Do you like this use of selective coloring?

[ReflectingGrace]

I did not enhance the color of the eyes (this is my 5 month old son). I only sharpened them. i did adjust curves and levels of pictures before destaturating.

His eyes are amazing but I like the shot in B&W better than color. Do you like the selective coloring or is it too weird? i know many dont care for it so im curious.

any other critiques are welcome.

thanks!



nikon D40
50mm f1.8
f4
natural light from window.
exposure 1/60
ISO 800 (must have forgotten to change that!)

[xxpinballxx]

ITs a nice shot but I think the selective coloring of eyes is a bit over done.
Not that they don't look good but it seems everyone does it now.
I think a nice B&W with the eyes sharp and contrast upped on them can come across a bit better and more natural than the tractor beams of the blue eyes.
For some reason it always reminds me of the movie Village of the Damned with Christopher Reeve.
Nice shot though and an adorable baby!

[ReflectingGrace]

yeah, my oldest son has green eyes and its really freaky looking when I do it with him.

i was hoping i could achieve a sweet, "aaaaawh" look......might not be possible with the selective color though.

[xxpinballxx]

Idont think its necessarily NOT an awwwwww shot but mostly cause its a baby!
Its ahrd not to say that....maybe try softening the color down a bit....a bit more pastel looking. Its a strong color of blue. At least you are using it in the right way.
I see some elective coloring that doesn'teven make sense. Like they just picked a random object to color. I think if you use it it has to be to bring the eye towards the subject not something in the background or off to the side of the subject.
Not sure Im making my point clear but hopefully you understand what I am saying...lol!

[ReflectingGrace]

I get what you are saying. i agree that ive seen a lot of SC that is just odd.

better?

[xxpinballxx]

yes alot better....and might even benefit from a bit more.
Now thats just my opinion though...this is something that is more a matter of taste. The execution is fine!

[private]

Here is one that I did a few months ago....What I did was secet the eyes and then desaturate the color and then boosted the saturation a bit, so it looked like what you see...

Sorry to take over your thread with my picture, but I thought an example was best.

[ReflectingGrace]

thats an interesting way to do it! ill play with that too.

i did the layer/eraser method.

I do like my second one better now that I see it.

[private]

I did that also, but when I got the photo just to the blue eyes, that is when I selected and played with the color...

[Aethia]

I dont know, I rather like this picture. Sure, I don't get the "awwww" factor with it, so if that was what you were going for, then that part is wrong. But I like this picture for other reasons, particularly the sharpness of it. It's striking, how innocent the baby looks, but his eyes are telling you a story of knowledge that is in sharp contrast to the rest.

Perhaps you failed in evoking the reaction you were looking for, but you succeeded in another way.