Which do you like?

Both have equal merit to my eye.

I like the openness of the mono image, but the colour adds context and interest. I often use the term “mystery” when describing colour images. I feel that a sense of mystery is only possible in colour as black and white lays things too bare.

This comes back again to emotion and perception. In the colour image, I am drawn to the depth of the shadows and illusiveness of the fountain spray within deep green shadows.

The mono image opens up the image, removing the increased tension between light/dark and colour/mood.

When processing, I feel obliged to reveal more in mono. In colour I often choose to hide detail, using negative space more aggressively. Slight changes in colour can do a lot to add interest, while black and white images equalise textures and tones, forcing re-prioritising.

Do you see the flattening effect the mono process has given the image in comparison to the more 3D effect of the colour one.