There is something wonderfully evocative about a black and white image. Perhaps it reminds one of a bygone era, or perhaps it signals a certain level of sophistication, or maybe even, having stripped of all colour, it forces the viewer to focus on the merits of the image alone. Whatever the reason, in these days of digital photography the black and white photograph is still a very popular medium to display a photograph. Almost every kind of subject has been captured in black and white - from stunning portraits to sweeping landscapes to the form and structure of abstracts.
Yet, having said I don't think that all kinds of pictures are suitable for conversion into black and white. If you asked me what criteria I had for that, I wouldn't be able to tell you definitely - I'd say it depends on what mood or feel you're trying to achieve with a certain picture. Sometimes, it's just a gut feeling or a matter of experimentation whether a certain shot would work in monochrome.
Well, no one ever said that photography is an exact science.
The Moon on Black
Pentax K10D, 1/90 sec., f/11
The Moon on Black
