I've been thinking lately about the age old debate over which is better; color photos or black and white. My feeling has always been that it depends on the picture. On the one hand there's the argument that if color (or any element of the scene) doesn't add to the meaning/feeling of the image, leave it out. But to follow that logic, we need to be clear what the image is meant to convey. Want a strictly accurate document of what was seen? Most of us see in color. But what is it you want us to "see"? Strip away the colors, especially if they're busy and distracting and we're drawn in to pay more attention to what's happening in the scene. But then, colors can affect an emotional response. As in music, harmony is more soothing than discord.
Digital technology brings a new variable to the equation. Not only can we decide after the fact whether to process an image in color or not, but we now have an amazing level of control at our fingertips. With each new version, programs make it ever easier to convert color to black and white, and to optimize for best effect either way. Granted, photo editing software can have a steep learning curve, but often understanding a few basic tools is enough. Sometimes less is more.
To illustrate, I've included several of my own images pairing the color version with the black and white.
