As I sit looking out my window, Contrast is about the last word that would come to mind. It’s pretty much all white out there. The snow-covered ground blends with the white grey sky and the new snow falling.  All white all the time and that’s pretty much what I can expect for most of this month to come. That said, I’m excited to play with this month’s theme and I invite you to do the same.

PicMonkey Collage

When I think of contrast, the first thing that jumps to mind is high (or low) contrast colours. Quite often I tend to low contrast in my images, as above. The faded, low-contrast look of Polaroid and Impossible Project images is part of the draw for me to instant film. Even in my digital work I’m rather a fan of the “fade” and “desaturate” sliders in post-processing. In fact, the rather high-saturation, high-contrast of the photo below surprised me a little as I scrolled through my gallery.

DSCF0161

Of course, playing with contrast, lights and darks, whether in black and white or colour, can really set a photographic mood.

mosaic99b453726d0c795b29e288a59f81075f4a1451fbby Meghan

As we go through the month, I encourage you to think about these kinds of contrasts – bright vs. faded, light vs. dark – but also different types of contrasts that we can show with our photography.

Like the contrasting images that can be produced when we turn different cameras to the same scene.

PicMonkey Photo

The first billboard image was taken with my Fuji X100s and processed with VSCO Film Fuji 160 preset. This second image was taken with my Polaroid 680SLR and Impossible Project film.

Through our lenses we can show the contrast between the seasons.

mosaic071a1e1147a9f99bffdca282a7bda0d05b173432By Meghan

Or the contrast in mood that can be created by the choice of colour vs. black and white.

mosaic3278eb663e69938eaacc1b4e7bff134d90b1883bBy Meghan

So as we head into January, I encourage you to think about how you can use your camera to demonstrate the theme of Contrast, be it through contrasting colours or monochrome scenes, high (or low) contrasting black and whites, contrasting themes within one image, or within a diptych, or through the use of multiple cameras and formats. Or how about contrasting textures? The possibilities are nearly endless. However you interpret it, I hope that thinking about Contrast helps to fuel your creativity this month.

Please share your Contrast images with us in the Mortal Muses Theme Flickr pool.

Debra ~ Manifeisty