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The Results Are In - Part 23

Publication in the prestigious Black & White Magazine is once again the subject of this tooting of my horn. And, the volume of my horn playing has risen above the normal level because I was published in the magazine twice this year…once in a portfolio competition, and once again in a single image competition.

“The category that my Poeple’s Choice award was featured is the “PATTERN/TEXTURE/ABSTRACT” category”

And, though I am playing at a higher decibel level today, the tune is not as sweet as the recognition I passed on to you on June 10th of this year…that being my recognition as Photographer of the Year in the coveted 17th Annual International Color Awards. If you have not seen that article, please check it out HERE.

February 2025 Black & White Magazine Publication - Single Image Winners

This February issue is to announce the winners of the 2024 Single Image Contest. Two of my images were published in that issue. And, as a bonus for my Italy fans, both of those photos were taken in Italy during our 2023 trip with friends!

Here is cover of the February 2025 issue…

Though it was published in February, it seems to me that based on the cover photo, it would be a great image for an issue to be published around Halloween.

Note that the issue includes winners from the “People’s Choice Winners” category and “Single Image Winners” category. My photos were recognized in both of those categories.

Though I did not have a winner in the “Spotlight Winners” category, I did have a photo receive that recognition back in 2022, complete with a head-shot photo of yours truly. If you missed that article, you can see it HERE.

The People’s Choice Award - Feb 2025

B&W Magazine People’s Choice Award Winner

So, what is a “People’s Choice Award”? It refers to the public being offered the opportunity to select their own favorite photos. The public can vote on nominated images to help choose winners in different categories. The category that my Poeple’s Choice award was featured is the “PATTERN/TEXTURE/ABSTRACT” category.

Here is the People’s Choice Award winner in that “PATTERN/TEXTURE/ABSTRACT” category, which I titled “Stoned”.

This photo was taken in bella Bellagio, on the shores of Lake Como. Just recently, I published an article on eating dinner at Mistral Restaurant in the Grand Hotel Serbelloni, which you can see HERE.

To learn more about the wonderful lakeside village of Bellagio, you can see an article from the past that I’ve updated based on our 2023 trip by clicking HERE. You will see just what all of those stones are about!

Single Image Award Winner - Feb 2025

This Single Image Winner was featured in the “ARCHITECTURE/INTERIORS” Category. Being a church, It is obviously “architecture” related. And since it is inside the church, the “interior” term applies, also.

This interior photo was taken during our 2023 trip with friends. We are in Venice. We are in the lengthily named “Basilica Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari”, or in short “The Frari”. I place this church in the Don’t Miss category for your Venice visit. You can see the wonderful interior of this beatutiful church in this previous article here…Venice’s Frari…which incidentally features a shot of brother-in-law Craig striking a pose just outside the church’s secondary entrance.

Here is the Single Image Award Winner in the ARCHITECTURE/INTERIORS Category, which I titled “God Ray at the Frari”.

August 2025 Black & White Magazine Publication - Portfolio Winners

In the August issue, the photos submitted are submitted as a portfolio of images…that being images that have some relationship to each other in subject. My submittal for this contest consisted of images of butterflies. Yes, they are butterfly photos, and they were not taken in Italy. They were taken in Gainesville, Florida at the Butterfly Rainforest at the Florida Museum of Natural History. This wonderful building is full of those little flutterbys. These photos were taken in March, 2022, during a photo workshop with my dear friend Jackie Kramer, of “Jackie Kramer Fine Art”, also known as “LuvBlooms”.

I will give you both the as-published black and white photos, as well as the color versions.

Here is the magazine cover, which is a good bit less creepy than the Single Image cover.

As this was a portfolio competition, there were more than one of my flutterby images published…there were three, and here they are in the Merit Award category, which has no particular subject category. Just below you can see the three images that were recognized.

As promised, here are the color versions of those three photographs.

Don’t you just love their eyes!!! And, since we are on the subject of butterflies, here are just a few more from that same Florida trip.

And finally, since you are a somewhat captive audience, here are photos that I took last week on Bald Head Island, NC…which is a lovely place to be. These were taken with my iPhone.

Thank you dear reader for making it this far into my article where I tooted my horn a bit. You were able to see both God’s places, as well as God’s creatures as they were published in Black & White Magazine during 2025.

I hope you have a blessed day, and until next time, I say…

Ciao for Now,

Steve

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The Results Are In: Part 20

Index of Articles

“My goodness gracious, me sakes alive!”

That’s what my dear mother would say when something happened that surprised her in a pleasant way. And, that’s what I uttered when I opened the latest issue of Black & White Magazine. This is the premier publication for black and white photography. You’ve seen recognition related to this publication in some of the past articles beginning with the words, “The Results Are In:”. However, the honor of today’s award is greater than just having a photo recognized amongst all of the others in a particular issue. Read on to see why.

2021 BLACK & WHITE SINGLE IMAGE CONTEST

This is the contest for which I a submitted photos. Six months from now, you would see awardees for the “portfolio” contest, where several photos with similar theme are grouped into a portfolio of more than just one image. I’ve garnered recognition for portfolio submissions, also…like here, where you see a portfolio of 5 images in New Orleans.

The awardees for the 2021 Single Image Contest were recognized in the January, 2022, issue of Black & White Magazine…the cover of which you see here. Note the words at the top of the cover, “SPECIAL ISSUE 2021 CONTEST WINNERS”.

But alas, my winning photo was not in the issue with the rest of the awardees.

It turns out that it was set aside for special recognition in the now published April 2022 issue (I know, strange how these magazine issues work, isn’t it? It's the first day of March, yet the April issue is out).

So, why was my winning photo held back for publication in the April 2022 issue?

2021 SPOTLIGHT AWARD

When my latest issue of Black & White Magazine came, Ellen was the first to open it and was surprised to see this photo on page 35…a mug shot of me.

[I’ve published this photo twice before within my articles. 5 points if you can identify an article with this photo…that would be 10 points if you get both!!! Well, to be honest, which is a trait for which I strive, the previous versions showed a glass of wine that I was enjoying in my hand…that is not to say that I was enjoying the fact that it was in my hand, but that I had the glass of wine to enjoy, and it happened to be in my hand. I think you get the drift.]

And, there was the write-up, which you can see here, that I had submitted explaining my winning photo.

“Many photographers are aware of the beautiful Upper Antelope Canyon on the Navajo reservation of Arizona, with beautiful light rays streaming through. But there are other slot canyons in the same Antelope Canyon wash. ‘Never’ was captured in the seldom accessed Rattlesnake Canyon. On my fifth Antelope Canyon trip, the formation of ‘Never’ immediately captured my attention. Though the two walls of sandstone were obviously fused together as one for millennia, that joining is NEVER to be repeated – that’s just the quality of geologic time in a seldom-flowing river’s progress.”

That’s when I had my own utterance of those memorable words of old, “My goodness gracious, me sakes alive!”

THE WINNING PHOTO

OK, that’s enough buildup. Right? Here’s the photo that was recognized as the 2022 Single Image Winner in the Landscape/Nature category.

The Whole of Page 35

You don’t need to rush out and purchase the April 2022 copy of Black & White Magazine to see the page of honor…here it is. If it tends to not fit your whole screen, click on the image to get a ‘fill-screen’ version.

I’m sorry that you had to endure a non-Italy photo, but that’s just the way it is.

I have a hope for you, and here is that hope: I hope that if you are in the northern-Arizona area of Antelope Canyon (just outside of Page, AZ), you will arrange a visit to Upper Antelope Canyon. Tours are readily available. And, there is much, much less crowding than in the past, as the Navajo have installed a one-way system by creating an up-and-over-return system that takes you back to your guide’s vehicle. In the past, there we groups coming and going at the same time, and congestion was the rule of the day. And, I would suggest skipping the Lower Antelope Canyon…just not as adventure worthy.

I’ve used more than one tour outfit, and I highly suggest Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours.

If you happen to be on a tour in the Antelope Canyon area, perhaps I’ll see you in the less-visited Rattlesnake Canyon, or Mountain Sheep Canyon, or even Owl Canyon. We can say ‘hello’ and compare photos. Until that happens, I say…

Ciao for now,

Steve

p.s. Oh hey, if you want to see the other photos I submitted for this particular contest, here are the other five, which did not receive recognition. From left-to-right and top-to-bottom they are: boulders lodged within Mountain Sheep Canyon - a side canyon in the Antelope Creek wash; hot-air balloon from our own hot-air balloon drifting over the vineyards of Napa Valley; ‘slurred’ bicyclist in New Orleans; abandoned drive-in theatre in central Nevada; and, the underside of a highway interchange in New Orleans. Click the first image and then arrow through the photos.

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Transforming to a Foggy Night

Index of Articles

Who doesn’t enjoy a romantic gondola ride? Probably no one, right. We always work in a gondola ride whilst we are in Venice, and you can read more about these adventures in the previous article titled appropriately, Your Romantic Gondola Ride.

But today is not about riding in a gondola, but a gondola-ride-captured snapshot and its transform it into a more fine-art photo. The transformed photo was published in the 2014 Black & White Magazine as an award winner. Here’s how I did it…and it will be short and sweet.

Click on an image to see it full-screen

First Sighting

We had just turned a bend in the Rio di San Moise canal when something up ahead caught my eye, that being the small calle up ahead that terminated right into our canal. You see it there on the left.

The Snapshot

As we approached the right turn of our route, I took this photo. I had a vision.

Funny thing about this photo. Do you see it? The blue and white sign says ‘Senso Unico’, or one-way street (or canal in this case). But we are turning right, against the sign. We’ve turned right every time we’ve taken a gondola ride. Go figure.

The Crop

Here I’ve cropped the photo to a 1:1, or square, format.

Black & White Conversion

As I was submitting this photo to a magazine that publishes in black and white, I converted the image to…you guessed…black and white.

Let There Be Dark!

I don’t want it to be day time. I want night time. So, I made it darker. I think it’s much more moody this way.

The Final Image

I like the night-time look, but let’s give it just a bit more drama by making it not just night, but a night with a bit of fog. That’s what I did to get this final photo.

As promised, short and sweet.

A Dangerous Calle

I’ve mentioned acqua alta (high water) in the past. This is an occurrence primarily in the late fall when tides and winds push up water from the Adriatic Sea and Venetians get their feet wet as they go about their day…and their calves, and sometimes their knees and thighs.

There are several places in the labyrinth of Venice where a calle will suddenly stop at a canal, like this one. If one were to be trudging through water and turn to this short calle, and if one were not familiar with this particular situation, a swim might be in one’s future, as you would not realize that the water in front of you is a canal, rather than another flooded calle.

I see the stone post in the photo. I’m guessing that this is a clue as to the fate of this calle, though I don’t remember seeing them at other dead-end calle. At any rate, if caught in the acqua alta situation, be mindful of your route.

I hope you enjoyed today’s transformation from blah, to ahh. Until next time, I say…

Ciao or now,

Steve

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The Results Are In -- Part 15

Index of Articles

I’m really excited to let you know that Black & White Magazine has once again elected to publish some of my photos as award winners. The “Special Issue 2019 Contest Winners” for single images was published in February, 2019. The term ‘single image’ is in contrast to recognition for a ‘portfolio’ of several images (like the New Orleans portfolio I previously showed here).

In this current issue, the editors selected three of my photos for publication. And one was even a photo from Italy!

Laundry Day

The photo from Italy is found on page 80 and is titled ‘Laundry Day, Isola Burano, 2012”.

Burano is a lovely and colorful island in the Venetian lagoon. Almost every house is painted in bright colors, though you could not tell that from the photo above. The wall in the photo is a nice lemon yellow. You can see a color version in my print store here.

I love this simple composition. And, I like that the laundry is from the toddler's room...complete with baby-blue, bunny-rabbit sheets and pullups. You may have seen this photo before, as the judges for the International Black & White Spider Awards liked this one, too, as they gave it a 2nd Place - Merit of Excellence Award in their 2014 contest.

Sunset Gospel

On page 40 you will find a familiar photo from “The Results Are In — Part 14'“. The photo is titled “Sunset Gospel, Grenville, New Mexico, 2014”. To find out more about this photo, see the aforementioned article.

Rapid Transit

Finally, here is an old favorite that I captured on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Pedicabs are a great way to negotiate the streets of New Orleans, and I had fun ‘slurring’ many photos as they passed by, using a very slow shutter speed as I panned my camera. This one was my favorite. The color version was nominated in the 7th Annual International Pollux Awards back in 2015.

On page 189 you can find, “Rapid Transit, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2012”

OK, consider my horn as tooted! Now it’s time that I got back to thinking about, and writing about, good times in Italy. I’ll fill you in on that sort of thing very soon!

Ciao for now,

Steve

The Rialto Market of Venice

One of the pleasures of Venice is the Rialto Market. Located near a ninety-degree bend of the Grand Canal, and just a bit northwest of the Rialto Bridge, the market offers both fresh produce in the erberia (vegetable market) and caught-the-night-before seafood in the pescheria (fish market).

All of these photos were taken at the Rialto Market.

[click on an image for a larger view]

One should plan to go around sunrise if you want to see the stevedores unload crates from barges which traveled up the Grand Canal in the early-morning hours. Or, if you want to sleep just a bit longer, plan to arrive around 8:00am to see the market in full swing. But, don’t bother to go in the afternoon or on Sundays or Mondays, as the market is closed.

Is this a working market? With over 100,000 visitors and locals in Venice on any particular day, this is the main source of food for the islands which make up Venice. If you show up early, you will see chefs from virtually all of the Venetian restaurants gathering items that you will find on their menus later in the day.

So, how is the Rialto Market different from the typical farmer's market in the U.S.? There are three main differences. For one thing, there is an abundance of seafood -- like fish, octopus, squid, crab, scallops and several mollusk types.

Second, the produce that is brought to your farmer's market most likely did not arrive by boat -- virtually everything arriving in Venice comes by boat.

The last difference is that your local farmer's market did not exist until the Rialto Market was about 800 years old. The Rialto Market has been serving Venice's food needs since 1097!

Produce of the Erberia

Talk about fresh produce! Just like our farmer’s markets, fruits and vegetables arrive daily fresh from the farms of Italy and surrounding countries. The photos you've been looking at are examples of this veritable cornucopia.

Seafood of the Pescheria

Though I really like the produce that’s in abundance at the market, the seafood is what I find the most interesting, as we just don't have access to such a fine market as the Rialto where I live. There are ‘creatures’ in this market that I’ve never seen in the U.S. seafood markets. Here are just some of the tasty denizens of the sea that you will find at the Rialto Market.

So that's the Rialto Market in Venice, Italy. If you have a chance to visit, I'm sure you will be as wowed with the seafood and produce as I have been. And by the way, all of the photos above can be found in the Food+Wine section of my website...just click on 'Print Store' below for easy access.

I'll close with one of my photos that was published in Black & White Magazine as part of a four-page spread on Venice a couple of years ago. This photo was taken during the daily cleaning-up-the-seafood-market event each afternoon. And yes, they still use stick brooms in Venice. The photo at right shows that sticks have been delivered, ready to be attached to broom handles. Amazing, isn't it?!

Thanks for visiting. Feel free to leave comments, below.

Ciao for now,

Steve