In the short time I’ve been photographing and blogging, I’ve never actually shared any behind the scenes looks at what I do.  As a photographer (and a general curious person) I love it when people pull back the curtain and show what’s up…whether it be with how photographers edit, designers lay out rooms, musicians compose lyrics…I love it.  So I decided to offer some of that behind the scenes scenario here.
Black and white edits have become a huge part of my photography.  I find them moody, ethereal, and all around awesome.  A good black and white image can change everything about a photo.  It can enhance the raw emotion in the shot or add a bit of a boost to a pretty photo.  Here are two examples of what a black and white conversion (and a little extra processing) can do to a seemingly good shot.

I love this first one of my friend and her daughter. Love, love, love it.  This is the original, straight out of the camera shot, or SOOC.  Untouched.  And while I love it, I felt that converting it to black and white would take the image up a notch.

And I love, love, love, love this one that much more.  The b&w is moodier and even though it is darker, it gives rise to more feeling…more emotion.The same goes for this next image of Chandler and her daddy, David.  Such a sweet moment between these two. Playful and loving.  But making the switch to black and white would make it more intense.  Making the conversion puts more emphasis on the connection between dad and daughter. The background fades away and you focus on the moment, not the landscape behind them. 

Just a little insight into my use of black and whites.  A good b&w conversion can make a good photo great. It can also leave you with a strong emotional connection, which might explain why most of my own personal photos are in fact black and white.