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02-27-2014, 08:20 PM   #1
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Colour or B&W
Camera: K-3 

Did my first ever "street" shooting while hanging around Brisbane's Southbank on the weekend. It's weird just walking around and taking photos of people, could tell some didn't like it and I guess I was a bit intimidated by it. But I can't decide what I like better, Colour or B&W? Some images work better either way, but some I am torn, especially the night time ones. I liked what I was seeing with the colours and the darkness giving a really good contrast, but this also makes good B&W images too...

1. 2.

3. 4.

5. 6.

7. 8.

Thoughts? Opinions? Also go for it with general CC...

---------- Post added 28th Feb 2014 at 01:22 PM ----------

Also CC welcome on some of the rest...

9. 10.

11. 12.

13. 14.

15. 16.

17. 18.


Last edited by dcBear78; 02-27-2014 at 10:52 PM.
02-27-2014, 09:42 PM   #2
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I really like # 3 and 4. Both look great. I think the black and white vs. color is more of a personal preference type characteristic. IMO you should use whatever you think is better for the photo. Great Job!
02-27-2014, 10:53 PM   #3
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Just realised with my posts being combined I had the same lot of numbers... Re-numbered now.
02-28-2014, 04:58 AM   #4
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Awesome set--definitely love the colors in #1 and #3; otherwise you lose that Lichtenstein vibe. (I also love #13 as a monochrome, though it might be that you just can't go wrong with a blonde sheila in the frame.)

02-28-2014, 08:24 AM   #5
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That is a lot of photos to critique! Regarding the first set, I think the colour and black and white completely change the mood of the photo. I prefer the more upbeat colour versions.
For the whole other series.. I won't go through each photo, but they are all pretty great. Nice and sharp with a thought for composition. I especially like the colour ones with the trees and the night fence with bokeh. Huh, I guess I prefer your colour photos! But the black and white ones are by no means bad
03-03-2014, 04:33 AM   #6
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Some it works better than others, and do like more B&W shots more than most,
but saying that, the one sticks outs for me is the colour one of the arches and pink flowers.
03-03-2014, 10:33 AM   #7
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In the first set I would keep the first image in color and the rest in B&W. I would maybe lighten the shadows in all of them.

03-03-2014, 05:40 PM   #8
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For the first set, I'd say leave all of them in color. None of them to me has a clear "subject" specifically pointed at in the photo, which imho, means that the photo itself is then the subject. If that's the case, I feel like the color is a huge aspect of it (especially within #1 and 5 where the color only made me notice details I wouldn't have even picked out in the b&w). Number 8 looks good either way, tbh, but I again feel like the lack of colors is drowning out the possibility of the band being the focal point - perhaps a shallower DOF would have made b&w even better? That's assuming the band was your focal point, anyway.

In the second set, #13 looks great in b&w. I feel like 9, 11, 12, 14 would be better off in color. The pictures have a lot filling the frame and I had a hard time noticing what, exactly, was in the picture. Between 13 and 15, and I doubt it's a competition, but I like 15 the best. I feel like 13 had its contrast lessened - it almost looks real estate HDR-ish. I think they're saturated fine, but... I can't put my finger on it.
03-04-2014, 08:03 AM   #9
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Thanks all for the valuable feedback... General consensus on the top ones (the ones I needed the help with the most) is the colour ones are generally better.

In these shots the people were not the focus. I was taken by the vivid colours and artwork/murals on the walls. So it would make sense that the colour ones reflect what I was seeing and aiming at. Plus that one with "Bottle Shop," to those non-Aussies this is our local term for a liquor store, although this is a bar. I thought it to be a clever name for a bar.

---------- Post added 5th Mar 2014 at 01:06 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by reverenddude Quote
For the first set, I'd say leave all of them in color. None of them to me has a clear "subject" specifically pointed at in the photo, which imho, means that the photo itself is then the subject. If that's the case, I feel like the color is a huge aspect of it (especially within #1 and 5 where the color only made me notice details I wouldn't have even picked out in the b&w). Number 8 looks good either way, tbh, but I again feel like the lack of colors is drowning out the possibility of the band being the focal point - perhaps a shallower DOF would have made b&w even better? That's assuming the band was your focal point, anyway.

In the second set, #13 looks great in b&w. I feel like 9, 11, 12, 14 would be better off in color. The pictures have a lot filling the frame and I had a hard time noticing what, exactly, was in the picture. Between 13 and 15, and I doubt it's a competition, but I like 15 the best. I feel like 13 had its contrast lessened - it almost looks real estate HDR-ish. I think they're saturated fine, but... I can't put my finger on it.
Just for you...



I'm starting think the colour ones are better... Except 13 in the OP. That is much, much better B&W.

Last edited by dcBear78; 03-04-2014 at 11:50 PM.
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