James Molloy Photography
A Clear Choice - Fujifilm X100T, 1/160 @ f/8.0, ISO 320, 23mm. I took this photograph at a political rally several years ago and recently converted it to a high contrast black and white. I usually don’t get political with my photography but this is an election year that will define us as a people for generations. We are at a crossroads. The nation faces an existential threat from a populist/fascist movement. I pray we make the right decision. See my poem of the same title in the Poetry Section.
She Sweeps the Steps - Fujifilm XT-100 - Photographed in Prague several years ago, I recently resurrected this image, changed it to a monotone with a classic film look, gave it a rough three dimensional border and did quite a bit of dodging on the architecture. Nice story telling potential here. You can see the results of her labor at the foot of the steps. Hard to classify this image: Street, Environmental Portrait, Monochrome, Travel, take your pick!
Alfama Street - Fujifilm XT-5, 1/125 @ f/8.0, ISO 400, 35mm. Captured this scene while wandering the narrow pedestrian streets of the Alfama District in the city of Lisbon. A delight for street photographers!
Verreaux’s Eagle Owl in B&W - Fujifilm XT-3, 1/4000 @ f/4.0, ISO 160, 159mm. I had an opportunity to photograph some raptors at the World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, ID. This owl is very dark with little color photographed against an empty blue sky so I decided to go with an overexposed mono against a white sky. I think it highlights the texture of the feathers and the extensive tonal range. I did manage to capture this guy in flight also. I’ll save it for another time.
High Desert Road - Fujifilm X-T3, 1/500 @ f/8.0, ISO 160, 35mm. Some high contrast toning, a red filter, and a winding road make for a very compelling black and white desert landscape image. Roads like this are everywhere on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land in southern Idaho.
Enchanted Rock - Fujifilm XT3, 1/500 @ f/8.0, ISO 160, 16mm. We hiked up to the summit of this barren rock in Texas hill country and witnessed this dramatic scene. It was Good Friday. A group of the faithful had gathered to sing and pray at the foot of three small crosses. Looking up against a cloudy sky, I knew I had a compelling silhouette shot with tremendous story telling impact. A wide angle lens and the black and white toning adds to the drama. This photo won 1st prize at the Western Idaho State Fair. See my poem of the same title in the Poetry Section.
Metropolis - Fujifilm XT-3, 1/500 @ f/8.0, ISO 160, 53mm. Like some kind of dystopian view of the future, this image of the Seattle waterfront architecture really pops with a high contrast toning and a red filter added in post. It has all the elements of the modern urban landscape; commercial, industrial, residential! This photograph also took a 1st place in the Western Idaho State Fair.
Zion - Fujifilm XT-3, 1/250 @ f / 8.0, ISO 200, 24mm. An early morning shot from the Kayenta Trail in Zion National Park. I was trying to channel some of my inner Ansel Adams here. The one canyon wall in shadow and the other receiving the sun, seemed to call for a high contrast, high structure toning. You can just make out the North Fork of the Virgin River as it winds its way through the valley floor. We were just high enough along the trail to get this wonderful perspective of the canyon opening before us. Oh, by the way, this shot also won a blue ribbon at the fair.
Red Wings - Fujifilm XT-3, 1/125 @ f/4.0, ISO 400, 80mm Macro. This is another shot from the Butterfly Garden in Ecuador. After processing the color image, which I liked a great deal, I decided to highlight the bold red color of the wings by converting the image to black and white and using a selective color technique to preserve just the red. I like the results! Look for the poem, Red Wings, in the Poetry Section.
Ait Benhaddou - Fujifilm XT-3, 1/125 @ f/9.0, ISO 200, 16mm, Converted to B&W in Silver Effect Pro. Sky effect with motion blur filter in Photoshop. A fortified town built along the historic trade routes in central Morocco. We hiked to the top and walked around the citadel you see in the image. We had a grandstand view of the approaching storm!
Ghosts of the Interim - Fujifilm XT-3, 1/250 @ f/16, ISO 200, 84mm. After converting this photograph to black and white, I processed the image in Topaz Impressions 2 by backing down the Georgia O’keefe preset just enough to give it a slight painterly look with deep shadows. I also brought out the highlights along the hull and the pilothouse. You can make out the name of the ship (Interim) on the bow although three of the letters are missing. It wasn’t until I processed the image that I noticed the reflection of some bystanders in the pilothouse window. Thus, the title of the photograph! This was shot in Hoonah, Alaska. Read the poem of the same title in the Poetry Section.
Vancouver - Fujifilm XT-3, 1/500 @ f/11, ISO 160, 16mm. This a shot of the Vancouver skyline as our cruise ship pulled away from the port facility in the center foreground. I used a wide-angle lens with a polarizer and I was rewarded with a fabulous sky! I added the star effect in post.
Gettysburg Dream - Fujifilm XT-3, 1/500 @ f/8.0, ISO 160, 56mm. An early morning shot of the McPherson Barn on the 1st day’s battlefield at Gettysburg. The light and shadow called for a black and white toning. The cannon, fence and barn make for a strong composition. This pic is one of my favorites from a recent visit. I have been to Gettysburg more times than I can remember and I encourage all to visit. It is truly “a vision place of souls.” See the poem by the same title in the Poetry Section.
Ghost Train - D750, ISO 400, Converted to black and white in Nix Silver Efex Pro, Processed in Topaz Impressions 2 - This photo was shot at Steamtown in Pennsylvania.
Lighthouse on the Hudson - Nikon D750, 1/800 @ f/10, ISO 200, 120mm - Converted to black and white in Silver Efex Pro. This is the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse on the Hudson River about 30 miles south of Albany.
The Fisherman - Nikon D750, 1/320 @ f/11, ISO200, 120mm - Silver Efex Pro - A lake in Ohio on an early Fall morning.
Dunker Church - Nikon D7000, 1/160 @f/11, ISO 100, 28mm - Antietam National Battlefield - See the poem, Antietam Creek in the Poetry Blog!
El Escorial - D750, 1/640 @f/9.0, ISO 200, 24mm - Spain's Royal Palace outside of Madrid and headquarters for the Spanish Inquisition. One of the most foreboding structures I have ever visited. Thus, my decision to portray it in black and white with sharp contrast.
Down by the River - Nikon D750 , 1/250 @ f/8, -2EV, ISO 100, 24mm - A local shot of the Athens waterfront on a foggy morning along the Hudson River. One of my personal favorites. See the poem of the same title in the Poetry section.
Alida - Nikon D7000, 1/320 @ f/5.0, ISO 200, 34mm - This is an old cemetery in a churchyard in my former hometown, but these scenes are so ubiquitous it could be any small town in America. See my poem, Alida, in the Poetry section.
Come Sit for Awhile - Fujifilm X100T, 1/250 @ f/11, ISO200,23mm - Shot at Glimmerglass Lake in Cooperstown, NY - See my poem of the same title in the Poetry Section
Water Weeds - Fujifilm X-T3, 1/640 @ f/8, ISO200, 35mm. Shot along the banks of the Hudson River. Processed in Silver Efex Pro. See the poem The Fine Art of Weeding in the Poetry Section.
Despair - Nikon D750, 1/100 @ f/4.0, ISO200, 120mm. Processed in Silver Efex Pro. This photograph was taken along one of the many canals in St. Petersburg, Russia. It was an early morning shot, so I’m guessing this guy had a tough night. See the poem “I Often Think of the Color Black” in the Poetry Section.
Snow in the Trees - Nikon D750, 1/50 @ f/8.0, ISO320, 98mm. Processed with a high-key tone in Topaz Silver Efex Pro. See the poem of the same title in the Poetry Section.
An Empty Head - Fujifilm X 100T, 1/125 @ f/8.0, ISO200, 23mm. Photographed on a recent tour of central Europe. This sculpture can be found in the town square in Krakow, Poland. See the poem of the same title in the Poetry Section.
Walking the Dog - Nikon D750, 1/640 @ f/7.1, ISO320, 70mm. This was shot on a cold winter day in the Catskill Mountains at the site of the former Catskill Mountain House. This image was displayed at a local gallery and purchased.
Two Towers - Nikon D7100, 1/320 @ f/11, ISO200, 85mm. Shot from a rooftop in Greenwich Village, the juxtaposition of the old water tower with One World Trade Center was striking to say the least. Iconic New York! A NYC water tower company purchased this image.
What is it (about the rain)? - Nikon D7100, 1/30 @ f/5.6, ISO 1600, 46mm. I had to convince my wife to sit in the rain for this one. See the poem of the same title in the Poetry Section.
The Machine - Fujifilm X-T3, 1/125 @ f/8.0, ISO 400, 16mm. A prison laundry facility turned museum. Shot at the Old Idaho State Penitentiary. I particularly like how the light emanating from the upper left corner illuminated the machinery.
Summer at Olana - Nikon D750, 1/200 @ f/13, ISO 100, 42mm. The home of Frederic Church, one of the foremost painters of the Hudson River School. I have shot here many times but this is the first black and white that works for me. Nice puffy clouds and an unobstructed view from a lower elevation, adds to the majesty of the home. I added a red filter in post to increase the contrast between the clouds and the sky.
Clouds in the Corn - Nikon D750, 1/800 @ f/9.0, ISO 200, 48mm. Great clouds and high contrast make for a very layered image. See the poem of the same title in the Poetry Section.
Lowman Hills - Fujifilm XT-3, Processed in Lightroom and Topaz Color Efex Pro 4, Silver Efex Pro 2. Star burst added with Fusion Express 2.
Presence of Absence - Fujifilm XT-5, 1/250 @ f /8.0, ISO 125, 35mm. I came across this scene while exploring the narrow pedestrian streets of the Alfama District in the city of Lisbon. It was mid-morning and the sun was creating a plethora of interesting shadows. I thought this shadow of a tree (a palm) beside the church door had great story-telling potential. The decision to go black and white was an easy one for this image which is all about contrast. As I look back on the experience I don’t recall seeing the actual tree. See the poem of the same title in the Poetry Section.
The Flower in the Wire - Nikon D750 - Processed in Silver Efex Pro. New life on an old fence! I like the contrast in both the message and the black and white toning in this photograph. See the poem of the same title in the Poetry Section.