Colour or B&W? (Either way, a disturbing monster)

[Wiener]

I recently took my A12 28mm to the Heeresgeschichtlichen (Military) Museum in Vienna. Although they often looked surprisingly natural in colour (using the Multi-P Auto setting), ones where there was visible windows to the outside turned a disturbing shade of blue which I could not really remove with PP. This led me to try a few with sepia and I gradually got hooked; most of the images also looked rather dramatic (IMHO) in sepia.
Here is an example; all opinions welcome!
Andy

 

[odklizec]

Hi Andy,

I think this example photo looks better in color. The mixed light and colored walls nicely split the photo and make it much better readable. The B&W version, on the other hand, looks somewhat flat to me.

 

[Orol]

One more vote for the colour version here, too.

Peter

 

[ricohnick]

I like the sepia! I think the colour is a bit distracting as the right side is more intense than the left. a very good shot either way

 

[Matthew]

I like the B & W, both are good and it look me a while to choose.

 

[lensman]

Andy,

+1 Vote for the sepia version.

David

 

[thelps]

From Andy's two options here I would go the Colour but an alternative BW version may sway me - I'm not suggesting you do one though Andy!
He he, I think I have found some kind of fence sitting, uncommitted, middle ground! :lol:

 

[Khortal]

i think that without the child and young man in the picture ... i would have preffered the Sepia photo... the stillness would have then made it more difficult to place in date and time, therefore i must choose the colour as favoured .

 

[spb_ch]

Difficult choice, I thing on balance the colour one. I also like B & W one too and when you print images on B & W Laser printer - then the B & W comes into its own. Nice image.

Looking at this again, I prefer the colour one also. However I would work on the b&w one also because that is what I am really interested in now. Contrast and exposure and other adjustments would make the b&w one much more difficult to decide between colour or b&w. Having said that it is not always for me a battle between colour or not. Because the colour is odd to my eyes, the colour version here has power. I like that picture very much.

I have my camera set to give a b&w jpg, original in colour dng. But I am experimenting with b&w very much and enjoying it.