Expecting twins - full color or selective color?

[mandyatm]

I took maternity pictures yesterday and this was one of my favorites. I planned to do selective color on it, but the butterflies are somewhat transparent and her skin shows through. I am not sure if this helps or hurts it. Also, should I lighten the shadows behind the butterflies? thanks!


50mm
f/3.2
1/25 sec
ISO 200

[Saralonde]

I'm not too fond of selective coloring except in a few cases, so I'd have to say I like the color one better. You're right about her skin showing through on the selective color image. It kind of throws the lavender shade off. What really grabs my eye first in both shots is the white blanket because of it's brightness. Perhaps you could crop a little of it out on the right side.

[PhotogChic]

I agree about the flesh tone on the top butterfly and the skirt or blanket...

I would love to see a B&W!

[lputman]

I would have either the color version or a complete B&W. I'm not a fan of selective color either.

[zona5101]

i like the full color version

[private]

Since you like selective color, maybe you can desaturate the purple so its not so prounounced... I would also change the crop or selectivly reduce the red filter on the blanket so its not so bright.

[mandyatm]

It's not that I like selective color, I just though maybe it might look interesting in this picture. The mom and my husband thought it was really cool, but I was kinda leaning towards the full color one myself. Here is another edit with it cropped closer and the brightness reduced on the blanket. And also one in all b & w.

[AvasMom]

I guess im the only one who likes the selective coloring. I think even with the skin tone showing in the lavender, I still really like the result. My second pick would be the full black and white one.

Either way its a great idea in any color!

[PhotogChic]

I really do like the selective color photo. I hope you don't mind, but this is what I came up with...

I decreased the saturation, increased the vibrance, upped the exposure almost 1/3 of a stop, used the auto tone preset in LR, decreased the clarity and cropped it slightly to get rid of some of the white blanket...

what do you think?

EDIT: I noticed that you had this as a 5x7 so I recropped the photo with 5x7 ratio and adjusted the curves (Lights +17, Darks -4, medium contrast)
Exposure +0.23
Fill Light 7
Blacks 7
Contrast +22
Clarity -87
Vibrance +54
Saturation -73
Post Crop Vignette:
Amount +100, Midpoint 26, Roundness -100, Feather 30

I hope that you aren't offended...

[srt]

I really like the full b/w the best.