Ray of hope

[Shwetank]

Ok, this forest is really beautiful. The photo has been taken early morning when the sun was just waking up. What i was trying to do here is to get that feel of a very dark forest and a little sun ray piercing it symbolizing hope. So i took it in Black and white, I manage to get all that i wanted for the picture i imagined, the sun ray, the dark dense scary forest but somehow it doesn't fit all together to give that sense of the picture i was trying to get out of it.
Any suggestion what can be done with this picture ?

[vainqueur]

I feel color can represent what you want better because it can provide nice transition in contrast from top to bottom hence giving a more catchy look.

[Krusty79]

I was also thinking a golden sunbeam might indicate hope better than the white on black. BTW, I've read that it's better to shoot in color and convert to B&W later. I think it has something to do with preserving more information in the file.

[EOBeav]

I looked for the EXIF data on your Flickr account, but it doesn't seem to be here. The guidelines ask for that so we can help you as best we can.

Regarding the color vs. b/w, yes, you should shoot this in color, and then convert to monochrome. In most photo editing programs, you can enhance or subdue different tones in order to accentuate what you need to and get the best contrast levels possible. That's how I approach it, anyway. I do like your image here. I think you caught some nice rays through that misty atmosphere.

[Shwetank]

Originally Posted by EOBeav

I looked for the EXIF data on your Flickr account, but it doesn't seem to be here. The guidelines ask for that so we can help you as best we can.

Regarding the color vs. b/w, yes, you should shoot this in color, and then convert to monochrome. In most photo editing programs, you can enhance or subdue different tones in order to accentuate what you need to and get the best contrast levels possible. That's how I approach it, anyway. I do like your image here. I think you caught some nice rays through that misty atmosphere.

Is it a kind of standard practice to click the picture in color and then convert it into b/w or its advisable ? Just that there is something that fascinates me about the b/w pictures

[Krusty79]

All the articles I have read recommend shooting color and converting. How to Convert Color Digital Images into Black and White Ones

[metallion58]

Originally Posted by Shwetank

Is it a kind of standard practice to click the picture in color and then convert it into b/w or its advisable ? Just that there is something that fascinates me about the b/w pictures

Basically, when you shoot in B/W, you let the camera make all the decisions for you while if you shoot in colour and convert afterwards, you have control over all aspects of the conversion and can produce an image much closer to the image you envisioned when you clicked the shutter.
In the end, it's all about control.
Besides, you may decide that you like the colour one better