“When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes.
But when you photograph people in black and white, you photograph their souls”
– Ted Grant –
I’m not sure if I agree with Ted Grant.
These images were taken when I sat in my car waiting while a religious procession passes by along the road. 
Nowadays it is not so common for me to photograph people.
What’s more unusual is that I edit them to black and white, so these are an exception.
But I enjoy trying something new and would love to learn more.
What do you think about my black and white photos, how could they have been improved?
Here the images are also shown in color, for those who want to compare.
Your comment is much appreciated. Thanks!
Anita's Images 
33 responses to “Black & White Photography”
I think your black and white versions are really nice, more interesting than the color versions in this situation. Many of the old photos I buy are more of a sepia, which seems more natural than black and white (closer to a natural skin tone). Often I wish I could see an old image in color. I think the context matters a lot (subject, lighting, etc.).
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Thank you kindly for your nice comment Brad! Yes, I agree, it would be very interesting if we could see an old image in color. Especially for you who see so many really old and very nice pictures in sepia that you share with us others.
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Nu är jag ju inte så värst förtjust i bilder som är omgjorda till svartvitt. Men i din serie valde du perfekt “motiv”, där svartvitt faktiskt gör sig bättre än färg. Jag menar nunnedräkter är ju antingen vita, gråa eller svarta, präster är vita, det gamla paret med kvinnan i rullstolen har båda vitt hår – så… Även bilden med tjejen med keps är faktiskt bättre i svartvitt, då tjejernas färgstarka banderoll annars tagit över bilden helt.
Så perfekta motiv för svartvita foton. Bra jobbat!
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Tusen tack Beate!
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They have really come well, Anita knowing that you were in the car with less mobility perhaps with angles, lights, exposure, etc. I would crop a few if converting into B&W and create stunning B&W portraits. For example, the girls in the first photo could be cropped vertically to emphasize their costume/dress and leave the background out of the scene. Similarly, the Asian girl who displays a surprise and/or anxiety on her face could be cropped too, to bring out that effect. Try cropping and see if that makes sense.
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Thanks a lot for your suggestions and thoughts Ranjit. Very much appreciated! I will certainly try the cropping and am already curious about the result. 😀
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There you go..!
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😀
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Black and white can create drama, can suggest untold stories about the subjects. I like the photos with different layers of clarity with higher definition on the leading subject. Your photos are great!
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Jag tycker nog han hade rätt, han Ted Grant – i alla fall här i dina snygga foton Anita! Kanonbilder!
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I linger on the faces longer in b&w but because I live far away it’s very interesting for me to see the colour versions as I’m also interested in what colours the people are wearing including the religious people. Thanks Anita!
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Thank you very much for your thoughts Liz!
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Very interesting, and I loved listening to the replies to your post. The last one helped me realize that I, too, paid more attention (and was attracted) to the faces of each person in the black and white.
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Thank you very much for your thoughts and for visiting my site.
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Jag tycker också att han har rätt. Har aldrig tänkt på det. Tack för den insikten! Gillar dina bilder mycket!
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Tack så mycket Kristallina och trevlig helg! 🙂
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Jag tycker också att han har rätt, Ted Grant, intressant, och bilderna gör sig väldigt bra i svartvitt, snyggt fotat, och tack för ett vackert bidrag till den här utmaningen 🙂
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Tack för din kommentar!
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Jag tycker att bilderna är vackra och får sin rättvisa i det svart vita! Det är så kul att du utmanar dig själv att fota i svart vitt. Jag var också en gång i tiden emot det, jag ville bara ha färgglada bilder 😀
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Färglada bilder är oftast gladare 😀 Tack för din kommentar Annica!
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😀
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De här personbilderna gör sig väldigt bra i svartvitt. Den enda bilden där jag ät tveksam är den med det äldre paret, damens vackra hår försvinner på nåt sätt. Kanske skulle lite mer kontrast eller skärpa avhjälpa det. En levande och snyggt fotad serie!
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Tack för kommentar och tips snälla!
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Well, your photos are simply wonderful, but it was only seeing them in colour that made them so to me. 🙂
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Interesting! Thank you kindly for your comment Manja.
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Lovely black/white series. Gr Stef
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All profile shots, with the exception of the Korean(??) girl.
Not sure if you had a telephoto lens handy but maybe taking some more ‘front on’ shots as they walked towards you looking at their eyes may give a more ‘soulful’ picture? Just a thought. 🙂
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Thanks for your thoughts which are always appreciated and I agree. But since I sat in my car I had no options.
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I love these gorgeous black and white photographs
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Thank you kindly Robert, for both your nice comment and for visiting my site.
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You are very welcome Anita. I would love to visit the your site again
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I think your BnW’s are good. In my opinion it all depends on what one has in mind when make a photograph. To my way of thinking a BnW image I like making them more contrasty, with blacks and whites deeper, more profound …going for what’s called the absolute blacks and whites. Hope I presented some contribution. Cheers. antonio
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Thank you Antonio, your comment and thoughts are much appreciated.
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