Magnolia in B&W

Beautiful, Patricia. Nicely composed. I agree that the petals curving over the center gives this a very graceful look. I like both versions, but I think I prefer the color. I personally would back off on the sharpening and otherwise try to soften the image just a bit. Is that an insect to the right of center?

Patricia: What a wonderful New Year gift to have you posting again and a beautiful image for sure. I do like them both and especially like the conversion. My only suggestion would be to clone away the center debris and then print it large. >=))>

Wow. that would be a hard choice but I'm leaning towards the b&w version. It is sooooo elegant! I would get rid of the little bug in the center, though. Nice work

Hey Patricia,
My vote is for the color version, the B&W is very nice and has a unique charm but loses definition in the lines of the petal edges that the color version demonstrates. I agree with the removal of the debris.
Well done on a very interesting comparison of a lovely image.
Happy New Year . . .

I was initially drawn to the graceful geometry of the black and white photo. In the color version my eye is drawn more to the colors, so I guess it depends what one is after. I find the black and white photo more unique. I might clean it up a bit (remove some of the green background) to accentuate the edges of the petals.

Definitely the color version for me, Patricia! I can see the point about cloning out the smudges near the center, but I think that the image also works as it is - it gives more realism, I think.

So nice to see you posting again, Patricia !! I will put my vote in for the b&w version - I like its gentleness and the softness which comes through better, I feel, in the subtlety of the greys of the shadows. Beautiful !!!

While the b&w version has lots of interesting flow, the color version is dynamite! It has the flow plus all of the great colors.

The B/W is OK, but I fall firmly on the side of color. This is such a recognizable and iconic color on the petal, and very photogenic. On the B/W, it just looks like noise. Also, as Scott pointed out, removing the bug and backing off on the sharpening would improve this excellent pic even further. You might look further into cloning out some or all of the defects in the petals. Anything which interferes with the visual flow of the petals.

Magnolias are challenging subjects for me and yet I can't resist trying the capture because, as you point out, the petals are so graceful. I'll usually prefer a color image over a B/W; in this case because of the black lines that look out of place. Guess I would have been tempted to blend them away... The color image provides the context for the black lines, and to me, shows off the flower better. B/W is more abstract, artistic in how it looks like a pencil sketch.

Sorry Patricia, I can't help you because I love both in the same way; they both create a splendid design with their flying petals. Bravo!

Works beautifully as b & w,  However the white areas between petals seem less well integrated with subject.