B&W, or not B&W: that is the question

[kris]

Sometimes I go over a picture I cannot decide.
Here is an example:
Colour


B&W


What is your opinion? B&W, or not B&W?

Thanks for any suggestions.

A.

[Geoff F]

I can't decide either. One sunlit, the other moonlit.

Possibly less cloud distortion around the sun in B&W?

[Donald]

How did you see the final image in your mind at the moment you pressed the shutter?

[JPS]

Hi Andrea,
this one's easy for me; Colour

Regards
John

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Andrea,

I think the mono has more punch, but I tried a test edit and you can apply that to the colour one too.

I duplicated the layer, brought the output levels down to 230 and up to 5 and raised input grey level to 1.2, then applied a USM of 50% and 250px radius.

This blew the sun even more, so I erased the sun from the top layer revealing your original through from underneath.

I confess also did the same with the signature, since being white text on a dark background, it really grabbed the attention, I also burned it down some to further lessen its impact. If mine, I'd remove it completely, as it's yours and I'm not claiming it as mine, I left it visible.

Let me know if you'd like to see it.

Cheers,

[kris]

How did you see the final image in your mind at the moment you pressed the shutter?

Dear Donald,

this is the origin of the dilemma. My original idea was B&W, but when I started developing it my wife said that the colour version was also nice . I must admit that it is so.

Cheers
A.

[kris]

Dear Dave,

thanks for the suggestions. I'll try them and post back the results.
Yes I would like to see your interpretation.

Cheers
A.

[Donald]

this is the origin of the dilemma. My original idea was B&W,

Stick with your vision. You took the photograph to make a B & W image.

[kris]

Dear Donald, Dave, Geoff and John

thanks for your feedback. I think finally I like more the B&W version, but it is my way of seeing it.
Here are the new version with the Dave's suggestions. Well almost because I changed a little the blending and the
opacity, and added some mask. I also added a frame.



and



Cheers
A.

[Plumcrak]

I like the B&W very much, more so than the color version(although that one is nice also). Well done.