Black and White Photography in our 49th State with the Nikon Zf

Plus a Vancouver B.C. Night Scene

Sep 19, 2024

Glacier Bay, Alaska - Nikon Zf, Nikkor 28-400mm Zoom, Deep Tone Monochrome.

If you’ve been wondering where the heck I’ve been - certainly not publishing on Substack - I’ve been exploring Alaska’s Inside Passage and roaming the streets of Vancouver, B.C. And now, I’m back.

The bulk of my photography was captured with a Nikon Zf and a Nikkor Z 28mm-400mm zoom lens. I loved that combination in Alaska’s rainy, windy climate because I didn’t have to change lenses. And as you will see, the quality of that tandem is quite good.

What I also liked, and used often, was the Nikon’s B&W switch. I know when the Zf came out, many wrote that the B&W switch was nothing more than a gimmick. It’s not. Being able to seamlessly work in both B&W and color increased my output during this adventure.

I stuck to two profiles: Deep Tone Monochrome that’s built into the camera, and Tri-X, which is a profile that I added. I want to share some of those images with you, many of which are right out of the camera, or with minimal adjustment.

We were very fortunate in Glacier Bay. We had suffered through rain in Juneau and mixed conditions in Skagway. But the forecast cleared up on the morning we were entering the Bay, and it held through that evening. The next day… back to gloomy skies and rain. What luck!

Margerie Glacier, Alaska Inside Passage, Nikon Zf, Nikkor 28-400mm Zoom, Deep Tone Monochrome.

After Glacier Bay, we sailed to Ketchikan. Because it was raining again, I pumped up the B&W tones on the Nikon and explored the old docks in the harbor.

Dry Dock Rig, Ketchikan, Alaska. Nikon Zf, Nikkor 28-40mm Zoom, Tri-X Profile.

Here’s a shot of a dry dock. Because the tide difference can be as much as 16 feet, ship captains can dock their vessels at high tide, wait for the water to recede, and then have around 8 hours to work on the hull until the tide rises again. Clever and effective. (Just be sure to finish before high tide!)

Totem Heritage Center, Ketchikan, AK, Nikon Zf, Nikkor 28-400mm, Tri-X Profile.

The carving work in Ketchikan is amazing. The Tlingit Tribe is indigenous to the area, and their craftsmanship is worthy of a visit to the Totem Heritage Center. The textures are also perfect for B&W work.

We also spent some time in Vancouver, B.C. One evening, from the 15th floor of the Blue Horizon Hotel, I was able to capture the transition from day to night in the city.

Downtown Vancouver, B.C. Nikon Zf, Nikkor 28-400mm Zoom, Tri-X Profile.

Waxing Moon, Vancouver, Nikon Zf, Nikkor 28-400mm Zoom, Tri-X Profile.

I’ve become a huge fan of the Nikon Zf, and I’m just crazy about the 28-400mm zoom for travel. It’s such a versatile kit. And having that wonderful (no, not a gimmick) B&W switch with a selection of monochrome profiles to choose from, just makes me adore the Zf even more.