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Author Topic: Color or BW?  (Read 6918 times)

mtselman

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Color or BW?
« on: January 29, 2007, 01:08:38 am »

I'm pretty new to digital BW conversion, but I believe this image benefits from being in BW. Would love to hear your preference, as well as advice on what can be improved.  Would appreciate any advice on making the blown highlights less obvious.
Anything good/bad about composition/cropping /tonality, please comment.

Thanks,

  --Misha


[attachment=1692:attachment]  [attachment=1693:attachment]
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wolfnowl

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Color or BW?
« Reply #1 on: January 29, 2007, 03:09:26 am »

Okay, it's after midnight so I can't be held legally responsible for this, but I'd stay with the colour image and I'd start by cropping off some of the bottom of the image.  The shot suggests a journey from the right to the left of the frame and removing some of the lower pilings would make the image seem longer and would accent that sense of movement.  There's something about the sky that's bugging me but my brain's in neutral right now.

Very good image, though.

My $0.02


Mike.

P.S.  Marcia prefers the B&W.  So that's one vote for each!
« Last Edit: January 29, 2007, 03:12:54 am by wolfnowl »
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jule

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Color or BW?
« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2007, 03:55:57 pm »

Thanks Misha for postng this image. I don't think the bird in the sky works.
Julie
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mtselman

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Color or BW?
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2007, 09:00:21 pm »

Quote
Okay, it's after midnight so I can't be held legally responsible for this, but I'd stay with the colour image and I'd start by cropping off some of the bottom of the image.  The shot suggests a journey from the right to the left of the frame and removing some of the lower pilings would make the image seem longer and would accent that sense of movement.  There's something about the sky that's bugging me but my brain's in neutral right now.

Very good image, though.

My $0.02
Mike.

P.S.  Marcia prefers the B&W.  So that's one vote for each!
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Mike, thanks for your comment! You seem to be one of the very few to comment when I post images - appreciate that very much!
I'll play some more with cropping, but the question of B&W or color remains open. I agree that there is something distrurbing in the sky, and that was my main reason for trying BW.

Quote
Thanks Misha for postng this image. I don't think the bird in the sky works.
Thanks Julie! The bird is easy to clone out. Any word on color vs. B&W?

I guess I'll have to come up with better or more contradictory images to draw some comments on this site  
Over 100 views and 2 comments...

  --Misha
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jule

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Color or BW?
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2007, 09:53:23 pm »

Quote
Quote
Thanks Misha for postng this image. I don't think the bird in the sky works.
Thanks Julie! The bird is easy to clone out. Any word on color vs. B&W?

I guess I'll have to come up with better or more contradictory images to draw some comments on this site  
Over 100 views and 2 comments...

  --Misha
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Sometimes there just is not much to say about images.

I prefer the coloured one, but it is just one of those images that doesn't 'rock my socks'. After I looked at it for a few seconds, there wasn't anything that really stimulated my interest to want to keep looking or thinking further. My only thought was - 'the bird has to go.' It didn't stimulate an element of intrigue, interest, distaste, ..... anything really for me. I found it a bit bland and forgettable.  

I can't come up with any constructive criticism, sorry, other than keep posting to get some indication of what images of yours really affect others.

Julie
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JRandallNichols

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Color or BW?
« Reply #5 on: January 30, 2007, 10:24:09 pm »

Misha,

I think you've gotten honest response here, and I agree.  Looking at this shot I was reminded of the ancient practice in art of doing "studies" as preliminary forays before the final work is attempted.  I rather think this is a very good such "study," and from it I would take several pointers:  (1) the walking woman needs more body definition--arms, legs, posture, whatever--so that she is indeed the focus; (2) the sky/sea horizon is undefined and that may be what is causing some confusion since it all looks like either sky or sea; (3) if the "narrative" of the shot is something like "Scream," then stick with B&W; (4) but if the "narrative is something like "walking to doom or hope," then color is the choice.

Yeah, the bird has to go.

I would love to see what you did with this on a re-shoot taking these ideas into consideration.  Thank you for posting an image with a clear question!  That is what will make this forum useful.  Good luck!
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Randy

wolfnowl

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« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2007, 01:53:14 am »

I was thinking something like this....  and I like the bird!

See, everyone gets their own opinion...

Mike.
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jani

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Color or BW?
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2007, 07:44:43 pm »

Like Mike, I like the bird. I also like the second bird.

The composition is very nearly "it". I disagree with all the suggestions for changes so far; they're only detracting from what I find pleasing with the composition.

What bugs Mike in the sky may be that it seems unnaturally yellowish. I know that sunsets may be very similar to that in colour, but it still doesn't look very good; it seems kind of mushy. Perhaps it helps to change the colour balance a bit; introduce a bit more cyan and blue.

As for cropping, I think what really makes the image, is the symmetry between the girl/woman and the supporting crossbars, combined with the silhouettes and the very bright highlight of the sun.

If you want to try cropping, I suggest you experiment with something similar to this:

[attachment=1711:attachment]
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Jan

mtselman

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Color or BW?
« Reply #8 on: February 01, 2007, 01:53:13 am »

Quote
Like Mike, I like the bird. I also like the second bird.

The composition is very nearly "it". I disagree with all the suggestions for changes so far; they're only detracting from what I find pleasing with the composition.
....
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Jan, thanks for your comments!
I also find it difficult to part with the bird and quite like you crop suggestion. It gives more symmetry to the bridge, thus making the woman a more naturall off-symetry focus point. Or so I see it.
Here is my attempt at a different colour balance and some adjustment to tonal curve. (I think I like the image more when I take a couple of steps away from the monitor.)

 ---Misha

[attachment=1713:attachment]

PS. Randy and Julie, I appreciate you taking time to provide your opinion, even if it's just to say that you don't find the image interesting. I am beginning to discover the realities of having certain emotional attachments to a pitcure (a location, a person in the picture, etc..) which clouds a more objective judgement of the picture. This photo was taken on a trip to Myanmar(Birma) and shows a section of an ancient  kilometer-long teak-wood bridge. It's an amazing place and I have dozens of shots with that bridge. But it would be quite difficult to do a "re-shoot" as Randy recommended. So I'm just trying to get as much out of it as possible and learn a lesson along the way. Thanks for your time guys!
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wolfnowl

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Color or BW?
« Reply #9 on: February 01, 2007, 06:57:22 pm »

There you go, Misha... ask ten different people for an opinion and you'll get ten different answers.  Ask those same ten people a month later and you'll likely get at least five or six different answers from the originals.  Eventually you just  have to come up with something that works for you and some other people will like it and some won't and that's the way it is.  As the saying goes, 'Your opinion of me is none of my business!'

Mike.
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howiesmith

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Color or BW?
« Reply #10 on: February 01, 2007, 07:12:21 pm »

I like Misha's final version.  One more time I point out how "rule of thirds" it looks.  One more oddity.

I thought the bird was  boomerang and should go.
« Last Edit: February 01, 2007, 07:13:14 pm by howiesmith »
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James Godman

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Color or BW?
« Reply #11 on: February 01, 2007, 10:12:10 pm »

I'm not a huge fan of the bird and I prefer the black and white version as I don't think the colors add any meaning.

Good luck!
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jule

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Color or BW?
« Reply #12 on: February 02, 2007, 12:09:52 am »

Misha, Great that you kept the bird if you like it. I think that one of the hardest lessons to learn is to listen to suggestions , and then make a decision ultimately on what pleases you, rather than just blindly going ahead, doing what everyone else says they like - and as demonstrated here - there is usally a plethora of views. I find it is important to try and explore suggestions, but then dig deep and find what really pleases me.

julie
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Jacqui Jay

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Color or BW?
« Reply #13 on: February 02, 2007, 09:52:45 am »

Misha, I like the colour version – after all, what is the point of a brilliant sunset if you can't see the colours? It bothers me a little that the woman is walking out of the photograph to the left, I would have liked to see her walking into the photograph from the right.

Jacqui
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