What’s Your Preference?

ElCapitan · #1 (**permalink**) 02-07-2011, 05:00 AM

Stopped at this really interesting house (really it looked more like a shack) of these very nice people out in the Tennessee country side. They had 2 massive pigs, 2 wonderful dogs, and several other animals running around the yard. This one smaller dog was missing its front right leg from getting hit by a car. It was sitting on the porch just asking to be photographed.

I used my Canon 70-200 because I am really enjoying the shallow DOF it is giving and I think it does a great job of separating the subject from the background. I just worked on these tonight, and I usually go back to images several times to tweak based on suggestions and also just sleeping on it for a night or two to come back to it with a fresh mind. I have also been on a B&W kick lately, but one of my problems is determining if B&W is the best for the photo, or if it should be kept in color. There are times when a photo will work better in one or the other, but sometimes it just comes down to personal preference. Would love to hear some opinions/

EXIF:
Canon 5D MkII
Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS USM II
200mm
f/2.8
1/320
ISO 100
No Flash
Full Manual
No Metering
RAW

I'll still go back and tweak things tomorrow or the next few days, but would love opinions on whether to keep it in color or B&W. I'm leaning to B&W right now, but I am in love with B&W right now.

cristen · #2 (**permalink**) 02-07-2011, 07:29 AM

i like the one in color. b&w should add more drama, but i didn't feel it here. maybe just the conversion? a bit darker would worked for me.

iLight · #3 (**permalink**) 02-07-2011, 07:36 AM

I'd go for the colored.

windrider86 · #4 (**permalink**) 02-09-2011, 12:59 PM

Both are gone???

autofocus · #5 (**permalink**) 02-09-2011, 01:13 PM

Both are nice, but the color version works better for me. B/W's need a strong subject that stands out from the background. In your photo, I believe the dog kind of gets lost in all the tones of the background whereas he really stands out in color. In the B/W image, I also find my eye is drawn to the shredded couch and away from the dog...less so in the color version

digirebelva · #6 (**permalink**) 02-09-2011, 01:21 PM

I like the b&w, with the color my eye keeps wanting to go to the ripped chair, with the b&w less so, it's more focused on the dog

ElCapitan · #7 (**permalink**) 02-10-2011, 03:54 AM

A new version of the B&W. The first one was before I got around to tweaking it for B&W. This one has a lot better contrast and to me focuses on the dog a lot better.

Indigo November · #8 (**permalink**) 02-10-2011, 04:04 AM

I feel like I should like the b&w better, but the conversion just doesn't do it for me.
I like the color version better of the two you presented, but I feel that a more dramatic b&w conversion would suit the image well.