Can a black and white photo capture the essence of a person? Removing the color from photos allows the audience to focus more attention on the details of the environment and the expressions of the subject, which gives a stronger sense of their personality. I believe that black and white photos are the most effective way to portray the environment and personality of the subject. Environments are a creative space to tell a story about someone. This not only includes the physical space around the subject but their expression and body language.