I was recently having a discussion with a friend about the merits of black and white versus colour photos.

I have not been a big black and white shooter (mostly because black and white is a process for me with Lightroom). However, I have become a fan of black and white for people. In a black and white photo the focus become the characters in the shot, you are not distracted by colors.

Take this shot for example, a street vendor around the spice market in Old Delhi  (Config: Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 28-300 f/3.5 USM)

We happened to be stuck in traffic and these guys were having an animated conversation. Perhaps about the weather or the latest cricket scores? I post both shots, with the black and white being my favorite.

To me color of his head scarf and the mangos is a distraction while the muted wardrobe of the street vendor means that he is not a focal point. The street vendor almost fades into the background.

I am going to start producing a lot more black and white. That being said, I remain a handheld HDR fan – a great feature of the Canon 5D Mark III – for other photos.

Interested in the experiences and opinions of others.