I see photographers post about this a lot on Facebook.  They will take the same photo, post it in color and black and white, and then ask which people prefer. Other photographers tend to have a distinct style with a definite preference on one or the other.  I can't say I usually lean one way or the other.  To me, it depends on the photo.  

When I edit, I am very intentional about which photoss I leave in color and which I convert.  There are many reasons photographers use black and white.  I was guilty of this one when I first started out - many times photos are converted to B&W because the white balance is off.  Or because the focus isn't spot on.  Or because the ISO was high resulting in a grainy image.  This isn't to say that you shouldn't convert for these reasons, because honestly, we all have photos that aren't perfect and converting it is the only way to 'save' it.  BUT this shouldn't be the only determining factor.  Also, some people just plain like black and white.  That is fine also!  There is nothing wrong with converting all photos to black and white.  Heck, Ansel Adams is famous for his black and white images.  BUT to me, not every photo shines to its highest potential in black and white.  Sometimes leaving the photo in color allows it to shine.

So, how do I decide how to edit the photo?  Generally, I try to leave the photos in color - I am a colorful person and I love color.  I love the brightness it adds to a photo.  I love the vivacity color adds to photos.  I love the excitement.  I love how it lends itself to the setting.  Often I want the focus of my photos to be on the people, but sometimes the scenery is so beautiful that I don't want it to be lost.  Sometimes the expressions are so colorful that to convert to black and white would take away from the beauty of the photo.  Sometimes the location is simply beautiful - with a vibrant sky or sunset lit mountains.  I don't want to lose those details.

Sometimes a bit of color just makes the photo spectacular.

As I write this, I find it interesting to notice that when I edit an album, the majority of the photos are color -but I end up posting an awful lot of black and white on Facebook, so there is something there that I am definitely drawn to.

There are times where I prefer black and white.  For me, this is when I want the viewer to truly focus on the expression in the photo.  Or when I want simplicity.  When I don't want the viewer distracted by the background.  To me, black and white enhances the emotion in a photo.  It highlights faces and facial expressions.  It invites the viewer to be a part of the photo.  Especially with Beloved Sessions in which the entire objective is to create real authentic moments.  This tender moment is highlighted by a black and white conversion where any distraction of color, especially in the background, is removed.

And a few of my all time favorite black and white images:

What do you think?  When are your favorite times to use color vs. black and white?  Do you have a go-to editing style?