Color, Black & White, Or Both

I used to think offering both was dumb, and I think most people here agreed, but I've changed my mind. Of the few sales I make here, a surprising number are b&w. And people are finding these photos by keyword search, so I'm guessing they were deliberately searching for b&w. And since they're finding my photos by search, they're probably not even interested in the rest of what I have, and don't even look at the galleries.

I don't often do it, but there are a few images I have that really seem like they are suited to BOTH b&w and color. Each has a very different mood, and works well. In that case, I will offer both.

I agree with Valerie. If the image works in both color and b/w why not? It might be just me but I don't like to see them side by side...I don't know why really...I just don't

I don't think it's tacky because there are customers of mine who ask me to do the pictures in black and white. If you don't have a clientele yet, you may lose customers that want black and white only. Too many people decorate in black and white and not capitalizing on this, is naïve. Your customers can see that the images are the same but may be tweaked in color combinations...there is nothing tacky in recreating your work as that is part of the business.

I've never been comfortable with it myself and choose not to.. I also don't like it much when I encounter this in other galleries.. whats worse(imo) is when there are 4 or 5 different versions of the same image ie: sepia, teal, b+w and full colour. Personally I think it cheapens the image and mars my opinion of the artist offering all these options. Also..ive never seen it done in an actual Gallery and I've never seen any established "pro's" doing it. Just one man's opinion of course :-)

edit: sorry..i didn't come close to answering your q?..lol. one or the other is the short answer from me!

Barry, I agree, if they're seen side-by-side it looks cheap. I actually spend considerable time on a b&w, it isn't just clicking on a filtering option, but that's what it looks like to a buyer if you show them both.

I do it, and have some in color, b/w, antique, sepia, etc, etc. Buyers choice.

I think it is all up to you. I had some buyers asked if I have any paintings in black and white. So I dd believe there are markets for them.

It can't hurt to offer in multiple variations if it works. I know a lot believe that you should only offer one version because it shows a lack of artistic direction but I doubt many buyers care.

My best selling image on FAA is in color and I offer it in a black and white square cropped one which also sells. I just have a few that are both but don't post them together. I've also had requests for my watercolors in black and white from clients. I've only posted one or two here but may do a few more. A lot of my work is brightly colored so it will expand my market to add more black and white.

I love black and white as well as vibrant colour. Sure, if a picture worked in both colour and black and white I would offer both versions for sale. But I would probably change something else too maybe to make it a little more different between the 2 versions.
On my profile page I have 2 different versions of my photo "Congrats". I think both versions are beautiful.

ive just reprocessed some old photographs into black and white.. and they are working out well, personally my eye is always attracted to vibrant colours, that might be psychological or neurological... I've been very disappointed by some of the photographs I've taken and i now think its because a lot of them work better in b/w (actually some are more like brown and white, slight tints are often added to b/w but I'm no expert) ... I've always processed photos as colour because they were taken in colour, and i guess in old days u decided based on the film used..


This image (not the highest res camera and the lighting was very low in large zones in these scenes) was crap in colour so i just left it, i loved what i saw when i took the shot, and literally ran to the scene to take it, yet in colour the image was not what i experienced as it was flat and lifeless... but years later, in b/w the whole mood and atmosphere - even the aroma of the scene can be felt... yet I've others from that shoot - where colour is important, so i might end up doing both of some...



I've been really enjoying photoshop and topaz and spent a few months getting to know them, i was using a much poorer processor and editor before and then a year and a half mainly poetry, now i just got to get to grips with the photograph processing.. as it does often seem vital... and b/w might be vital to some shots.. just my take on it

This question comes up a lot. For me an image talks to me and I go in certain direction. If the image is about color then it gets color. If the color subtracts from the subject then it becomes black and white. It depends on the subject or mood I am trying to create.

When I see version after version of the same image in someones portfolio, I think the artist is directionless is just tossing up all kinds of things to see if someone might like one of them. As an artist, it is your vision that you choose to present. Not what some buyer might pick out of a line up of ten different filter treatments.

But two versions, if they work, are fine. Its when you see page after page of the same image -- it bores the viewer to death.

I see a great many B&W images in hotels, restaurants, bars and other public places. It seems to be quite a vogue. Good B&W looks classy and restrained and is not going to clash with other parts of the decor.

Thank you all for your responses! I do think that in some photos that color sort of brings the quality down while a good black and white makes it a million times better. I'll experiment with the few I think would do well with both =)

Jason, I think that photo ("Alley") is a perfect example of a photo that works better as b&w. For me the question is always - is color adding to the photo or is it really a distraction from the real interest, which is in the composition and lighting?

Some images work in both, but it really is something to do with great care and restraint. When a photographer offers every image in both colorways, it's off-putting and unprofessional, in my opinion.

The difference between a colour image and a black and white image is more than just the presence or absence of colour, it involves the interplay of light and shade and the shape and structure of elements in the picture. Very few colour photos can be converted into good black and white images simply by desaturating and leaving it at that - it takes a completely different way of processing to make the transition from colour to black and white, and even then, not every colour photo is suitable.

For that reason, I don't think it's a good idea to try to offer 'every' image both ways, but for the ones that do work, by the time they've been reprocessed to look good in black and white, they're essentially different images anyway, so I don't have any problem with offering both versions. Perhaps not side by side in the same gallery, though!

Ignore this - I forgot to untick the notify box...

Thank you!

You're welcome! :)

I always offer both if the image also looks good in black and white. I've been struggling, though, with whether to offer than side by side, which is my default now.

That said, I did get an email request once for a black and white version of something I've had up here for a long time. Fortunately, I was easily able to find the original and convert it and the requester purchased the image right away. I've sold black and white images here about 1/3 of the time so they do sell (although I'm not a big seller here, I've sold enough to notice the trend).

I think your right Jim


The colour one here i think looks best, its all about the tomatoes and potatoes, but i dont know if having a few coloured prints in a b/w series works and i dont want to exclude it, maybe it does look ok to have a few colour ones mixed in though.. so i think i will have both but maybe in seperate folders later...







i got a few others i'm stumped on.... vibrant coloured clothes yet living in near poverty... these next two images say different things yet i like em equally and they both say different things...

I have never done both, but I have seen many pieces in both color and b&w and they are each unique in their own way. If it suits the image I would say go for it.