Objective: To introduce the question, when should you make your image black and white or sepia vs. color?  To learn to recognize when an image will be stronger in a certain color (BW, color or sepia).

 In my studio, we show our clients their images in color, black and white and sepia.  In most cases, you see it one of these ways and it just feels right.  Sometimes, though less often, it will look just as good either way.  Today I am going to show you some images in color, BW and sepia and talk about which way I think they look best.  The idea here is that this choice can make a big difference in the final look of your image.

Generally speaking, when the image is about the color in it (a vivid blue sky, a bright colored flower, a green field, big blue eyes, bright red hair, etc.) I think the image should be printed in color.  Here is an example of an image that I think looks best in color:

Here it is in black and white

and in sepia...my least favorite for this particular image.

So, what do you think?  For me the relationship between the skin color, the clothing and the eye and hair color is so wonderful that the image just suffers when the colors are taken out.

Here's another example.  This image is nice in color but the diaper and the blue of her jeans is distracting for me.

The subject of this image is the relationship between them and the moment when she leans in laughing at his funny little smile.  The black and white isolates the faces more and clears the image of distracting color and elements.  You don't even really see the diaper anymore and the jeans fade away.  I also think the faces pop more and look more defined.

This topic is a personal one and there is no one set answer.  You have to look at your images and decide which one works best for your taste.

Here is another one from the studio.  This image is really simple and the subject is the connection and the overlapped hands.  His jeans really draw your eye away from the hands.

Now, here it is in sepia.  Sepia is great for warming up an image but still keeping the benefits of a monochromatic scheme (like BW).  You get the simplifying effect of less color but with a little warmth and softness added in.

BW is also nice when you have too much color or competing background elements.  These two images are on our wall at home.  I shot them at a Thomas the Train event in Austin.  I like them better in BW because you look at their faces more.  The color version of this one has the red and yellow in the background and the woman's legs, behind and bag on the right hand side.

Now, cropped some and converted to BW.  Better right?

I love this one of Sayer leaning out of the train window.  The color version is okay but, again, I think you see his face better in the BW version.  See what you think...

There are a million ways to convert images from color to BW or to sepia.  That is a lesson for another day.  For now, your homework is to start experimenting with the various colors.  Take some of your favorite images and see how they look in different ways.  I'd love to see what you come up with!  Post links to images in the comments section.