George Barr (Behind the Lens) writes:
Chuck, in an attempt to distract me from photographing any more underwear, has asked about how I decide whether to make an image colour or black and white.
Sometimes subtle tonal gradations call out for black and white and quite early I’ll convert the image and see how it works. Other times, the colours clearly don’t work together and the only hope for the image is in black and white – whether I realized that at the time of shooting or not.
I have to say that I’m glad we don’t have to choose at the time of shooting, more than once I have planned wrongly – subtle colours were worth preserving when I thought the image only suitable for black and white, or the reverse.
(More at the title link, inlcuding an example.)
I share George’s appreciation for not having to decide at the time the photo is taken now that I use a digital camera. I have my own idiosyncratic process for determining whether the final image will be monochrome or color, and I certainly do not always recognize which will be best when I press the shutter release.
However, sometimes I can’t decide. With some shots, it isn’t so much that one version is better than the other – it is more the case that they are just different.
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him.
G Dan Mitchell: Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email
All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.
Discover more from G Dan Mitchell Photography
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.