The choice to change a coloured photograph into a black and white one is something that I believe should not be taken lightly. Frequently in modern photography, photographers choose to remove colour from their images using editing software such as Photoshop, or through the use of filters on apps like Instagram.
In some instances, these changes can work to great affect - drama and focus can be added to the image through the removal of distracting colours and tones. However I believe that most of the time this option is used without thought in an attempt to make the image more artistic or appear of a higher quality than it actually is.
Don't get me wrong, plenty of photographers have successfully taken and used black and white images to great effect. Arguably one of the worlds most famous photographers, Ansel Adams, championed the use of black and white photography when photographing dramatic landscapes, and Michael Kenna is also famous for using black and white photography to capture the minimalism in his subjects.
I'm also not saying that on a day to day basis, photographers are always incorrectly taking black and white photographs. Taking an image in black and white can dramatically change an image and has the potential to improve it. I have on several occasions chosen to take an image in black and white, but only when it felt entirely necessary.
I strongly believe however that more often than not however it is being used as a cheap gimmick to impress viewers and receive more likes on social media. Is there really any need for black and white photography, when technology advanced to allow for us to capture images in the colours they are meant to be seen?