To/Not To B&W: That Is The Question

I was wanting input on your decisions whether to shoot/convert a photo to B&W

and/or Sepia.

 

In a world of color, what are the reasons you have for choosing to render a

photo colorless?

 

Can every photo's message successfully be rendered either in color or B&W, or

is there a mood or "message" that guides the decision to use color or not, for

you?

Is the light right for color? For example I find that in many cases BW can handle high contrast lighting better than color.

 

Do the colors look good? Colors can be ugly as well as pretty, and many artificial light sources cause strange color, which may work for some subjects, and not others.

 

Does the color make the photo better? If not it may be a distraction. We are very sensitive to color. Lousy color can detract from a photo that in most other aspects is a decent photo.

 

And then there's personal taste. 70% of your brain is associated with vision. Trust your own eyes. They'll tell you when color works and when it doesn't.

"In a world of color, what are the reasons you have for choosing to render a photo colorless?"

 

Because the world doesn't have much color sense.

I'm a black and white photographer and darkroom printer. My dilemma is often the opposite. When is it appropriate to load a roll of color film in the camera?<p>

I tend to see patterns, textures, and contrasts through my cameras, and find the colors present in many scenes to be secondary, sometimes even distracting. On occasion, I find or seek situations where color really makes the scene. For instance, consider a sunset on Uluru. I envision a giant red rock with a purple/blue sky behind it - it loses something without the colors (in my mind, at least).<p>

One thing I really can't stand to see, though, is thoughtless B&W digital conversion. I see a lot of, "this shot was boring. So I converted it to black and white and now it's artistic." In my mind (or maybe I'm talking out another part of my body), good black and white requires a slightly different skill than color. So challenge yourself to go out and shoot black and white for a day. Do it on purpose, not as an afterthought. Try to interpret your world as textures and contrasts and see past color.<p>

Good thoughts so far in this thread. I agree that there are some shots that should definitely be color, some that should definitely be B&W, and many, many, that could be either.

"I see a lot of, "this shot was boring. So I converted it to black and white and now it's artistic.""

 

It's one of the those markers that helps shorten our reading time in the forums.

Have you tried shooting only black and white for a while? By a while I mean more than a day,

maybe long enough to see a marked difference in your work. You might find your mind will

shift and use the new palette to complete your vision, then again you might find that it

doesn't(at which point please avoid those thoughtless b&w conversions Jacob referred to).

Either way I think you could only stand to benefit from a thorough exploration in the matter,

so those moods and messages will have to come from you. Your lens reflects as much who is

behind it as what was in front of it for an instant.

I personally find it harder to take a good black + white as opposed to a good color shot. Not only does B+W handle contrast better, I find that B+W needs higher contrast or else it falls flat. Literally. This is especially apparent when shooting B+W landscapes.<div></div>

If you have to ask, then you will never know.

and why would that be

Andre?

"If you have to ask, then you will never know."

 

I guess in that case I'll just give up then.

That's rather backwards thinking isn't it Andre?

 

Last time I checked, it is pretty hard to learn if you can't ask questions. And no, Google is not the answer to everything.

OP asked: "In a world of color, what are the reasons you have for choosing to render a photo colorless?"

 

Without getting into debates of art, I often shoot b/w simply because I shoot at times when color would be extremely flat anyway: winter in NW Ohio, overcast days.

 

I'm also still shooting film, live about 30 miles out in the country, so I shoot b/w because I can process it at home far faster and cheaper than I can go to town. Doing it at home is maybe $1 in chems; while driving into town would be 2-3 gallons of fuel, plus about 2 hours time to go to the lab, wait an hour, drive home. If I want instant gratification, I can get it with b/w.

 

A well-composed scene, shot under flat color, isn't neccesarily improved by color:

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard-uploads/00NrLy-40718584.jpg

 

Choosing the right tool for the job; I also wouldn't dream of shooting autumn color or a sunset in b/w.

 

YMMV.

First let me say, I've shot film in both B&W and color over the years. Since I've switched to digital, I shoot RAW, so I can choose to convert to B&W based on the subject matter and tonality. Some subjects are enhanced by B&W. Just as some subjects will always look better in color.

 

Here is a comparison of an architectural window detail at Disney World. The left is color the right B&W. I prefer the B&W, but others like the color version. The B&W is in print in my portfolio.<div></div>

I think color and B&W have different aesthetics. I refer to it as color usually being an aesthetic of beauty with saturated colors and all, while B&W is frequently an aesthetic of interest, where unusual things, shapes, and lighting work better than they would in color. Loosing the color information also forces some image abstraction allowing some "what IS that?" kind of images. I'm not all that good at B&W myself.

I switched to digital completely some years ago. I never shoot in b&w. I only shoot in RAW. Most will end up as a b&w conversions. But mostly is just a preference against the background of the kind of photography you do. There is nothing you can't succesfully convert into a striking b&w image although admittedly some subjects tend to look better in colour in the perception of most.

 

Mood or "message" isn't depending on colour or b&w. That has more to do with the quality of the photographer and if he is able to convey that to others.

 

 

"One thing I really can't stand to see, though, is thoughtless B&W digital conversion. I see a lot of, "this shot was boring. So I converted it to black and white and now it's artistic."

I agree in sofar that what looks crappy in colour will look equally crappy in b&w and vice versa. That's also true of heavily filtering software.

 

The basis for whatever you choose should always be a good photo. Apart from that there are no guidelines or a rle of thumb.

I tend to shoot monochromatic, high contrast subjects anyway, but, like Jacob, I also tend to

see the world through my viewfinder in terms of edge and contrast.

 

Lately, I've been trying to develop my ability to work in color. Perhaps when I have a cohesive

body of work I will post some on my website.

Chroma noise is pretty much eliminated by conversion to monochrome.

I went outside last night, I didn't see any color.

Some images look better warm...some cool...some neutral....to different people...under different light...at different times...on different days...in different years....on this and other planets. :~)

I think it's better to determine if the shot should be taken in B/W or color before you take the shot. Then you can plan your shot and how it will look in print.

"By shooting in black and white, you take everything that is normal and make it abstract." A

famous photographer (I can't remember who) once said something to that affect. I tend to

agree. Of course most of my B&W is film and I use digital equipment for work, which takes up

most of my time.

I know it sounds a bit self promoting, but we had a great discussion on this topic here: http://www.photo.net/photo/6828661

 

I'm sorry to say my input was pretty insignificant compared to some other stellar Pnet members.

Personally, I think there is "gravitas" assigned to the B&W image ... that I feel on certain occassions and not on others.

 

I like the nostalgia it brings in some captures, other times I long to see the color present.

 

I like hearing the reason for the choice.

Artistic expression.