Musotographer Posted March 14 Share #1 Posted March 14 Advertisement (gone after registration) We moved to deepest Dorset from London some time ago; I love living here, couldn't be happier - but it's not good for my photography, particularly in B&W. The teeming city with its urban grit, endless architecture, people, nightlife, the Thames and so on is ceaselessly stimulating and I was always out taking photographs, usually with my beloved M10M. Here in the countryside life is so much quieter and trees, cows and churches as subjects do begin to pall after a while. I've barely used the M10M and if I don't start to do so soon I shall have to sell it - it's wasted at the moment. Do any rural Forum-ites have any suggestions for making the most of a Monochrom in the countryside? Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 14 Posted March 14 Hi Musotographer, Take a look here Rural Monochrom. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jaapv Posted March 14 Share #2 Posted March 14 Have a look in the landscape and travel forum the B&W landscape thread. There is also plenty of inspiration to be found in the respective image threads in the Monochrom forum. It is a mistake to think that the Monochrom is a specific street camera. In fact, the special tonal range and separation are even more suited to the countryside Think of spectacular cloud formations, early morning mist, etc. also characterful buildings, farmers their work, portraits, and so much more. Not as much in your face as city life ( which often works equally well in B&W conversions ) but far more subtle. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
costa43 Posted March 14 Share #3 Posted March 14 I used to live in London and now I live in a rural area and have struggled with this in the past. One thing that has helped me is mixing it up with focal lengths. Try going tele, focus on the details. I'm not sure what you currently shoot lens wise but I started using a 90mm from my usual 24mm/35mm and it changes the way I see my area. I notice different things and it keeps it interesting for me. Also, get out for sunrise, it is by far my favourite time of day in the countryside. Great light makes a huge difference. Starting a mini project is another way of keeping it interesting and giving your photography a bit more of a purpose. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzajl Posted March 14 Share #4 Posted March 14 I'm a London escapee in deepest darkest Wiltshire and I completely understand what you're talking about. I love being in such a rural and agricultural part of the world and I've always loved shooting landscape but when it comes to shooting with the Monochrom, it's not what I feel drawn to as much. You could certainly build up your affinity with the local environment more by spending more time out there with the M10. Develop your eye for the genre so to speak and you'd almost certainly improve your shots that way but if it doesn't call to you or you just don't enjoy it, then maybe don't push it? As for selling the M10, if you don't have to that would be a shame. Nothing wrong with having a camera for special occasions and treating yourself to some urban time every now and then. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davysn Posted March 14 Share #5 Posted March 14 The countryside is often green, try infrared filter. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted March 14 Share #6 Posted March 14 3 hours ago, Musotographer said: We moved to deepest Dorset from London some time ago; I love living here, couldn't be happier - but it's not good for my photography, particularly in B&W.... ...Do any rural Forum-ites have any suggestions for making the most of a Monochrom in the countryside? Thanks. 59 minutes ago, davysn said: The countryside is often green, try infrared filter. +1. InfraRed might well be an attractive proposition. If the OP fancies trying it out they may find the info included in this link to be of interest; https://www.macfilos.com/2020/12/14/working-with-invisible-light-infrared-photography-with-the-m10-monochrom/ Philip. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olaf_ZG Posted March 14 Share #7 Posted March 14 Advertisement (gone after registration) I live in the forest and find it very hard to photograph. But, in winter, with a layer of snow, it is great. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogxwhit Posted March 14 Share #8 Posted March 14 (edited) 3 hours ago, Dazzajl said: You could certainly build up your affinity with the local environment more by spending more time out there with the M10. Develop your eye for the genre so to speak and you'd almost certainly improve your shots that way but if it doesn't call to you or you just don't enjoy it, then maybe don't push it? I feel in accord with the above because it sounds to me as if you haven't tuned in? Since you seem to like living there I wonder what it is that you respond to visually & emotionally. For myself, examples might be trees, stone walls, vernacular buildings & the landscape - not that I have a Monochrom, but I do quite a lot of mono conversions of such subjects. I feel that a strong emotional engagement comes first, which motivates in hunting for and seeing images. Edited March 14 by rogxwhit Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted March 14 Share #9 Posted March 14 The times that I sold a Leica that ( I thought) was underused I suffered from seller’s regret afterwards ( except the M 240). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davysn Posted March 14 Share #10 Posted March 14 3 hours ago, pippy said: +1。 InfraRed 可能是一个有吸引力的提议。如果 OP 有兴趣尝试，他们可能会发现此链接中包含的信息很有趣； https://www.macfilos.com/2020/12/14/working-with-invisible-light-infrared-photography-with-the-m10-monochrom/ 菲利普。 Thanks for the link. Additionally, Try to see the world from a different perspective and try using a macro adapter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musotographer Posted March 15 Author Share #11 Posted March 15 Thank you everyone - some great suggestions there, and that's a fascinating article Philip. It's never occurred to me to try IR; I'll investigate - the high ISO possibilities of the M10M should help with that. I'm not great at early morning rising, but when I have done it - you're right costa43 - it has been hugely rewarding. (Though the colour of that light can be as much of a joy as the angle....) Alarm clock on..... And I need to get to know the local farmers and blacksmiths better - you can't just wander into their working environments and start snapping away. I do already do a lot of garden photography, mainly for the National Garden Scheme, but that tends to be almost exclusively in colour. Mention B&W in that context and most people give you very strange looks! Christopher 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted March 15 Share #12 Posted March 15 (edited) I shoot in both rural and urban locations in B&W, and still find endless possibilities, even when returning to identical spots. Environments charge, light changes and especially if one enjoys isolating details rather than grand views (not macro for me), myriad possibilities emerge, realistic as well as abstract. I would keep looking and experimenting, not selling. Edited March 15 by Jeff S 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimar Posted March 16 Share #13 Posted March 16 I lived in London for 10 years… now I don’t. I look up and down more. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 17 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/419828-rural-monochrom/?do=findComment&comment=5772476'>More sharing options...
Popular Post cprotz Posted March 20 Popular Post Share #14 Posted March 20 I live in a somewhat rural area 35 Km outside of Zurich, have you tried to run around with an IR filter yet? Or rural means usually also less light pollution, try some milkyway or stars, your M10M is the ideal tool for it Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 21 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/419828-rural-monochrom/?do=findComment&comment=5774430'>More sharing options...
T25UFO Posted March 22 Share #15 Posted March 22 On 3/14/2025 at 2:36 PM, Musotographer said: We moved to deepest Dorset from London some time ago; I love living here, couldn't be happier - but it's not good for my photography, particularly in B&W. The teeming city with its urban grit, endless architecture, people, nightlife, the Thames and so on is ceaselessly stimulating and I was always out taking photographs, usually with my beloved M10M. Here in the countryside life is so much quieter and trees, cows and churches as subjects do begin to pall after a while. I've barely used the M10M and if I don't start to do so soon I shall have to sell it - it's wasted at the moment. Do any rural Forum-ites have any suggestions for making the most of a Monochrom in the countryside? Thanks. Just stumbled over this thread . . . interesting topic. My son moved to Dorset four years ago and his photos are almost exclusively in colour. But when I visit I always look for B&W subjects and Win Green is definitely worth a visit, it's actually in Wiltshire but only just. With interesting shaped trees it's better B&W subject than colour. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 12 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/419828-rural-monochrom/?do=findComment&comment=5775221'>More sharing options...
T25UFO Posted March 22 Share #16 Posted March 22 Another example, the Stair Hole, this one is a multi-image panorama taken with the 35mm APO on M11 Mono. Would also suggest visiting Old Waldour Castle and Knowlton Church & Earthworks. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 12 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/419828-rural-monochrom/?do=findComment&comment=5775225'>More sharing options...
Viv Posted March 22 Share #17 Posted March 22 On 3/14/2025 at 3:36 PM, Musotographer said: We moved to deepest Dorset from London some time ago; I love living here, couldn't be happier - but it's not good for my photography, particularly in B&W. The teeming city with its urban grit, endless architecture, people, nightlife, the Thames and so on is ceaselessly stimulating and I was always out taking photographs, usually with my beloved M10M. Here in the countryside life is so much quieter and trees, cows and churches as subjects do begin to pall after a while. I've barely used the M10M and if I don't start to do so soon I shall have to sell it - it's wasted at the moment. Do any rural Forum-ites have any suggestions for making the most of a Monochrom in the countryside? Thanks. Slow down. Breathe. Sit quietly for 30 minutes in one place. Photo opportunities will percolate into your consciousness. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevejack Posted March 27 Share #18 Posted March 27 I grew up in the country, and my memories growing up are almost entirely of harsh sun. Squinting with the sun in my eyes, sun shining through the trees, standing in shadows to get away from the sun... When i first started with photography on the farm I photographed almost exclusively sunsets, and always looking directly into the sun so the objects in the environment became silhouettes. It's almost like all I saw growing up was light and dark patches, heat and shade. I think it's a big part of why I'm drawn to black and white so much because it represents those harsh contrasts so well. My advice is to think about the countryside and what it FEELS like to you when you're in it - and then think about how to represent that in your photography. Maybe the monochrom is the wrong choice right now. It's hard to translate 'this is how I feel when I'm here' because it's not as simple as just taking a photo of the place you're in, it won't show it. Maybe that's what you're seeing when you look at your pictures taken with the monochrom? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith (M) Posted April 22 Share #19 Posted April 22 Lots of good advice. As someone who spends quite a lot of time in Dorset of late I can't say that I have ever had a problem in finding a wide array of subjects that I consider suitable for aiming my M10M at. A quick search on my Flickr page for 'Dorset M10M' brought up quite a few examples. 😱 😉 Locations, lenses etc may well be in the EXIF. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brickftl Posted April 23 Share #20 Posted April 23 (edited) I've used my M11M at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, produced some really nice images with 21 SEM and yellow filter. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Edited April 23 by brickftl 5 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/419828-rural-monochrom/?do=findComment&comment=5791041'>More sharing options...
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