B&W vs. Color?

indeedies · Jul 21, 2010

I shot a wedding over the weekend and am pretty happy with this shot. I like the B&W but my wife likes the color version better.

ISO 800, F/4, 1/4000

Thanks for any and all advice!

Eventer · Jul 21, 2010

Hmm i dont really like the noisy-ness of the B+W?? I wuite like the colour one I think

indeedies · Jul 21, 2010

Of course the first time I add noise I get docked for it lol.

Thanks for the comments!

PJL · Jul 21, 2010

I like grain in B&W pictures, personally. I often shoot Ilford 3200 film for that reason.

That being said, there's really not enough texturally or contrast-wise to the picture overall to make it an interesting B&W, which is why it looks better in color. The way the sunlight creates the dramatic lines in his suit is good, but the blob out-of-focus green turning into a mostly uniform sea of gray doesn't look as good as it does in full color. Just my opinion.

Taylor510ce · Jul 21, 2010

^ I agree. Although I don't care for the grain in this specific shot. It also makes it harder to tell that its a golf course since all the green is gone ( Not that you are really trying to emphasize this, but you may be who knows ).

Skyclad · Jul 21, 2010

Not a fan of the noise, and the B&W doesn't do much for me. On the other hand though, I think the noise might work, and might make an interesting shot if it was done in sepia.

eric-holmes · Jul 21, 2010

Did you add the noise in the black and white? Why were you shooting at ISO 800?

pbelarge · Jul 21, 2010

Indeedies
What mood are you trying to convey with this photo?

Morpheuss · Jul 21, 2010

I like the black and white one better. I like the hint of noise to makes it seem little bit old

KenC · Jul 21, 2010

Either one works. I like the noise in the bw, although I might have introduced a little less. My one objection is the right side of his head, his neck and part of his right hand/cuff look burned out in the bw.

TiCoyote · Jul 21, 2010

I find the color image more eye-catching. The image relies upon the s-shaped curve of light and shadow on the back of a black jacket. The green expanse of grass balances this. The green gives the image warmth and life. The color also has some beautiful warm tones on the hair and the right ear.

shmne · Jul 21, 2010

Noise and grain are drastically different from each other. Noise tends to be more irritating to the eye while grain tends to be much more pleasing, the big offender is how the noise is applied in this case.

The add noise function in photoshop has a very secretive use that many people misinterpret. When you are compositing several images together it is not uncommon that one will have different or more noise than others. The add noise option comes into play here. You are supposed to get rid of all the noise possible, composite the images together into one image, than apply noise so that all the images look like they belong together.

Long story short- Add noise isn't really meant for B&W's in photoshop. Try finding an addon to get grain instead.

Derrel · Jul 21, 2010

TiCoyote's comments are spot on. I will add that I prefer the slightly wider crop of the B&W photo, which shows the rock he is standing on and a tiny bit of grass at the bottom of the frame, and even though it's small, that bit of unmowed grass really says "rough", and the slightly bigger rock gives the boy more of an anchor on which to stand. I vastly prefer the color version of this photo...the ear being hit by sun is an important factor in showing the lighting. I think the color shot could be massaged a bit more, to emphasize the light coming in so strongly from that one side.

white · Jul 21, 2010

Love the light on his suit.

I'd stick with the color version and crop the left side just past that orange thing on the bottom.

c.cloudwalker · Jul 21, 2010

To be honest, neither one does much for me. If you hadn't said it was a wedding I would have wondered what this kid was doing on a golf course in a suit. Part of the problem may be that I couldn't care less about golf. As my wife often says: "men and their balls..." :lmao:

But to be more serious, people don't see in B&W and it takes some training to enjoy it when it is not expected. It is still expected in newspapers but not really at weddings so, most people don't get or like B&W unless it is very artsy.