When To Choose B&W Over Color
Last week, there was a short discussion about how the work of early street photographers was always in b&w. That began to change in the 1970’s when film technology made it practical to use color film. With the advent of digital camera technology, almost all street photography now begins as color photography. A decision has to be made in post about whether the photo will be left in color or converted to b&w. Here are some reasons to choose b&w:
When you have a high contrast scene that has compelling geometry; that is, lines and form, b&w is a good choice. If you intend to produce work in b&w, you should definitely be looking for these kinds of scenes.
If you are trying to give a sense of three dimensions to your photo, the choice of b&w can contribute. This is because humans do not use color as a measure for depth. We strictly use luminance, i.e., the amount of light in a particular part of a scene, to determine how far away things are from us. For this reason, if you are trying to add texture to a picture, b&w is the right choice. The nature of texture is that it is dimensional, which cannot easily be seen in color. Of course, other things like lines and depth of field contribute to our sense of depth, so it is entirely possible to have a color photo that has beautiful depth to it.
If you have technical issues, they will be easier to overcome in b&w.
• An image that has a color cast to it in color will be easy to manage in b&w.
• If the color image has a lot of digital noise, choosing b&w can solve the problem. Noise is not as apparent in b&w.
• Color temperatures, like the difference between fluorescent light and natural light, are not an issue in b&w.
Some colors do not work well together. If your color palette is not pleasing, consider using b&w.
Color dates photographs whereas b&w has a classic look. If you are going for vintage, b&w is the way to go. If you are looking at your old color work, re-processing in b&w might give it a new life.
If you are trying to produce fine art, consider b&w. Color in photos can be too realistic. In the creation of art, realism is not the object, but rather the objective is the artists interpretation of reality.
If you wish to set a mood, b&w can help. High contrast conveys drama. A dark palette can convey a somber or sad mood.
If you are learning composition, b&w is a good choice. Shapes, lines and contrast are more prominent.
Minimalistic photos benefit from a b&w treatment because monochromatic palette is simpler.
Photo by Bikash Chandra Mandal. Used with permission. You can see Bikash’s gallery on Facebook at Bikash Chandra Mandal.
If color is a distraction, b&w is the answer. Colors have different visual weights, with red having the most weight, yellow the least and blue, green and orange filling out the middle. A red stoplight, for example, can pull the eye away from the photographer’s intended subject.