Last time I did something I usually don't do - I converted my
photos to black and white (click here to refresh your memory - Beauties in monochrome). Don't
get me wrong, I love black and white images... but I chose the wrong
subject that time :) Actually, I knew that flowers in general and
orchids in particular are better in color. And it seems like you agreed
with me (I always listen to your feedback). So let's look at the same
photos again, but this time with some color added :)
Orchids are very delicate flowers. Some of them are quite colorful,
but most are almost monochromic. Yet even the white or pale yellow ones
usually carry small splashes of color on their petals - tiny yellow,
orange, or purple spots in the center, and those incredibly delicate
veins that turn each petal into a piece of art.
Removing this touch of color changes the image completely. Suddenly
it becomes more about shape, texture, and form. In black and white,
orchids look more abstract and less realistic.
And maybe that’s a good thing, isn’t it? When you move back and
forth between the two versions - what do you see? While arranging the
photos for this post in the same order, I actually had trouble
recognizing where each image belonged. In black and white and in color,
they almost feel like different photographs.
Some people prefer one version, some the other. Personally, I like
both and don’t have a strong preference, to me, they are two different
series rather than the same images.
So was my experiment a success or not? Probably a bit of both. I
enjoyed converting the images, it was interesting and challenging
(orchids are a very difficult subject for black and white after all).
I’ll likely keep flowers in color in the future, but I definitely want
to try more black and white photography. After all… that’s where we all
started ;)
But you know what… while reviewing the post before hitting the Publish button, I realized that I do
have a preference after all. Looking at the orchids in their full
beauty, colorful and incredibly attractive, I found the color images
somehow more ordinary... more familiar... The black and white versions,
on the other hand, felt more exotic. They sparked my imagination and
made me dream about what I was seeing, while the color images made the
flowers feel more literal and "real".
Yes, I think my heart leans toward black and white - toward the abstract and mysterious rather than the obvious and familiar.
What do you think? Chime in, I’d love to hear your opinion!
Photos taken on January 24 and 31, 2026.
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