Tag: Black & White Landscapes

Honorable Mention in 2015 Black & White Spider Awards!

The Power of Water & Ice, Niagara Falls

The Power of Water & Ice, Niagara Falls

I am honored to share the news that an image I did as part of The Sweetwater Seas Documentary has been awarded an Honorable Mention in the 2015 B&W Spider Awards in the Nature Photography – Professional’s Category! Here is the press release from the B&W Spider Awards:

10TH ANNUAL BLACK AND WHITE SPIDER AWARDS HONORS PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD MACK FROM USA

LOS ANGELES 11/21/2105 – Professional photographer Richard Mack of Evanston, Illinois was presented with the 10th Annual Black and White Spider Awards Honorable Mention in the category of Nature Photography at a prestigious Nomination & Winners PhotoShow webcast Saturday, November 21, 2015.

The live online gala was attended by over 10,000 photography fans around the globe who logged on to watch the climax of the industry’s most important event for black and white photography.

10th Annual Jury members included captains of the industry from Bonhams, Random House, Aeroplastics Contemporary, Stockholm City Museum, Annenberg Foundation, Leo Burnett, FTM Art Advisory and Fratelli Alinari who honored Spider Fellows with 505 coveted title awards in 31 categories.

“It is an incredible achievement to be selected among the best from the 7,686 entries we received this year,” said Basil O’Brien, the awards Creative Director. “Richard Mack’s “The Power of Water and Ice, Niagara Falls” is an exceptional image entered in the Nature category, represents black and white photography at its finest, and we’re pleased to present Mack with the title of Honorable Mention – Professional in Nature Category.” Jury member Diane Ruggie from Velocebella agency added, “The gallery of winners and runners up has true stopping power.”

BLACK AND WHITE SPIDER AWARDS is the leading international award honoring excellence in black and white photography. This celebrated event shines a spotlight on the best professional and amateur photographers worldwide and honors the finest images with the highest achievements in black and white photography. www.thespiderawards.com

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Anytime you are honored with an award it is both humbling and exciting to know folks like your work. We did put a small video together from this shoot for The Sweetwater Seas documentary. You can view it on vimeo

Niagara Falls Winter from Richard Mack Photography, Ltd on Vimeo.

You can also see more about the documentary on our website The Sweetwater Seas.

Cheers!

Richard Mack


Putting together a Portfolio of Images…

 

I was asked by an art consultant if I had Black & White images she might be able to use for some of her clients, which are both private collectors and corporate collections. I am known for my color work, but I have been shooting Black & White images since I first held a camera when I was 18. I think every landscape photographer wants to shoot those grand B&W images and delicate close-ups in B&W. There is often more emotion in a B&W image, I believe because of the tonality of a great print and the lack of color which takes it to a different, unseen level, from real life.

 

 

So, I went to the files, now all in Lightroom, and selected a few of my favorite images. I also converted a few of my color images I had always thought would be great in B&W as well, even though I love there color versions. I am honestly not sure which way I like them in some cases. Each has a different feel.

 

 

  In going through a series of images shot a few years, or in some cases, many years ago, it is always kind of fun as the memories of each trip come flooding back. This of course can be a hindrance when you are editing as your emotions of the shoot come through and you may include a shot you might not have chosen without such memories. Hence it is sometimes a good idea to have a friend who is either another photographer or designer, or even a curator, to look over your selections. I opted for none of the above this time since time was of the essence. There were some I thought might make my first cut which on closer inspection just didn’t cut it. Other images came to the forefront when I didn’t expect them. Going back over your work also gives you a perspective of your abilities over the years. Both the times you excelled and those when you didn’t. It also gives you a broader look at your style and how you work. I think this is something every photographer should do occasionally, for going back through your work to put together a collection of images is always eye-opening and gives you that broader look at where you have been and where you are headed. This provides several options from which you can springboard forward in your new work.

 

I realize this is just a small sample of my collection of Black and White images. But it is fun to share these for now… to see the select I have made for now use this link: B&W Work  

Enjoy!

Richard