I never used to be such a fan of black and white. I have a wonderful photographer friend, who would give me discs or folders of images, often with both black and white photos and color. I always preferred the color. I really didn’t understand the appeal of black and white. Why have just the grayscale with ALL the beautiful colors out there?

But, I’ve developed an appreciation for black and white photos. And, I’ve even started converting some photos TO black and white. I thought I’d share a few I’ve done recently and why I converted them, as well as a color edit of the same photo.

Reed

This is not the same photo I shared six ways last week, although it was taken just before that one. In the one I shared last week, he has more of a smirk on his face. Here, he has a more intense look. I think a black and white edit really draws out that intensity. It makes the image more piercing and more timeless. I love this photo of him because it says so much.

Here’s a quick color edit. It’s okay, but I think it lacks the intensity of the black and white.

Lena

Lena loves to blow dandelions. She was in the moment and I loved it. But, I wasn’t so crazy about what she was wearing. And, on top of that, doing something like blowing dandelions is such a timeless moment that it translates well to black and white.

Here’s the color photo. Do you see what i mean about the red sweater, navy bandana, pink hair tie and green background? It’s a lot of color for one image and I find it a bit distracting.

Gus

My reasoning here was pretty similar to the others. I love the intensity and contrast in his eyes. I love smiling photos of him, but someday, I will look back, see photos like this and remember the agony of being 3. Those big, big feelings that come along with all of the growing up. The color photo also had some bright colors, which were not working. The brightness of the colors really doesn’t go along with his emotion.

So, what do YOU think? Do you agree with me about the black and whites? Or do you prefer the color images? Either way, I’d love to know!