Kodachrome, it gives us those nice bright colours
Gives us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world’s a sunny day, oh yeah!
Paul Simon, Kodachrome
It’s probably many years since any of us used Kodachrome to capture those ‘nice bright colours’. But digital photography allows us to achieve similarly cheerful results. It also, of course, allows us to opt for a purely greyscale monochrome palette.
Sometimes when I take a photo I know that it will look better in monochrome. Nevertheless I always shoot in colour to give me options (and because I feel I get a better ‘look’ post-editing with Nik Silver Efex than I do with my in-camera settings). On other occasions I take a photo in colour and realise that it will look better in black and white, or perhaps that it will look as good but different.
Sometimes though the colour IS the subject and I wouldn’t dream of converting it – or would I?! That’s the Monochrome Madness challenge set us by Margaret this week. Can we make a strikingly colourful photo look as arresting in black and white? Or is that indeed madness?!
For this exercise I tried to select photos that I felt would work even when their colour is removed. The secret to a successful monochrome conversion of a vivid colour photo, I would argue, is that the image must be not only colourful but also have a lot of contrast. That is necessary if it is to remain striking when the colours are stripped out. Texture is also helpful in retaining impact when colour is gone.
I’m using the ‘image compare’ block for landscape orientated shots, and columns for the portrait orientated ones. Use the slider to see the original bright colours and judge for yourself if the monochrome versions are successful. Let me know in the comments which ones you think work, and of course which ones don’t.
And my own view? I reckon most of these shots look better in the original colour, but that doesn’t mean that many of them don’t look interesting in monochrome too.
My feature photo was taken in Sagada, Philippines, and edited with Photoshop Elements to create the ‘half and half’ effect
Near the Peace Pagoda, Pokhara, Nepal
Bougainvillea in Monteverde, Costa Rica
Hibiscus, Marsaxlokk, Malta
Peacock, Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka
In Selvatura Park, Costa Rica
Lilac-breasted Roller, Chobe National Park, Botswana
Little Bee-eaters, Souimanga Lodge in the Sine-Saloum Delta, Senegal
You may remember these Little Bee-eaters from my recent ‘B’ post; I thought it would be fun to include them in this one too!
Sunset from Lagarta Lodge, Costa Rica
Sunset by the Narayani River, Chitwan National Park, Nepal
Part of the Taj Mahal complex, Agra, India
In Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India
In Narlai, Rajasthan, India
Roof detail Sanjusangen-do, Kyoto, Japan
Fishing boat in Marsaxlokk, Malta
56 Comments
Annie Berger
Thanks for providing the complementary shots in color with the black and white ones. They were a great juxtaposition, particularly the images from Costa Rica.
Sarah Wilkie
Glad you found this interesting – thanks Annie 🙂
wetanddustyroads
What a wonderful comparison between colour and B&W. I’m amazed at how good the peacock looks in B&W … but give me a sunset photo in bright colours and I’m happy 😉.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you again Corna 🙂 I think the relative simplicity of the peacock pose helps to make it work in B&W, but you’re probably right about the sunsets!
SoyBend
Beautiful gallery, Sarah! I think these look good in both color and black and white. The last one shows off the structure in black and white, but I also liked seeing those pops of color in the color version.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Siobhan 🙂 I did try to find images that I felt could work in both colour and B&W so I’m pleased you feel that they did so!
equinoxio21
Lots of work there, Sarah.
I was wondering about colours, which ones do I prefer in colour?
Maybe because I’m slightly colour-blind, I prefer blues and reds in colour.
Greens and browns I find fine in B&W, which are precisely the colours I sometimes find difficult to differentiate.
Hmmm.
The Rahjastan pictures I definitely prefer in colour.
Thanks for all the work you always put in your posts…
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you very much – yes, quite a lot of work, but fun 😀 It’s interesting that your slight colour blindness influences which conversions you prefer. The Rajasthan ones were actually among the ones I felt worked better in B&W because there’s so much character in those men’s faces. Just shows how subjective this whole thing is!
equinoxio21
The influence was just a sudden thought. It might be. I might ask my ophtamologist next time I see her.
And yes, you’re absolutely right: ils ont beaucoup de caractère. That definitely points to B&W…
Not sure it’s subjectivity… I would say it’s more how you look at the photograph, and at the people in the picture…
Sarah Wilkie
But isn’t ‘how you look at the photograph’ a very definition of subjectivity?!
equinoxio21
Probably yes. There are so many unconscious filters. Each subject looks at anything in its own way. Hmmm.
equinoxio21
You’re probably right, thought there are “objective” elements. Where was the photo taken? When? Who’s the main character? The situation…
But you’re very right. If I look at a kingfisher photo, I have a particular -personal, ergo subjective- relationship to kingfishers.
grandmisadventures
I really love this! So interesting to see the same picture with half color and half not and the details you pick up more with one or the other
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Meg 😊 I’m pleased you found this approach interesting – it was fun to put it together!
Klausbernd
Hi Sarah
We prefer your BW pictures. The pictures in colour look like National Geographic pictures that everyone has seen many times.
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, that’s an interesting perspective 🙂 I’d love to think any of my photos was up to National Geographic standard tbh, but I’m glad you feel they work well in B&W!
Jeni McMillan
Hi Sarah, this is the first time I’ve peeked into WordPress for 6 years so I’m working my way around the changes. You’re my first stop in the Reader and Lo! I found some great images and a good debate over the use of monochrome compared to black and white. I love both. Different nuances for each. The contrast of B&W gives such a gorgeous depth.. even for the peacock! But those subtle hues of the Lilac breasted Roller take the breath away! Well done, it’s a great exercise.
Sarah Wilkie
Hi Jeni, and thanks so much for making me your ‘first stop’ 😊 I’m pleased you found this post interesting and liked my photos. I agree about the Lilac Breasted Roller – that’s my favourite photo of one of my favourite birds and he IS a beauty!
Leanne Cole
I think you have done this the way it was meant to be done Sarah. Very bright colours in monochrome. It is amazing how dull red goes when it is no longer red.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Leanne 🙂 This is certainly the way I read Margaret’s challenge but there are quite possibly other interpretations too. I enjoyed trying to find brightly coloured shots that would still look at least OK in black and white!
Monkey's Tale
The two sunset pictures are interesting in both black and white ans well as colour, but they have completely different personalities. Maggie
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Maggie 🙂 As Anabel said below ‘sunsets are no longer sunsets with their colour stripped’ but they can still work as images, just with the ‘different personalities’ you mention!
Steven and Annie Berger
I’ve never seen pictures like these where you can adjust the slider. Quite fascinating. I very rarely reread a post but I found myself doing just that with this one. You certainly got me thinking.
Thanks,
Steve
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you very much Steve 😊 That slider is a clever WordPress block called ‘image compare’. It works best (imho) when you have photos like this that are the same size, proportions etc., but with a different edit. I’ve played with it a few times and I do find it effective for certain posts like this one. Glad I got you thinking!
EgÃdio
This was very revealing to my eyes. I must confess that all the bird photos were more appealing to me in color. Excellent gallery overall!
Sarah Wilkie
Many thanks Egidio 😊 As I said to Marie below, the birds have definitely divided opinion and caused the most debate!
the eternal traveller
The lilac breasted roller is a beauty and a new bird for me.
Sarah Wilkie
It’s one of my favourite birds and that shot is one of my favourite shots 😀 This is the first time I’ve tried a monochrome version. I prefer the colour because that’s what makes the bird so special, but because of the textures in the branch I think it does still work in B&W.
Vicki
In general, I think colour works better for flowers and I love the vibrant colour of those turbans too.
I’m a big fan of monotone in any shade – Black and White or Sepia.
Architectural details often work better in Black and White. Landscapes can be either. Depends on the skill of the photographer or his photo editing. And of course it depends on the viewer too. We all have preferences for one or the other (or both colour and monotone). I always shoot in colour and JPEG, but that’s partly because I don’t have the eyesight for lots of photo editing, just the basic tweaks and I generally take many photos (in the past) and don’t wish to spend time on too much editing in RAW.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you for the detailed comment Vicki 🙂 I shoot in JPEG too, mainly out of habit as I do often spend time editing – however I don’t want to invest that time in more shots than I have to and with JPEG some images work straightaway!
Marie
I think the boat and the Taj work well in monochrome – those beautiful birds need their colours!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Marie 🙂 The birds seem to have divided opinion!
Suzanne
I think you’ve highlighted that nature is more appealing in colour with the exception of wild seas and contrasting landscapes though people and objects are more dramatic in B&W.
Sarah Wilkie
That’s an interesting idea Suzanne, thank you 🙂 I’m sure there are exceptions to that ‘rule’ but as a general point I can see what you’re getting at. Personally however I feel that nature CAN provide images that look good in B&W – you just have to pick the right ones!
Suzanne
For every rule, there’s always an exception 😊 Go for it, Sarah.
Heyjude
I’m afraid I prefer all in colour. The portraits of the men are successful in black and white, but when you see the wonderful red turbans, colour is the winner. And a sunset just isn’t a sunset without colour. But I enjoyed the comparisons.
Sarah Wilkie
Glad you at least enjoyed the comparisons Jude 🙂 I seem to remember that you’re not a big fan of black and white photography – is that right? Or is it simply that having seen the colour versions you miss that vibrancy in the mono ones?
Heyjude
I do like black and white photos, but having the colour version in your examples made me prefer them. Some flowers work well if they are architectural, and buildings and street photography. But vibrant colours are hard. And those birds need their colour.
Anne Sandler
This is a great post of comparisons Sarah. I liked the people portraits better in monochrome because you can see more depth in their faces, how living life has affected them. While the birds do look better in color, they don’t look bad in monochrome, with one exception–the peacock. I think your Taj Mahal image looked better in mono since it accented the texture of the building more. The decision on the fishing boat depends on what interpretation you want us to take away. The mono has it looking more weathered and used, the color shows more vibrancy, less weathered and still used.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Anne 😊 I’m inclined to agree about the people portraits – there’s so much character in those faces. And also the Taj Mahal one – the mono version brings out the texture as you say and also makes more of the symmetry I felt. Plus the figure stands out a little more. You’re spot on about the fishing boat – you really do get a different impression of it depending on which version you look at.
restlessjo
Yes, the slide feature works well for this, Sarah. I had the feeling that you could have gone on and on and I absolutely love the Taj feature in bright orange. Poor birds, don’t respond well to having their colour stripped. An interesting exercise xx
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Jo 🙂 This is such a subjective exercise – Margaret thought the birds worked well and I’m inclined to agree with her, although the colour ones probably edge it. I also felt the Taj one worked in both versions, but I was less happy with the Lagarta Lodge sunset and most of the flowers.
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
i also think the birds work well. The sunsets are no longer sunsets with their colour stripped but make striking photos all the same.
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, that’s a good way to look at the sunsets Anabel 🙂 Glad you liked the birds!
bushboy
Using the colour photo to compare is a great idea Sarah, Some look slightly better in B&W
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Brian 🙂 I did think it was you that mentioned using image compare in one of our ‘team’ email exchanges, but perhaps not?
bushboy
It was indeed 😀 I just was too busy to put it all together in time
Alison
Interesting topic Sarah. I thought the objects like boats buildings and people work well in black and white, even the sunset. Birds and flowers are a difficult one, especially birds as they have such beautiful colouring. Anyway another great gallery
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Alison, I was interested to hear which ones you felt worked 🙂 I agree about the boat and the people, probably the building too. I wasn’t especially happy with the Lagarta sunset but the Chitwan NP one worked better, I felt.
Sue
An interesting exercise, this, and the monochrome conversion succeeds well in some of the shots giving an impression of vibrancy
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Sue 🙂 I’m glad you felt the vibrancy came through in some of them.
Sue
😊
margaret21
I think the portraits – whether of people or birds are successful in black and white, and hold up well against their colour originals. Also the architecture, boat etc. The flower ARE interesting, and I enjoyed noticing their textures more clearly, but yes, flowers like a bit of Glorious Technicolor, don’t they? But this is a lovely selection. Thanks Sarah.
Sarah Wilkie
Many thanks for the considered comment Margaret 😊 I agree about the portraits of people – any face with a bit of character will look good in black and white. And these particular bird shots I think work well, though others I tried did not. I was happy with the boat too, because it has such a strong shape. Maybe the header flower is OK too, because of the raindrops? The others less so, and I only felt one of the sunsets was successful (the one with the boatmen silhouetted). Thank you for such an interesting challenge theme!
margaret21
And thanks for your response. Great – as ever!
Sarah Wilkie
Aw, thank you 😊