Not exactly, it's more of a 'side-stepping' reality sort of thing (not sure I'm being any clearer here ). I hope they don't! But they will take the viewer to a different place than b+w - and that place, to me will generally be more literal, yes (but again, the photographer's intent is paramount here). Yet they can can still convey all sorts of feelings and thoughts. General landscapes may not take me 'anywhere beyond' reality, but may certainly take others there. Happens to me all the time, and I'm quite happy with the feeling.

Enjoyable series all around, of which I prefer this and the other woodland set for their definite yet subtle assertion of colours.

I like the graphic silhouette of 2, and the mood of 1 (no need to rework it in my view).

Colour or b+w simply depends on your way of getting what you're after in a photograph... I work in b+w almost exclusively because I like the way it makes reality just a bit (or more) 'off' (one can get there with colour too of course, just think of Bill Ward [thingsthatihaveseen] on this very forum, and his at times very abstract landscapes and natural details), leaving more to the imagination. The colour photography that I really enjoy uses the colours present toward the same effect - very difficult in my experience. But if realistic reproduction is part of the intent, I would think colour is the more obvious choice (although b+w might very well work if the photographer knows his way), and can be just as artistic (think of Roger's [coker] macros here).

So it's all a matter of intent, really, and the only thing I'm pretty sure of is that, most of the time, the shot will work in b+w if it was taken with that intent - happy accidents do happen in pp, though.

In your set, I prefer the b+w in 2 and 8 because you have taken them away from their representation of reality (and very effectively indeed). 4 and 6 don't go far enough for me, but they could. The colour versions of all four are evocative of the place and weather, which is fine, but don't take me anywhere beyond.

Thanks for posting and raising the question, it has brought interesting thoughts to the table.

Very atmospheric background in the first, Steve, at the very top of the image - makes it for me.

Very nice, John. I prefer the latter part of the set for their mood (from 6 onward) - 7 and 9 especially, for their composition under the mist.

A delicate little set LennyB. Interesting things are happening in the bokeh balls and shapes in 1, 2 works quite well as a group portrait, and the shadow play in 3 is intriguing. All well seen.

Great processing on this Barrie, the stem growing from that deep black and the faint cloudy shapes in the background bring the image alive.

That first one has plenty to offer, Gareth - quite intriguing.

Nice one Gareth. I think I prefer the first, with more of the curve to satisfy the eye.