I think part of the reason that black and white photography remains such a classic and romantic medium is that, at times, colour can be a distraction, taking away from the important constituents of a great photo such as shape, shadows, texture and simple composition.
I think part of the reason that black and white photography remains such a classic and romantic medium is that, at times, colour can be a distraction, taking away from the important constituents of a great photo such as shape, shadows, texture and simple composition. Without colour yanking the viewer's eye elsewhere in the photo, a good black and white shot can be much more pleasant to look at, with the viewer's eye guided through the image with the tried and trusted rules of simple composition, enhanced by subtleties of shadows, shapes and textures that might otherwise be overlooked.