What do you think?

[maintcoder]

Submitted for your discerning comments, I took this photograph for a work assignment. I titled it "My favorite things...". Let me know what you think, especially between the color and black and white options...

Thanks in advance for the feedback!

 

[Pilgrim]

Both of them look good, but the warm temperature color of the light really makes the foreground on the color photo pop!

Let me guess: you shot this with available light in the late afternoon, about 30 to 60 minutes before the sun set, and the window on the right side of the photo points west. Correct?

 

[maintcoder]

Thanks, Pilgrim.

I actually took this picture last night at 10PM using halogen spot lights set to the right. One was pointed up to create enough reflected light off the white ceiling and the other was pointed across the 'scene' to give the dramatic shadows.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Jack Vettriano ...

bk

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

I like black and white

For a vintage looking photo. But in this case the technicolor looks good too. Nice job!

 

[Pilgrim]

Good for you!! You fooled me.

I just looked it up, and I had forgotten that many standard halogen lamps are about 3000 degrees kelvin. I thought they were closer to 4000 Kelvin. Been too long since I was setting up lights for video productions. I used to have color temps of most common lights memorized.

That accounts for the warm colors of the objects in the foreground and the drinks.

NICE work!

 

[Andykev]

The color one

The color shot is much more "sultry"?...or prevocative. It shows things in a very warm and sensual way...the man and woman, in the backgroung, against volumes of books, sophisticated....with the hat, cigar, martini glasses...class. And the pool balls, and the shadows. You shot a great scene.

 

[J. M. Stovall]

Between the two I like the color one better, great color saturation. Maybe if the black and white one had a little more contrast it would pop, it's just a little flat.

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

The colour pic is better in principle - the b/w is a bit expressionless -, but it looks uncomfortably 1980's.

Don't get me wrong: the picture itself is nice!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Color gets my vote. :eusa_clap

 

[CharlieH.]

I'll agree with most folks here and say that the Kodachrome looks better.

 

[John in Covina]

The B&W needs more contrast.
The background seems flat.
The foreground is too busy. (Especially too many billiard balls.) Simplify.
You need to follow the rule of thirds for the composition to bring power to the components.

But it is a good start.:eusa_clap

In color it works a bit better, think film noir and strong specific lighting for black and white. Black and white's lighting is crucial to evoke a mood, and when it is right it evokes the mood better than color.

Try backlighting the man & woman and also from very high or low angles.

Once more with feeling!

 

[mysterygal]

The color one...the glasses look especially great. I have to agree with John that it is a little too busy..maybe get rid of the dancing couple or remove the pool table but have the glasses nearby with the couple

 

[John in Covina]

Close up: edge of billiard table, 1 billard ball, hat, 1 Drink and couples' hands clasping each other, so you just see a little bit of their sides as they lean together. Side lit foreground, maybe straight on from slightly above background?

 

[mysterygal]

nah, keep the two glasses...it gives the picture more of a romantic feel..then with them dancing...perfect:eusa_clap

 

[John in Covina]

nah, keep the two glasses...it gives the picture more of a romantic feel..then with them dancing...perfect:eusa_clap

Then the glasses need to be close together as one element, which can be indicative of the closeness on the couple.

 

[mysterygal]

no no no....on both sides to frame the couple

 

[maintcoder]

Great ideas all, and I toyed with many of these ideas in earlier attemptes before settling on this composition. Anyway, for what it is worth, here's what the assignment was...

The company I work for wants every employee to submit a photo for the 'Wall of Culture'. The photo should exemplify something about you. My composition frames the things I enjoy: cocktails, cigars, billiards, and hats - the foreground. But as we look deeper past the foreground, we see a close relationship with a wonderful woman which places those 'things' in perspective. Without the relationship, these things in the foreground have no real context. And finally, everything is contained within the comforts of a home. It is a bit abstract, I must admit and a stretch in using the rule of thirds in a fore/mid/background sort of way.

Also, I completely agree the black and white lacks real punch from diminished contrast of having a color picture greyscaled, but that is what they are going to put on the wall. If I had known that, I would have shot some PlusX to really provide the pop.

Thanks again for the comments!

 

[John in Covina]

Ilford

I used Ilford B&W film and really liked them, but that's a zillion years ago.