why/when do you decide to make a photo black and white?

1

120 Film

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It really depends on the camera I am using at the time.

If I have my Wista 8x10" with me then I will definitely be taking B&W photos. If I have my RZ67 then I will be taking color photos.

In my case the film that I am using dictates the scenes and subjects I will be photographing, not the other way around.


Interesting question. Congratulations, it has been starred.
 
it sets a theme. take a black and white picture of a swing in a park, and then take it again with color. the black and white symbolizes sadness and grief, as though someone was once on the swing, but the color picture symbolizes happiness and the thought of playing on the swing
 
Just wondering why some people choose to make some photos black and white and leave others normal.
 
When the color in the scene is distracting. Black and white can be used to emphasize form. A lot of high art nudes are in black and white. There may be pictures where color is the scene.

For example a long line of beer cans I would put in black and white to show the light and how it works over the shapes.
A kid with a balloon, the red balloon over the white dress and desert floor pulls in the eye. A Ferris wheel might be used to balance color and create a color rhythm. a man walking down a back lit hall I would put in black and white so that what color his shirt is does not pull the eye like the girls balloon.

Black and white is about form while color is about catch or rhythm.
 
A lot of people (generally those not-so-skilled at photography) believe that EVERY picture is better in B&W. Not so. I do a lot of B&W. I turn pictures into B&W when the point of the picture (the subject, composition etc) is focused on shadows, lines, shapes, textures, contrast. This allows the audience to focus on that part of the picture. When a photo is in color, the viewer tends to focus on the color. Which often is a good thing. For example

For example, this picture looks good in B&W (probably better than it looked in color)
http://www.pbase.com/donnalu/image/117471502
Because the point of the picture is the texture of the mosses and the contrast between the lightness of them and the darkness of the background. If it was in color, the different shades of green/bits of debris caught in the moss/in the background would show up more, and distract from the texture of the moss.
 
I usually think before shooting a scene that the particular subject/lighting will make a nice B&W. I like B&W with a good separation between the shadow and highlight tones. In the "old" days, what ever film I was using dictated what the outcome would be. With digital, any image can be B&W. There seems to be a trend amongst newer photographers that merely doing a B&W conversion will make a print more "arty". I think that thinking is misguided. Sepia will not automatically make a picture older or more vintage looking either.
 
For me, it's about shade vs. shape.


If I want to emphasize the brightness, or the color of the photo. If I want to emphasize the shapes and the composition, I make it black and white.


I usually try to shoot it however I want to keep it. If I'm going to want the shot in color, shoot it in color, want it in black and white, shoot it in black and white.



However, the method isn't perfect. I do end up desaturating a lot of photos -- often based on luminosity rather than lightness because I prefer it -- when I feel that it would speak to the viewer better than in color.
 
Great question. I am not sure I have any criteria that I use to decide. Sometimes it just feels right. I'm not sure its the best way to do it or not, but every so often, I think the mood of a shot would change by changing it to black and white or sepia, even though maybe it didn't suck in color. I recently did one in both.
color:
http://www.pbase.com/inspzil/image/117285784
B&W:
http://www.pbase.com/inspzil/image/117285821

I really thought it would make the clouds much more dramatic and ominous looking. That's why I went with the black and white. I think for my people shots, I desaturate the ones that seem like they're more of a journalism type shot. The nature landscape stuff, its just totally up to the shot. I don't like to do too many though, I think it loses its effectiveness if they're all black and white. Best of Luck.
 
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