the valleys, view from Mt Hood Meadows

I took this photo from high on the slopes of Mt. Hood Meadows.  Although the sky was perfectly clear, fog lingered in the mountain valleys.  Mt. Jefferson rose prominently on the horizon, with Broken Top Mountain visible behind.  The bent over, icy trees added to the wintry scene.  Meadows has a shot similar to this view hanging in one of their restrooms (which is where I got the idea).  And it's also in black and white!

Frosty leaves

I captured the above image this past Monday morning.  A heavy frost covered everything outside in a thick coating of white.  These leaves had tiny needles of frost clinging to their edges.  Very cool when converted to B & W!  Although I'd intended to post only one photo, I liked this one so well, it got included too.

Check out more impressive black and white images by visiting the 52 Photos Project Gallery 40.