# An illustration of the differing impact of BW and color



## The_Traveler (Jul 30, 2015)

Comment below




 



Eyes, at least mine, are drawn to the figures very quickly and the background is sort of dismissed except to give some idea of place





whereas, with the image below, the color of the pillars and walls is very distracting.


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## runnah (Jul 30, 2015)

Yeah the brighter pillar draws the eye down to the people. The color version makes it so that pillar doesn't stand out nearly as much.


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## JacaRanda (Jul 30, 2015)

Interesting Lew.

The slighty different crop and added corner top right, blocking the other 2 items on the wall, also help guide me to the people.
I am also drawn to the statue figure between the second and third columns from the right in the b&w version.

The art of making an image as opposed to taking a photo?


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## Ysarex (Jul 30, 2015)

The color of the monk's clothing is analogous to the color of the railing supports and foundation making the monk more solidly part of the place. This enhanced connection between the monk and place more emphatically and immediately emphasizes the difference of the two female figures from both the monk and the place.

Joe


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## floatingby (Jul 30, 2015)

The skin tone of the people in the B&W image are so close to the background that they completely disappear for me. My eyes are more drawn to the people in the color version.


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## The_Traveler (Jul 30, 2015)

JacaRanda said:


> Interesting Lew.
> 
> The slighty different crop and added corner top right, blocking the other 2 items on the wall, also help guide me to the people.
> I am also drawn to the statue figure between the second and third columns from the right in the b&w version.
> ...




These are actually two different pictures shot in rapid succession.
Thanks for looking and commenting.


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## The_Traveler (Jul 30, 2015)

floatingby said:


> The skin tone of the people in the B&W image are so close to the background that they completely disappear for me. My eyes are more drawn to the people in the color version.



Perhaps our monitors differ.
Thanks for commenting


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## JacaRanda (Jul 30, 2015)

The_Traveler said:


> JacaRanda said:
> 
> 
> > Interesting Lew.
> ...



Dang, I should have noticed.


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## The_Traveler (Jul 30, 2015)

JacaRanda said:


> The_Traveler said:
> 
> 
> > These are actually two different pictures shot in rapid succession.
> ...



Not at all.
These are damn close with all the main elements being the same.

I get so few comments that I am pleased just to be noticed.


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## JacaRanda (Jul 30, 2015)

The_Traveler said:


> JacaRanda said:
> 
> 
> > The_Traveler said:
> ...



Well, I like that you've posted both for study.  Didn't you have something in your signature line before about the placement of objects in the frame and if they were important or not to even have in the frame?


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## The_Traveler (Jul 30, 2015)

I don't know exactly what you are referring to but I go by three rules - and this may be what you mean.

Important things in important places
Maximize the impact of things that reinforce your concept 
Minimize the impact of things that take away from your concept


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## vintagesnaps (Jul 30, 2015)

I think once color is removed the viewer is seeing the tones, the light and dark, since there's no color there.

When you have what Joe mentioned with the red and green colors, that gives you the contrast of those two colors; if it's in B&W you get similar tones if the complementary colors are about the same in how light or dark they are.

I think without color you may see shapes and patterns more distinctly since you're seeing the light and dark.


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## JacaRanda (Jul 31, 2015)

The_Traveler said:


> I don't know exactly what you are referring to but I go by three rules - and this may be what you mean.
> 
> Important things in important places
> Maximize the impact of things that reinforce your concept
> Minimize the impact of things that take away from your concept



Ah yes - I thought you had something like above placed where you have 'Art is not a mirror...'


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## Dave442 (Jul 31, 2015)

I like both shots. The black and white seems more peaceful, I wonder if monks only see in black and white. I like the placement of the monks head a bit more in the second.


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