B&W integrity question with example

[Joe Colozzo]

I have been booted out of a few groups for posting this Flower picture. It was processed in B&W and I tinted it with color grading with a bit of blue to soften it up.

is it wrong to consider it B&W? Is sepia wrong also? or is it some people are just 100% over the top of being purists?

Here is both versions of the image, tell me what do you think and which one you prefer.

5W2A6180-Edit-2-2 by Joseph Colozzo, on Flickr

B&W macro flower by Joseph Colozzo, on Flickr

 

[AlanLichty]

The way I see it this is your image and it should be your choice on how you want to present your work. There have been purists who think everyone should do it their way dating back to the 1800's and there's nothing wrong with that but it doesn't mean you need to make it look like what they want unless they are a customer and are paying you to edit a copy suit their needs.

I like what you did with the processing in the second image

 

[Trent Watts]

I prefer the first image but see nothing wrong with the second image. Kicked Out?? Wow. That is serious adjudication.

 

[JimFox]

Hey Joe,

I love them both, but I actually like the slight tint in #2 the best. It really evokes a fine art feel.

That's interesting that B&W purists wouldn't like #2. Maybe I am wrong, but I was always of the opinion that mono tone images, which is what the blue one is, qualify for B&W.

 

[Joe Colozzo]

Thank you all! I appreciate the support.

 

[DES]

I would never object to your choice of a cool tone for the photo. I personally think it adds interest.

"Monochrome" is probably a better descriptor than B&W in any case. And some people prefer to call them grayscale images. After all, there are many shades of gray in what some simply label "B&W".

 

[Ken Rennie]

Hi Joe
Firstly, nice image.
Here in the UK photo competitions are for monochrome never b and w although tgey are often referred to as b and w. This allows for toning provides that it is only 1 colour. I used to duotone my images with warmer highlights and cooler shadows but they would be entered as colour images. Your image would be perfectly acceptable in a monochrome competition. I was once praised for producing a cyanotype image whereas it was really a blue colour cast produced by my cheap printer and my inability to overcome it. Ken

 

[Joe Colozzo]

Overall the misunderstanding with those groups are on me. I do not do enough B&W or monochrome to be well versed in these catogories. So basically I should not of posted a monochrome picture in those perticular groups. to be fair it was a specialized group and I was in the wrong unknowingly. Now that I have a better understanding I wont be doing that again.

Thanks again for the support in this manor.

 

[murali]

I luv both. To me, both are monochrome images.

 

[xpatUSA]

I would call the first 'grayscale' and the second 'monochrome'.

For me, the commonly-used term "B&W" is misleading and slightly irritating.

Black and Whlte:

Monochrome

Grayscale