Should you make it black and white?

To convert it to black and white or not? There are certain aspects a photo can posses that scream black and white. This doesn’t mean that if the photo possesses one or more of these aspects it has to be converted. I find myself debating whether or not to convert a photo and sometimes I open a photo and I know in that second that it has to be converted.
1~Emotion. Do your subjects in the photo show strong emotion? Whether it be excitement, joy, love or anger and sadness. By converting a photo you draw your viewer into the emotion. It helps them feel the photograph instead of them merely being a spectator. 2~Light. If a photo has dramatic lighting converting it can make it pop. It can tell a story. Harsh shadows are not always welcome when it comes to color but they are applauded when converted. 3~ Texture. Texture can make a photo more interesting. If a photo has great texture in the background sometimes the eye gets led to the texture before the subjects. By converting a photo and taking the color away from the texture it helps the viewers eyes stay focused on the subject. 4~Grain. Grain seems to get a bad rap. Since I am an all natural light shooter, grain is part of my style. In low light situations you learn to embrace the grain. Grain isn’t always flattering when in color but by converting the photo you can make the grain work for you. 5~Too many colors/patterns. This comes into play more for personal use. Say you are out with your sister and her kids but their clothing clashes. Your kids are in striped pinks and hers are in red plaid. Converting the photo will lead to beautiful photos of cousins and not an eyesore of clashing colors and patterns. This can also factor in when you have a distracting background full of clutter and color. The one reason I love black and white so much is because it makes a photo timeless.... It captures the feelings and draws the viewer into the photo. You notice the person before you notice what their wearing or the car in the background.