Hamltnblue Loc: Springfield PA

Also, did you consider trying a single file HDR?
I ran your updated version through Aurora HDR (30 seconds), then put it through ON1 dehaze preset.
Lots more detail came out.

(Download)

hassighedgehog Loc: Corona, CA

Black and white looks too artificial. No reflection in water is that mirror like.
As one comedian says. "Happy wife, happy life." Don't make a war out of opinions.

Don's Leica Loc: Asheville, NC

I like the color photo.

Carolinamax

Both are lovely however, after the rework my vote is with the color version.

photophile Loc: Lakewood, Ohio, USA

I like both versions, nice details shown, not confusing at all.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

I just saw the rework of the colour version. It's awesome!

Stephan G

If the marriage rests upon one singular disagreement, I say go file now!

The issue will devolve into the proverbial shaving the table leg to stop a wobble. Same results.

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

I’m in this camp.

dakotakid53

Hello! I've been to the Ranch and photographed it many times. Beautiful place! Your color shot is not that bad - all things you mentioned considered. BUT, your B & W treatment is gorgeous! Look at the myriad shades of gray and all the detail! There's so much more to look at in this image. It has depth and interest. Well done!

WAstinkbug Loc: Silverdale, WA, U.S.A.

I finally took the time to set up a profile on the forum just so I could help save your marriage! :-D (I've been meaning to do it for awhile, actually.)

While I was doing that and being sidetracked by a request from a son to scan old grade school pictures... a ton of people have weighed in. So ... here's my two cents' worth (likely redundant).

I love the color over the black and white. The blues and golds together are so rich and a beautiful foil for the white statues. I also thought it would be nicer to just bring up the shadow in the reflection enough to enhance detail, without making it distract from the top portion of the photo. Also... I liked what you showed in the original. The curves in the ceiling lines and reflection are interesting. Lastly... bumping up the vibrancy or saturation just a tiny bit might be attractive ... but I'm a big believer in striving to make photos look as much as possible like what we remember seeing ... so not too much if that's how it actually looked. Only you know that.

I'm just an amateur who loves to take pictures... but that's my feedback. Also... while getting comments from others can be helpful and what we're doing here... it might be fun if your wife took photos of her own on the same trips and did it the way her eye directs her. Then you can have the fun of comparing at the end. I recall a gal in my travel group making a comment after we exchanged some photos ... "It's like we were on different trips!" That's the beauty of photography. <3

Spiritrider Loc: Yuba City California

I like the B&W ,it would have been interesting to shoot this with a wide angle lens.
Maybe your wife just does not like almost sereal look of the photo.