RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

Your right I’ll correct it.

DesRose Loc: Phoenix, Arizona

Black and white can be more dramatic and emotional than color. It can also help pinpoint what you're trying to say. "Ascension"- Assisi, Italy. Second photo at same location: "A Step to Eternity". Besides black and white I also did some infrared editing effects to these photos. While I enjoy the color photos, to me the conversions are much more powerful.

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kdogg Loc: Gallipolis Ferry WV

I come from a B+W film background starting in the early 60's. I learned early on to "see" in black,white and shades of grey. I also learned to "see" in terms of how light could show contrast,form and texture. I never really shot color film until the mid 70's and it was mostly slide film. Granted color is the way most people view the world, and rightly so because unless one is color blind our eyes are drawn to all the color that surrounds us. B+W on the other hand speaks to the minds eye and can evoke deep emotion at times. Not that color can't do that, but for myself I have found that B+W tends to speak more to the emotional side of the brain than color. I have had the same experience with color images, but I have noticed the ones that evoke such a response seem to be very soft and muted colors that don't compete with each other for your attention but rather support the subject of the image. A lot has been said about what is natural in the way we humans view the world around us, Bokeh no bokeh infinite sharpness visual compression etc etc. I like to think I view the world in pictures in need of capture. I "see" in pictures, that is to say when I view a subject with my eyes in conjunction with my minds eye I know how I want it to look when I capture it. The end result be it color or B+W is not the point. The point is that hopefully when someone looks at my images (the keepers that is) they will experience the feeling that I felt when I created it. If not so be it, I do this because I can't draw or paint worth a s**t and it keeps these old bones and brain cells active and glad just to be here on this earth. Happy shooting to all and follow your bliss what ever it may be!!!

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

I can almost guaranty the original poster on this thread will prefer your color images. He takes great color images himself, but just does not get the beauty and power of B&W.

One Rude Dawg Loc: Athol, ID

Seems at times there is more detail in the BW. Example BW films would not have as much impact if in color. Your eyes and senses are dazzled by the color.

tommystrat Loc: Bigfork, Montana

It's kind of the same argument that has been around for years about "colorizing" old b&w films. B&W filmmaking was an art, defined by contrast, lighting, shadow, and how to integrate each in a moving picture. The early cinematographers were masters of using subtle lighting, shading and contrast to create dramatic and stunning effects. I cannot imagine, not will I ever watch, a colorized version of, say, "Casablanca." That film is a masterpiece of b&w filmmaking, just as were the majority of Hitchcock's earlier films. Color, IMHO, simply destroys the artistic vision which drove the b&w filmmakers and cinematographers in creating their work.

A funny story: Years ago, they were making a remake of the 3 Stooges. A propmaster came to the director, all excited, and was thrilled to announce he was in possession of one of the original yellow stoves used in one of the 3 Stooges early episodes! How wonderful, until the director mentioned that the only reason the stove was yellow was that it showed better in b&w, and was useless to a color film. Also, the Stooges wore green makeup to cast better in b&w filming. Now that's creativity you just don't get in our digitized, colorized world today! Not saying that color films today are not artistically valid...well, yes, I guess with the trash being shown today, I did mean that!!

Harvey Loc: Pioneer, CA

I don't do many B&Ws - in fact I shoot every thing in color and then convert what I want - ussualy images that depict older scenes that depict earlier times that are before color film.
Harvey

Bullfrog Bill Loc: CT

OK, then stick to color.

Kuzano

Color is just soooo boring, and confuses composition.

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

Color can be distracting from the form of the object. B&W allows one to be more expressive in some instances by limiting one to the luminosity of the subject. Not all images are good for B&W conversion.

dshirley87

There are many reasons to shoot in B&W; it forces you to focus on shape, texture and composition more than you do with color, which actually tends to minimise those aspects of an image.

weedhook

Bill1967's two pictures are worth a thousand words.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

You certainly have a right to your opinions, but while the color version of Bill1967's tree is merely a very nice image, the B&W version is special and has significantly more impact and expression. I wish I could understand your reaction to this specific pair of images, and your lack of appreciation in general of B&W's ability to generate strong emotional reactions by focusing on details without the distraction of color. As you've seen in the 18 pages and counting of this thread, which you started, few others here apparently share your view, and most seem to understand B&W's strengths as a result of its focus on line, shape, texture, tonal differences, and contrast. Good monochrome requires a lot more effort than just desaturating the colors, and can take significant time in post processing to get it right. I've seen a number of your images and they are quite good, but I am frustrated that given your obvious skill level you are unable to see what most of the rest of us here see.

SteveLew Loc: Sugar Land, TX

Most of Ansel Adams photos were in B & W and his photos are renown worldwide. Also, for those photo opportunities that have texture B & W highlights these textures.

canon Lee

Yes John you can see a lot but only the thing you are concentrating on is in focus.... Look down at your keyboard and look at the letter "G", notice as you stare how your mind puts your mouse out of focus and possibly disappear, the letter "G" remains focused..... Hold up a finger in each hand about 6" from each other and stare intently at one of the fingers... Where did the other finger go???? Amazing how that works..... You see everything around you but only focus on only one thing clearly....