[just_life_photograph]

I always have a hard time deciding between color and B/W.....

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[Sprky1285]

Interesting what the color, and/or lack there of does to the mood.

The agave in color is so bright with greens and purples, it seems so lovely and innocent even with the thorns.

The B&W on the other hand really shows a, in lieu of another phrase, darker side. More mysterious, ever looming, ready to bit back.

[MSL]

I prefer the colour. There isn't enough contrast nor enough in sharp focus in the B&W version to my eye. It might work better if you cropped a bit from the bottom and the right side.

[vector]

Colour. Great shot!

[othar]

Nice shot, I'd go with the color version between these two.
The monochrome version looks a little too well behaved in my opinion, it needs some more work to make it pop

[just_life_photograph]

hahah...’too well behaved!’ ....love it!

[STARHUNTER94]

I think I like the colour too, but the black and white definitely has a sinister appeal to it.

[brainwave]

The B&W version works better.

[vijaykishan]

The B&W version works better.

Agree, The thorns offers a ridge that the eye rides on while on the colour (IMHO of course) the colours are wee bit distracting.

[Peter Rockstroh]

The question whether an image looks better in color or in B&W is a strange departure from the traditional way of making photos. When you load film into your camera you decide if it is or isn’t either medium before you take the photo. That way you either think in B&W or color. The results will be two very different interpretations of the subject. If you ask which is better after you took it, I’d say you were thinking in color during exposure

[othar]

When you load film into your camera you decide if it is or isn’t either medium before you take the photo.

I beg to differ.
It is possible to create a B&W print out of a color negative and a color image out of a monochrome picture via colorization, so even in analog times the outcome wasn't written in stone.

While I usually set other priorities when composing with the intention to make a B&W image, than with color, I sometimes change to monochrome as an afterthought too and it can look better in B&W even whithout the intention to do so when pushing the shutter button.

[Peter Rockstroh]

I beg to differ.
It is possible to create a B&W print out of a color negative and a color image out of a monochrome picture via colorization, so even in analog times the outcome wasn't written in stone.

While I usually set other priorities when composing with the intention to make a B&W image, than with color, I sometimes change to monochrome as an afterthought too and it can look better in B&W even whithout the intention to do so when pushing the shutter button.

Thanks for your comment !
Yes, it is possible to change your mind as an afterthought and print a B&W copy from a color negative, or color a B&W print.

My personal experience is that I approach a subject I want to photograph in B&W completely different than in color. I look for
a different quality of light and contrast, sometimes a different hour of the day.
And I usually try to do either one, because when I go out photographing color and B&W I frequently return with poor results
in both. I still work mainly in analog times because I enjoy the process, and, as you pointed out, even with film you can
change your mind after exposure. I just reject too much material with that approach. I ´d be curious to know if that happens
to other photographers in this group.

[DBiancosino]

I like the color best.