Color? Or Black & White?

Mastering color and light is the essence of photography. And the world exists in splendid color even on the grayest of days! Perfect color is difficult to achieve with film or digital sensors. There needs to be be skill combined with the right equipment, and knowledge of lighting and settings, in order to produce a photograph that represents the scene that was intended to be captured. It is especially difficult to reproduce skin tones, keeping all other elements in balance.

I see and feel the world in color. And while there are pictures that call out to be converted to black and white, I find it difficult to turn every photograph into a black and white copy. I have the technology! Just not the desire. It is impossible to compete in the market without offering the option. But I much prefer to do just that... offer an option. As opposed to simply turning color gone bad into shades of non-color. Because as any photographer knows, black and white can at least save what may be an unusable color image.

I acknowledge that there are many very talented, successful artists whose black & white collections are magnificent and I applaud their talent. I have lesser regard for those who create such photos out of necessity (and it has happened to me on occasion). I wonder, for those black & white landscapes and portraits I admire, would I feel the same if I had seen the color version? Would you? Take a look at the beach landscapes below, taken in Beresford just outside of Bathurst, New Brunswick.