O'Haver Lake Grasses

[John E]

Shot on a very cold pre-dawn October morning, up above Salida, Colorado, USA, at just over 9,000 feet altitude. I used a cooler white balance in the color version to bring up the blue in an attempt to convey the cold feeling. However, once I converted to B&W (with SEP 2.0), I kinda liked the 'unreal' feeling of it all. Yet, is my conversion too severe?

Thanks all for looking.

John E

[Walt Roycraft]

John, I like the B&W version a lot, but I think maybe doing a blue toning will bring back the cool feeling.

[Jeremy Roussak]

No, it's not too severe; and I much prefer the B&W to the colour version.

Jeremy

[John E]

@Walt - good idea, how about this?

John

[John E]

@Jeremy, thanks for the comments. Just out of curiosity, what is it that you don't like about the color version - maybe, been there, seen that?

Thanks.

John E

[sdwilsonsct]

Hi John,
I like the colour version. How did you get this background?
Scott

[John E]

I'm feeling a bit dense today, Scott, not sure I understand your question. The blue is O'Haver lake, with the far shore just peeping thru at the top of the pic. You can just make out the reflections of tree trunks at the top of the shot. Zat what you meant?

John E

[sdwilsonsct]

I'm feeling a bit dense today

Me too. 
The background has great colour broken into a nice geometrical pattern suggesting tiles or squares. Perhaps this is waves (something horizontal) and the tree trunks? Whatever the source, it adds a new twist to the subject.
Scott

[John E]

Scott, thanks for the explanation. Nah, what you're seeing are the patterns made by the reflections of the trees on the far shore. There was actually only a hint of a breeze that chilly morning (thankfully), and the water was relatively smooth at this point (got some nice rippled water reflections of far shore aspens in later shots).  As I recall, there's also just a hint of fog in the upper portion of the shot.

John E

[Walt Roycraft]

John, I like that blue tinted version very much. I'd say it's a keeper.

[Jeremy Roussak]

@Jeremy, thanks for the comments. Just out of curiosity, what is it that you don't like about the color version - maybe, been there, seen that?

John,

I don't dislike the colour version; but for me, it lacks much dramatic impact. It's a pleasant photograph, one I'd be quite content to have taken, but it's nothing special.

The b&w adds interest, contrast, a bit of drama. The grasses - the subject - stand out more from the background, which is good. That said, I really like the blue toned version, which captures both the drama and the colour. It might be improved by emphasising split toning, so the white of the grasses is less affected by the added blue.

Jeremy

[John E]

@Walt - thanks for that, I need to do a bit more tinkering before I print, as it appears a bit purple to me.

@Jeremy - thanks for the explanation.  Re: the blue toning, I just went into LR 4.1 and applied copious blue toning to the shadow areas. I did notice the muting of the whites at the same time, and I will need to go back and work on that too.

Thanks to all for your comments and suggestions.

John