Same Image - Two Versions: I'm having trouble deciding which of these versions I prefer. I'd be interested in your feedback.

rdgreenwood Loc: Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

I'm having trouble deciding which of these versions I prefer. I'd be interested in your feedback.

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photophile Loc: Lakewood, Ohio, USA

rdgreenwood wrote:

I'm having trouble deciding which of these versions I prefer. I'd be interested in your feedback.

I like the second version better for this scene.

rdgreenwood Loc: Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

photophile wrote:

I like the second version better for this scene.

Why? (That's a question, not an argument.)

amersfoort

I prefer the B&W it isolates the subject better. The colour version looks a bit overcooked to me.

There is a small dust spot towards the top left corner. Remove that and it will make a good print.

Can I ask you what you did to produce the B&W?

rdgreenwood Loc: Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

amersfoort wrote:

I prefer the B&W it isolates the subject better. The colour version looks a bit overcooked to me.

There is a small dust spot towards the top left corner. Remove that and it will make a good print.

Can I ask you what you did to produce the B&W?

Great spot on that dust spot!! I thought you were nuts, having printed the image and not noticed the spot, but when I really, really searched, sure enough there was a dust spot there. I've removed it. Thank you.

I processed the image with Nik filters, first developing the color HDR, which is low key but not "overcooked," then going into Silver Efex Pro 2 and choosing a filter from their menu--I think it was "Yellow" or something like that. In that filter I enlarged the reach of the vignette.

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

rdgreenwood wrote:

I'm having trouble deciding which of these versions I prefer. I'd be interested in your feedback.

Hi, RD,
Your first image strikes me as a documentary image taken by an officious County Agricultural Roadside Weed Control Officer, that has been post-processed skillfully for use of maximal possible tonal spectra. Such documentary images usually do not receive much pp, the SOOC image usually sufficing it’s purpose.

The second is an image of striking fine art qualities. A restricted tonal spectrum provides creative and artistic emphasis on the foreground mixture of weed grasses set against the background’s confirmation of the agricultural setting. You have excellent composition with subtle adherence to a diagonal trend of pertinent details.

These are my opinions and I’m stickin’ with ‘em!

Good job!

Dave

R.G. Loc: Scotland

#1 is fine but looks like just another photo, whereas #2 looks like an illustration from a book that has an accompanying story.

Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

If both images had the same type vignette it might help with your decision....for me both are nice presentations of an image I would have been proud to have taken, I will note there is haloing evident at nvd...

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

Is it really so important to prefer one over the other? If you like both equally, don't choose between them - keep both! I think both versions are visually different enough to coexist. Perhaps not different enough you would want them displayed side by side, but displayed on separate walls, on different album pages, etc. should be okay.

rdgreenwood Loc: Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

You all have given me a lot to think about, and I appreciate your comments. Thank you very much.

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

rdgreenwood wrote:

I'm having trouble deciding which of these versions I prefer. I'd be interested in your feedback.

Apples and oranges here. They are the same photo; but treated completely different. I'm with keeping both. They both have their good points. I like the reality of the first shot and I like the mood that is portrayed in the second shot. Either way I noticed that the silo is not quite vertical. I think I would fix that first and then maybe decide. Although, as was mentioned, they are both nice shots and I don't really see the need to choose between them.
Erich

rdgreenwood Loc: Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

ebrunner wrote:

Apples and oranges here. They are the same photo; but treated completely different. I'm with keeping both. They both have their good points. I like the reality of the first shot and I like the mood that is portrayed in the second shot. Either way I noticed that the silo is not quite vertical. I think I would fix that first and then maybe decide. Although, as was mentioned, they are both nice shots and I don't really see the need to choose between them.
Erich

Thank you.

photophile Loc: Lakewood, Ohio, USA

rdgreenwood wrote:

Why? (That's a question, not an argument.)

To me in the first version the foreground seems over emphasized, in the second version that impression is reduced by the effect you used.

rdgreenwood Loc: Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

photophile wrote:

To me in the first version the foreground seems over emphasized, in the second version that impression is reduced by the effect you used.

Interesting. Thank you.

Jim-Pops Loc: Granbury, Texas

rook2c4 wrote:

Is it really so important to prefer one over the other? If you like both equally, don't choose between them - keep both! I think both versions are visually different enough to coexist. Perhaps not different enough you would want them displayed side by side, but displayed on separate walls, on different album pages, etc. should be okay.

Agree