Leanne Cole’s Monochrome Madness 195 — Street Art or Graffiti

Leanne Cole does a weekly Monochrome Madness post consisting of all B&W photos submitted by users each week. It’s not a contest, but a place for photographers to show their B&W work; anyone can submit photos and it’s also a good place for seeing what can be done when it comes to B&W. 

At the beginning of each month, the submissions are supposed to follow a theme and for next week — Monochrome Madness No. 195 — the theme is Street Art or Graffiti. Now, since I don’t typically photograph graffiti (I seldom see any that are interesting) I’m going with my own interpretation of Street Art. I’m interpreting it as Murals. 

Now, while technically a mural, that’s more of a sign for a store, but it is a mural, albeit not a very inspiring one.  This next one is perhaps more within the spirit of street art since it’s in an alley behind some stores on Aliʻi Drive. 

Note that I’m numbering them . . . can you smell a poll at the end of this? You should. Understand, what I mean by “smell” is “can you figure out” and not so much the literal interpretation of the word. That I know of, there’s no blog widget allowing for an interactive olfactory experience. 

There are two drawbacks with murals rendered in B&W. One, murals are typically rendered in landscape form. Not always, but often. Because there is a resolution requirement to the submissions (1000 pxls for the longest side), the files tend to be small and perhaps don’t show the subject as well as they might in person . . . or in color.

Because that’s drawback number two; the originals are usually offered in bold colors that enhance the already impressive impact of an art piece that is much larger than a typical canvas drawing. 

I can play a bit and punch up the contrast and presence of the artwork, but it’ll always be less than the original. 

By the way, I lied when I said I have no graffiti . . . well, maybe. I don’t know if this qualifies as graffiti. I mean, I think that technically it does. 

It has one advantage . . . because I can present it in a quasi-portrait mode, it appears larger than the other files and hence might offer a greater visual impact. 

This next one is another that shows pretty well because it’s nearly square.

That particular mural is perhaps hurt by the muted colors in the original. I could have punched it up a bit, but I think that would contrast with the gentleness of the scene. 

This next one has a lot of impact, both for the full portrait orientation and because of the strong drawing style. 

OK, OK, it’s not a mural; more of a banner, really, but perhaps few will notice. 

In my search for decent subjects, I even went back in time; all the way back to 2004. These next two are both from Roslyn, WA. We visited when we were looking for a place to move to (leaving Michigan). We eventually settled on Colorado, but that’s another story and one that’s already been told. 

Here, I’m cheating. Were this a contest — it’s not — I would be drawing on the warm-and-fuzzy memories people my age have about the show Northern Exposure. No, it was not filmed in Alaska. It was filmed in Washington. 

This next photo is one of the houses near the street where the series was filmed. 

But, wait . . . do I mean to say there are no decent mural offerings here, on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi?

I just photographed this next one last week in the town of Honokaʻa . . . 

It’s a tribute to the Paniolo culture of the Islands. Truthfully, it presents much better in person than it does here, and by saying that, it’s not that I’m trying to sway the voting. 

This next one is from Hilo, on the side of a grocery store . . . 

I’ve had a post with that mural (and a few of the above) and it’s worth seeing in color. If you care to, search for “mural” and you should easily find the post.  

What? Oh, sorry; I forgot. That’s too much work for some people. Click HERE for the post. 

This next mural, we actually watched as it was being painted by a bunch of kids. I think they were a class from one of the schools but I’ve also heard they might have been the kids of the people who are part owners of the building supplies co-op housed in that building. 

That’s an impressive mural and I should probably do a post on it because it features bold colors and designs. 

As a reminder, here are the choices in a gallery:

OK, here’s the poll . . . while you can vote at any time you, my dear readers, come across this post, I’m only waiting until Friday before sending the photo with the most votes as my submission to next week’s themed Monochrome Madness.  

You know, now that I think of it, I did have some graffiti . . . traveling graffiti, at that. 

Monochrome Madness is open to all. As mentioned, it is not a contest; it’s a showcase for people’s adventures in B&W photography. Professional or amateur, all are welcomed. If you have a favorite B&W photo or even a not-so-favorite, consider contributing; you will not be judged, and the photo might provide enjoyment for a pair of eyes or two.

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