Making decisions, feed back please, 2 choices

ginger_55

Making Decisions

What A Wonderful World:







Shrimp Boats:




I started doing the blk and white conversion as per Andy's instructions, added some of my own touches, etc. I came up with a version of "What A Wonderful Day" that I like.

Meanwhile, I do have Shrimp Boats on the Challenge thread already. I would love a print of this myself. I wouldn't mind one of the blk and white version of what a wonderful world either. So I am back into asking my friends, fellow competitors, and anyone who drops by.

Which of these two photos do you like best?

(You might wonder why I don't just go and relax. My sister is in Miami, and I am in Charleston, SC. My only working TV is a 13" in here, right next to the computer. So I do spend time in here.............watching the storm's path)
Painting a photograph is more relaxing and less fattening than eating. It has led me to where I am, two very possible entries. Please weigh in.

ginger (I couldn't get on dGrin, database error, could get everywhere else, including googling "database error", but since I didn't have a code........... I took a nap, and I am baaaaaaaack, as is dgrin. I worked this new version up.
All I can do, I am going to take a look myself at the difference. Can't bring the blk man out anymore, that is it, and brought the ice cream man out as much as possible. This is also lighter)

gubbs

Ginger
if its any help I prefer the first one, whilst i like the second one I find it difficult picking out a focal point. The shrimp boats are all a little confusing and all blend together. I should add that my screen at work is a little dark!

ginger_55

mine, here, is a little dark. I work something up in PS, bring it down, and it seems to get darker, in addition to the screen problem.

Both look a tad dark to me.

Does the What A Wonderful World" look dark/light enough??????. I tried to bring back a bit of the lighter tones to the man with the baby. With my monitor it is difficult to tell.

I do know that I did not like it until I tried ways such as Andy uses for blk and white. In other words, it needs a certain amt, a full black in it. A problem being that the focal point is a black man against a background that is in about the same tonal range.

You all who have worked with blks against backgrounds, well Damon's blacks are blacker and clearer. The face on my black man is not terribly defined. I was, after all, shooting at 1600 ISO in the middle of the afternoon, and outside.

So I have worked with it. And I know I am not seeing it as bright as some might be. And you aren't either??

I am so tired of this stuff, but sitting here, it is something, this darn storm.

ginger

tmlphoto

ginger_55 wrote:

mine, here, is a little dark. I work something up in PS, bring it down, and it seems to get darker, in addition to the screen problem.

Both look a tad dark to me.

Does the What A Wonderful World" look dark/light enough??????. I tried to bring back a bit of the lighter tones to the man with the baby. With my monitor it is difficult to tell.

I do know that I did not like it until I tried ways such as Andy uses for blk and white. In other words, it needs a certain amt, a full black in it. A problem being that the focal point is a black man against a background that is in about the same tonal range.

You all who have worked with blks against backgrounds, well Damon's blacks are blacker and clearer. The face on my black man is not terribly defined. I was, after all, shooting at 1600 ISO in the middle of the afternoon, and outside.

So I have worked with it. And I know I am not seeing it as bright as some might be. And you aren't either??

I am so tired of this stuff, but sitting here, it is something, this darn storm.

ginger

Ginger I like the wonderful life one, but it looks dark to me as well. The man with baby blends into the background. I think you really need to see his face very well for this picture to work. Maybe playing around with the levels and possibly highlight/shadow tool or curve the lightness channel to correct.

snapapple

Good morning Ginger,
This thread is a good idea. I spotted it right away. I love "It's a Wonderful World" in Black and White. I have a very bright monitor and I think both of these pictures are a little dark. Besides the black man's face being dark, the ice cream vendor is pretty dark, and so is the girl on the right in the group. It's not extremely bad, but it could be brought up just a touch.
The shrimp boats are very dark too. I don't think brightening them will help all that much in making them distinct, however. There is just such a huge mass of masts. The marsh is also a little dark. I think it's a beautiful picture. It's a landscape mostly, so the focal point is not critical, but the average person may not be familiar with shrimp boats. (the title helps here) The whole picture would be improved by a little brightness. And, maybe it's just me, but is the horizon tilted down slightly on the left?
So, after brightening both pictures, what do I think. For a challenge picture, I like "Wonderful World". I think it tells a wonderful story. When I saw it this morning in B&W, I just stopped short and said "Wow". It's terrific in B&W. The landscape doesn't have the "Wow" factor -- for me. Just my humble opinion.
Snappy
PS. In this case, I like the frame.

ginger_55

Well, I am going to whine. I don't have a darkness/shadow thing, it is on
PS CS.

I turned my monitor up Made it brighter and lighter, I never know what we are seeing. I know I am not seeing what Snappy and Andy are seeing.

I will eat a piece of bread and peanut butter and try messing with it again.
I know everyone likes that shot better. I used to show it in color, but the face didn't stand out then either, and I thought it was a bit of a jumble. This is "street" photography after all.

At least the words are correct, though I am not sure that my credit is written correctly.

ginger

You all stand by, I will tell you when I get a new "improved" version.:D