Black and White or Colour? Which is Better? - "Breeze" - Portrait of Rachelle

thecryptofiend (74) in photography • 8 years ago (edited)

This is one of my favourite portraits of model Rachelle Summers.

It was taken outdoors and in summer.

There was a breeze blowing and she made this excellent pose facing into the wind.

It reminded me a little of the classic scene from the movie "Titanic" when Kate Winslet is standing at the front of the ship with Leonardo Decaprio behind her and it is almost like they are flying.

I've won a few online prizes for it - specifically for this monochrome version of it but there is also the colour version below:

I tend to go back and forth on which version I prefer.

Apologies for the slightly different crop on them both - unfortunately I did this in Photoshop (rather than Lightroom) and saved the colour file pre-cropped so was unable to reframe it.

Normally I do my cropping at the end in Lightroom which is completely non-destructive so you can revise it at any time - useful lesson there!

OK so what do you think? Black and White or Colour - which do you prefer? Please have your say below.

Equipment used:

Nikon D800 Camera
Nikon 85mm/1.8 Prime lens - my favourite lens.
Hand held triangular white reflector (foldable) - I always have this!
The Sun and a nice breeze.

You can see more of my work @thecryptofiend - hope you enjoy.

(Verification for me here: http://www.aapicture.com/about-me)

EDIT: BY SPECIAL REQUEST FOR @pcste here is the HIGH CONTRAST BW VERSION

photography photo art portrait critmypic

8 years ago by thecryptofiend (74)

$1.88

Authors get paid when people like you upvote their post.
If you enjoyed what you read here, create your account today and start earning FREE STEEM!

Sort Order:

Trending

[-]

me-tarzan (80) · 8 years ago

love the hair blowing

$0.00

1 vote

[-]

thecryptofiend (74) · 8 years ago

Thanks. Yes I love weird hair stuff too.

$0.00

[-]

runaway-psyche (57) · 8 years ago

They're both beautiful but there's something especially captivating to me about the black and white... lovely.

$0.00

1 vote

[-]

thecryptofiend (74) · 8 years ago

Thanks. Yes it is my favourite too. I think it is the greater contrast.

$0.00

1 vote

[-]

tuck-fheman (74) · 8 years ago

Agree. The B&W just seems to give the image more emotion. Great shot! :)

$0.00

[-]

thecryptofiend (74) · 8 years ago (edited)

Yeah I love good a BW shot too. I prefer the original BW at the top rather than the super high contrast one that @pcste likes (which I added at the bottom of the post). The high contrast one just looks too strong and digital for me, also the shadows are too black.

$0.00

[-]

tuck-fheman (74) · 8 years ago

In concur, the first looks better to me as well.

$0.00

1 vote

[-]

logic (67) · 8 years ago

"If only I could write in black & white. :) "
Haha.
In my case, I'm completely talentless writer.
Actually, I can't even paint, draw, write, sing or play an instrument.
I'm completely useless. I think, that the only talent I have, is for buls#itting :-)

$0.00

[-]

logic (67) · 8 years ago (edited)

I like nature, portraits and landscape in colour. Vintage photos or derelict stuff in black and white.
What's good about photos in black and white is that you can be the shittest, talentless photographer but when you take your photos in black and white (or change from colour in Photoshop), then they always look really good.
Basically taking photos in black and white requires little talent to be impressive :-)

$0.00

[-]

tuck-fheman (74) · 8 years ago

If only I could write in black & white. :)

$0.00

1 vote

[-]

advinio (46) · 8 years ago

The b/w version looks professional and pretty much perfect in terms of lighting, gradation, balance etc.
The colour version is nowhere near the same standard. Colours appear artificial and are also conflicting with each other - without that conflict telling any discernible story.

$0.00

[-]

thecryptofiend (74) · 8 years ago

I think you put into words very eloquently why I prefer the BW version.

The colour version is also virtually straight out of the camera with very little work on it. The BW version has had a lot of subtle adjustment to the toning. I just find it much easier to get it "right" in B&W.

It also shows how subjective this is though because to some people I've shown them both too they much prefer the colour which was originally quite a surprise to me. I think the BW does help by removing some of the colour distraction.

$0.00

[-]

advinio (46) · 8 years ago

There is also the issue of faithful colour reproduction (or lack thereof) on computer screens.
The colour image will look vastly different on each user's screen.

$0.00

[-]

thecryptofiend (74) · 8 years ago

Yes but I always keep my screens calibrated. I think a lot of it is subjective - screens can only represent a small part of the colour spectrum and I think that is part of the problem and some people are more sensitive to that than others. If you go for pure accuracy then you tend to lose some of the vibrancy of the real world, if you go more for vibrancy then some realism is lost. It is always a compromise.

$0.00

[-]

sisterholics (64) · 8 years ago

colour

$0.00

[-]

thecryptofiend (74) · 8 years ago

Thanks for commenting. People seem to be quite split. Is there anything in particular you prefer about the colour that you can pin down?

$0.00

[-]

bendjmiller222 (64) · 8 years ago

I actually prefer the color since I thuink her eyeshadow adds a lot to the picture and is lost in the black and white.

I wonder if you can change the color of the eyeshadow and make the rest of the photo black and white drawing attention to the eyes

$0.00

[-]

thecryptofiend (74) · 8 years ago

Thanks. I hadn't thought about that but now you mention it the eyeshadow does stand out. I'm not sure just having partial colour on the eyeshadow and everything else as black and white would work though - I think a better solution would be to darken that area. I'll see if I can find the original file and do it.

$0.00

[-]

bendjmiller222 (64) · 8 years ago

That'd be very cool to see whenever you find the time to do so.

$0.00

[-]

funkywanderer (48) · 8 years ago

I lean towards the b&w, although the color one looks almost dreamy, the black and white one has more subtle expression leaking through it,... nice shot.

$0.00

[-]

thecryptofiend (74) · 8 years ago

Thanks for commenting. Yes I often lean more to the B&W.

$0.00

1 vote

[-]

begstreets (54) · 8 years ago

Lovely portraits.
Good question, actually I don't think it can be answered by a simply choosing one over the other without thorough explanation. I think you gave ma an idea for a post ( when and why to choose BW over color ) or something like that :)

$0.00

[-]

thecryptofiend (74) · 8 years ago

Thanks. Yes I would agree. I tend to keep changing my mind a lot on photos. Generally I prefer BW but that is my personal preference. DM me on chat when your post is out so I don't miss it!

$0.00

[-]

alifton (50) · 8 years ago

While I like them both I would have to side with the black & white version of this photo. I prefer the contrast ratio in the B&W much better because some of the contrast is almost lost in the color photo due to the light skin tone and hair color of your subject, IMHO.

Damn seeing all your amazing portraiture is making me miss my archives and equipment (most of which were lost in a house fire years back). I used to shoot strictly on film with a Canon 35mm SLR and carried both a 28mm-80mm and an 80mm-300mm because between the two lenses I had just about every focal length I could want, without the need to carry a massive bag of equipment.

$0.00

[-]

thecryptofiend (74) · 8 years ago

You should start taking photos again:)

$0.00

[-]

alifton (50) · 8 years ago

I'd love too. I have 1 years worth of formal education in photo but losing all my equipment was a bit of a setback because some of the gear wasn't cheap. The 80 to 300 Zoom lens was close to $500 not to mention the rest I lost.

$0.00

[-]

thecryptofiend (74) · 8 years ago

Just get a second hand camera and one second hand lens to get going again. It doesn't cost much by comparison. I bought a similar setup for a friend for about 200 pounds and it works great. You could probably buy even cheaper if you really shop around.

$0.00

1 vote

[-]

alifton (50) · 8 years ago

This is true. I have a friend who does photo professionally and snagged about $2k worth of equipment for $50 on craigsist because someone just said make me an offer on the whole box not even knowing what was in it and ended up with a few bodies and half a dozen lenses. I about died when I saw her massive haul. Just one of the bodies or lenses would have been worth 15 times more than the whole box she got.

$0.00

[-]

thecryptofiend (74) · 8 years ago

Damn. I wish I had that kind of luck. She could just sell the lenses she doesn't need and buy what she wants.

$0.00

[-]

andressilvera (56) · 8 years ago

I really like the B&W version but in this case prefer the colour version more, I think its the very dreamy quality it has that makes me prefer it more in this case

$0.00

[-]

thecryptofiend (74) · 8 years ago

Thanks - for me I just prefer the B&W but only slightly.

$0.00

1 vote

[-]

meesterboom (78) · 8 years ago

Black and White definitely. Something quite captivating about it

$0.00

[-]

thecryptofiend (74) · 8 years ago

Thanks.

$0.00

[-]

pcste (69) · 8 years ago

I like the B & W 1, bt i think the processing is not quite right. When a B&W photo is processed/printed absolutely correct to achieve all tones, you get a pure white and a pure black. your darkest area is not quite black. in photoshop you could try auto contrast and auto tone. or manualy adjust britness contrast. I have created the tag #critmypic for people who want advice on their pics. can u add the tag? we need more content for the category :-)

$0.00

[-]

thecryptofiend (74) · 8 years ago (edited)

I think that might be right for you and I understand what you are saying but I prefer it this way. I like slightly less contrast - I think it is because you are more used to print and I only really use digital.

This does almost uses the whole histogram. There is just a tiny amount unused at the top and bottom if I increase the contrast it doesn't look right to me. That said it may look different on your screen. Here is one I've adjusted especially for you:)

I still prefer the other one though lol. I am going to add this at the end just in case other people feel the same as you though because I'm a weird person lol so I my taste may be completely different from the majority.

OK I've added the tag too. Just be gentle please:)

$0.00

[-]

pcste (69) · 8 years ago (edited)

for me the edited 1 is better but yes maybe i am being a bit picky. i did a degree in advertising photography in the years before digital. and i became particularly good at printing so learnt the zone system. and learnt how to get as many tones out of an image as possible, and for me that is achieved by having a pure black and a pure white. I hope you dont mind my critisism, its meant with the best intentions. you have some good work btw :-) its great to see this #photography community evolving :-)

$0.00

[-]

thecryptofiend (74) · 8 years ago

Oh no it's fine. I'm used to it. I think we all have our own personal things we like though and one of the things for whatever reason I don't like is that degree of contrast - I always have to pull back a touch but then I've never had to do anything for proper print publishing. Feel free though it is always worth a second opinion in these things:)

$0.00

[-]

wizwom (48) · 8 years ago

I'm partial to the color version

$0.00

[-]

thecryptofiend (74) · 8 years ago

OK thanks for commenting:)

$0.00

[-]

nekromarinist (69) · 8 years ago

I like the first photo. black/white, but not so contrast as the last.

$0.00

[-]

thecryptofiend (74) · 8 years ago (edited)

Thanks I'm glad someone agrees - I think too much contrast spoils it:)

$0.00

[-]

galamirissa (55) · 8 years ago

I like both, but I love black and white .

$0.00

[-]

thecryptofiend (74) · 8 years ago

Thank you:)

$0.00

[-]

jamtaylor (71) · 8 years ago

Black and white, definitely..

$0.00

[-]

movievertigo (66) · 8 years ago

The Black and White one looks better to me, but only because I think the colour one is a little too bright. Maybe if it had been made as contrasty as the B/W one I might have preferred it.