Color or B/W?

The eternal struggle here at NiftyDurham is to decide if a photo is better in the original color, or a B/W conversion. Black & White is so classic, and it really helps to simplify an image and focus the viewer on the shapes, gestures, etc.

Color can help the image feel more ‘real’ and move the viewer through the image (note how the red shirt makes a stronger triangle for the eye to follow).

I shoot color and convert, by the way, since starting with a color file gives us all the possible options and tones to work with. 

To convert to black & white, I use Silver Efex Pro from Google (formerly Nik).

This image was taken at the Chicago Art Institute (we go to Chicago yearly to cover a huge event for JP Morgan, and I treat my team to side trips like to see the Vivian Maier show, or to the Art Institute).

photos by: HuthPhoto

created with GIFmaker.me

learn more about Silver Efex conversion HERE

at the Art Institute of Chicago