2005-03-07: Two versions of this shot, which do you prefer? I'm posting both because a friend told me I should stop posting everything in black and white :) personally it's all about contrast for me but the colour one is interesting, maybe I'm too obsessed with tone.
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Comments
Jordan
I like it better in B&W. The eye is always naturally drawn to red, and in this case the the central (red) part of the plant doesn't share the symmetry and form of the (green) splayed leaves. In your B&W rendition, though, this red part takes on a low (and very non-distracting) value. It definitely looks like a plant in colour -- in B&W it is something much more interesting. Just my two cents.
2005-03-07
orange
I think the are both fantastic. I am really having a hard time picking a favorite, however, the color one is the winner in my book. Great contrast between warms and cools.
2005-03-07
ArC
Oh, the colour one is fantastic! I prefer it by far; the vivid colours pop it out from the dark background.
2005-03-07
Nick
I love it in colour. I don't like the black and white because it looks like a lame Photoshop filter and lame Photoshop filters upset me. I love. Love. Love the colour.
2005-03-07
The Dancing Poodle
Yep, I'd have to go the colour version. The background BW one sort of blends in to one big blur, whereas the colour version has punch and vibrancy edge to edge.
2005-03-07
Ted
The colour one seems the mot interesting to me. The squirly white bits are a bit too distracting in the B&W i think.
2005-03-07
nao
Is it a delicate and beautiful photograph.
2005-03-07
Alec Long
For this kind of photo, color wins it for me. But that's not to say I don't like the B&W, too.
2005-03-07
laanba
The color one! My eyes popped when your site loaded up and I saw that burst of color. I think your friend is right! Thanks for throwing in a vibrant color photo now and then.
2005-03-07
Mydepiction
Can I pick both ... I like the top one because of the lovely colors but the one is also good because it focuses on the weird form this plant has.
2005-03-07
Martin Taylor
I think the color shot emphasises the form better in this shot. Usually B&W, with the removal of the distraction of color, emphasises form but that's not true in thie case. The composition seems much more pulled together, easier to read and coordinated in color.
2005-03-07
Stephen
There's something intriguing about this shot - no matter how much I seem to look at it, I get the feeling that there's something unreal about it... I think it is the way some of the slightly out of focus squiggly bits look - they seem to float on top of the other elements in the photo, almost as if they were added in after the fact. Very interesting effect.
As for which one I think works best, my vote goes to the colour version. Both are very good but in a case like this where you've got some cool colour and it adds depth to the shot, why not use it :-)
2005-03-07
Christian
I prefer the coloured one. But when you post portraits, b/w is most probably the best choice. It always depends on the subject. :-)
2005-03-08
Susan B.
I usually lean toward black and white for everything, including your work. But for this shot, I'm leaning toward the color shot (or colour in your neck of the woods). Mostly because the tip of the red and green bud is so black and contrasty that it becomes lost in the black and white version. Also, the color version seems to have a lighter, more carefree and fun feel than the black and white, since the color really makes the details pop.
Either way. Both are terrific.
2005-03-08
istvan
b&w ;)
2005-03-08
RainKing
Color, for sure. I like how all the colors mix up here, and I think the B&W version misses that.
2005-03-08
James
Colour colour colour. And usually I'm not into shots of plants but these are cool, nice abstract effect going on.
2005-03-08
BigA
You know I was going to say the color one without question, but looking athe B&W one now I'm not so sure. I'm drawn to B&W as a rule so I know it can be tempting to just go with some color now and then. Guess I can't make up my mind. The Big question is why did you dump pot noodle all over the plant in the first place?
2005-03-08
btezra
~I am COMPLETELY biased towards b&w so my choice is quite evident...~
2005-03-08
alex
Something like this would usually look better in colour, but I actually prefer the black and white ;)
2005-03-08
Pramesh
Hey Miles, I'd have to say the colour composition is better in my opinion. It's great in b/w, but i feel it loses something. The colours in the photo are what make the composition come alive!
2005-03-08
Shaky
The black and white is more striking. It sounds like your friend has a very different view of your art.
2005-03-08
miles
Interesting, thanks for all your opinions! I do like the colour version, I just think the contrasts in the b+w are what makes the image interesting to me, but it's good to know what other people see in an image. Thanks!
2005-03-08
Samantha
I like the color one, but I think the vibrancy is almost distracting. In b&w the natural patterns are more visible.
2005-03-08
miklos
Coloured version for sure. FOR SURE..
Awesome shots.
2005-03-08
Thomas Pindelski
B&W works best where there is an absence of clutter. Here color makes sense of the clutter.
2005-03-08
Nick Lewis
The colour one works best for me!
2005-03-08
Liisa Anderson
Both shots look great, but the b/w rather emphazises the shapes and lines, the "construction", whilst the colored emphazises the "life" of the plant. I have to say, in this case I prefer the colored one though the b/w is fascinating too
2005-03-08
Ed Little, Jr.
BW...
2005-03-08
smart
defienetly color. I see B&W without life in this case
2005-03-08
thefriend
See ... i told you.
2005-03-08
miles
:p
2005-03-08
Robert
I guess the divergence of opinion here is telling. What it's telling, you got me.
One more vote here for the color.
2005-03-08
miles
Scott's added a cookie to the comments so it should remember who you are now.
2005-03-08
frisky?
wicked colours man!!! and finally added the cookie for comments! nice.
2005-03-08
miles
yeah, I should have done this a lot sooner, we'll add the ability to not have the cookie written asap.
2005-03-08
JYOSEPH !
This is totall rockin miles. Love the first one!
2005-03-08
suseu
colourful rulez for me :)
2005-03-08
henning
Color is better.
2005-03-08
djn1
colour, definitely.
2005-03-08
Colour is definitely best, it brings out those wierd tendrils better. What is this plant?
Mum
2005-03-08
miles
I was hoping you could tell me! It was in a hot house conservatory. I imagine the tendrils are part of some parasite plant perhaps?
2005-03-08
ed
b&w...b&w...b&w...b&w...b&w...!!!!
2005-03-08
Nancy
IMO, the b&w rocks. I love the contasts, it is more about the spirally things...abstract. The color makes it more obvious it is some kind of plant, the redish part messes it up for me.
2005-03-08
cliff
I love them both, but I feel there is more to look at in the color version.
2005-03-08
piccolo
where are the swans on here meels? i see the b+w one but where are the coloured ones? hey i put the monk in the AIPP's today and i saw hundreds of prints but not a lot as good as yours!! what kind of camera will we get rube so he can be like you one day?
2005-03-09
piccolo
oh, the black and white was always going to be good but the colour just has that fresh, bright snap of energy that sets it apart. More to the point though it is so appropriate for this subject, which of course is a good reason/excuse to lash out and do a bit of colour!!
2005-03-09
miles
Swans in colour are here:
http://mute.rigent.com/index.php?ladat=2004-11-05
I will talk to you later piccolo!
2005-03-09
fredrik
i'd go with the b/w shot (though i like'em both). neat!:)
2005-03-09
john
definitely the b&w...
2005-03-09
miles
I knew I could rely on some people to see it my way :)
2005-03-09
Hapal
I like the b/w better, but the colour in the other one is almost just as good!
2005-03-09
john
Miles - the mono version is simply more powerful. You probably already know what I'd do with them... :)
2005-03-09
Patrick
Personally, I love b&w photos. I get a lot of my friends telling me to post more color as well, but hey, its your site, you do what you like! I really like this pic, no idea what kind of plant or flower it is, but it looks great!
2005-03-12
David
All right! Black and white is making a comeback - I'll add my vote.
2005-03-23
Robert Simpson
As a black and white guy, I say that this image falls in the colour camp - not by much. When I use colour, I like it to be the main attribute. I think it is in this case, by just a bit.
Seems I'm in the minority. B&W purists might have me burnt at the stake, but what the hell.
2005-04-03
lardawg
I have to say that I like the color one better but just because it lends itself to that. But let me just comment that the man who taught me black and white was a White House photographer and he drilled into my head," if you can't learn to see black and white you will never see color." It is so true. I just have to say you do some of the most emotional b&w that I have ever seen and I have seen alot. Keep up the good work I am going to book mark your page. I am thinking of buying a 20d would like to talk to you about it.
2005-04-04