The work of local photographer Diane Beatty opens today in the Thomases Family Endowment of the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation Art Gallery.

“Color vs. Black and White” will feature a few of her favorite photos, some in color, some in black and white and a few featuring both.

Beatty studied art at Youngstown State University in the 1980s, but her journey into photography didn’t begin until April 2014, when she felt compelled to photograph the demolition of General Electric on Hughes Street in Youngstown. That same year, she created a Facebook group called Youngstown Photography Group where she met other photographers that helped her learn and grow as an artist.

Since then, she has won many awards in local art shows and has been featured in the Regional Photography exhibit at the Butler institute of American Art.

According to Beatty, “You may wonder why I prefer to show a photo in black and white versus color. There are a couple factors. If the image is strong, sometimes color can be distracting. My eye is drawn to red, for example, so if it takes away from the composition, I will see how the photo looks in black and white. The other factor is if the sky is blown out. I don’t like to shoot on a sunny day, because of this. When I first started to exhibit my work, one of my YSU professors asked to see my work. After seeing it he asked, ‘Where is the color?’ The photos were all black and white. Since then, no matter where I go to photograph, I ask myself that question and specifically look for a colorful image.”

Beatty primarily is interested in historical and abandoned sites, relishing the challenge of capturing images in low light and composing unique photographs that tell a story.

Her work will on display through July 30 at the gallery, located inside the Jewish Community Center of Youngstown, 505 Gypsy Lane. A reception with the artist is scheduled from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday.