Missing color

When I have a particularly colorful landscape shoot, sometimes I’ll process it as black and white. That helps me see how the composition stands without the “crutch” of color. Nature’s colors are so varied that I sometimes fall in love with a weak scene because the mix of colors and textures in the trees and grass carry so much of the weight. By removing color, the composition is easier for me to evaluate. (And, yes, I understand that color is part of the composition, just want to set it aside for a time…)

In this case, I find the black and white image considerably more compelling than the one with color. This is the pond in Forest Hills Cemetery. There was a covering of pollen on the water which makes the striking patterns at the bottom of the frame. In color it just looks weird to me; in black and white it is mysterious and inviting.

Or so it seems to me. What do you think?