"Street Photography" column: My curiosity is piqued. Why are all (or the great majority) of photos in this column black and white? Do most of the entrants convert them to black and...

Ava'sPapa Loc: Cheshire, Ct.

My curiosity is piqued. Why are all (or the great majority) of photos in this column black and white? Do most of the entrants convert them to black and white before entering them? I think some of them could be more powerful in color. Just an observation.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Ava'sPapa wrote:

My curiosity is piqued. Why are all (or the great majority) of photos in this column black and white? Do most of the entrants convert them to black and white before entering them? I think some of them could be more powerful in color. Just an observation.

Individual taste???
B&W is the thing to do???

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Presumably the photographer made a conscious decision about the presentation, believing that b&w for that moment in time resulted in the strongest message.

Their choice may be accepted or rejected by the viewer, just like any aspect of a photo: composition, exposure, lighting...

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

And there is an element of "tradition".

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Ava's Papa, is this the "column" you are referring to:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/s-121-1.html

I'm curious if you've presented your question to the photographer of specific topics which interested you. It could be a great learning experience to hear directly from the person who posted.

FotoHog Loc: on Cloud 9

Ava'sPapa wrote:

My curiosity is piqued. Why are all (or the great majority) of photos in this column black and white? Do most of the entrants convert them to black and white before entering them? I think some of them could be more powerful in color. Just an observation.

Because black and white photography is hiding a multitude of sins. . . .

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

I think the medium of BW is quite apt for street photography. It tends to show the gritty truth without the influence of colour. And street photography is frequently gritty with no attempt to make it "pretty." I have seen some done with selective colour, and it was a powerful to draw attention to some small detail. (Remember the little red coat in Schindler's List?)

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Ava'sPapa wrote:

My curiosity is piqued. Why are all (or the great majority) of photos in this column black and white? Do most of the entrants convert them to black and white before entering them? I think some of them could be more powerful in color. Just an observation.

Historical habit and influential precedence:

Most of the classic street photography of the 20th century was B&W.

Color can be distracting from the essence of the story told by the image. Much as a line drawn political cartoon can be powerful in its simplicity, B&W photos are rapidly decoded.

xt2 Loc: British Columbia, Canada

burkphoto wrote:

Historical habit and influential precedence:

Most of the classic street photography of the 20th century was B&W.

Color can be distracting from the essence of the story told by the image. Much as a line drawn political cartoon can be powerful in its simplicity, B&W photos are rapidly decoded.

FotoHog Loc: on Cloud 9

AzPicLady wrote:

I think the medium of BW is quite apt for street photography. It tends to show the gritty truth without the influence of colour. And street photography is frequently gritty with no attempt to make it "pretty." I have seen some done with selective colour, and it was a powerful to draw attention to some small detail. (Remember the little red coat in Schindler's List?)

B&W can be powerful in portrait photography, especially close-ups. But otherwise, especially in landscape photography, it looks like a dreary day to me. I know it is a personal taste . ..

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

FotoHog wrote:

B&W can be powerful in portrait photography, especially close-ups. But otherwise, especially in landscape photography, it looks like a dreary day to me. I know it is a personal taste . ..

The OP is about "street photography." Each genre would have different considerations and within those, each photo its own story, yes?

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

FotoHog wrote:

B&W can be powerful in portrait photography, especially close-ups. But otherwise, especially in landscape photography, it looks like a dreary day to me. I know it is a personal taste . ..

Like street photography, there is a rich tradition of B&W landscape photography. Do you think Ansel Adams or Edward Weston's photographs look like a dreary day?

FotoHog Loc: on Cloud 9

JohnSwanda wrote:

Like street photography, there is a rich tradition of B&W landscape photography. Do you think Ansel Adams or Edward Weston's photographs look like a dreary day?

Like I said it is a personal taste. And yes, there are always exceptions.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

burkphoto wrote:

Color can be distracting from the essence of the story told by the image.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Let's just cut to the chase and just say some folks like B&W and other color. Apply all reasoning you want to support your like/dislike.

It makes no difference.

Only the photographer decides. He/She does not and should not care about the peanut gallery unless paid to produce a specific type of photography.