Yesterday (and today too) we had such unsually mild weather that I decided to hit the trails of our wildlife management area and shoot a bit. It was unbelievably foggy, due to the warmth of the air mixing with the cold snow, and I scared myself a couple of times, because my boots dropping snow behind me sounded like a stalker following me. 0_o Then I realized what it was... DOH! Came upon a place where the water just fascinated me.... the melting snow from the overhead trees created a surface of calm with ripples undulating ..... I spent a good amount of time in this one spot.... This happens to be a favorite from the day.... the shallow dof and the watter ripples created this somewhat dreamy movement behind the branches and that one little bubble.... In any case I'm usually pretty certain when it comes to which works best, but with this one I'm torn..... I like both.... Which do you prefer?

luv the dreamy background for sure! well, you know my answer... color! :]

Without doubt... color.

In this particular case, color. That pale blues gives the image a softness that kind of fades in the b&w. Plus, the brown/red leaves contrasts very well with the background.

i'm really torn on this one Michelle. the one thing i love about the color one are those subtle pink swirls in the water. that really adds to the dreaminess i think. i also love the bw. did you notice that face in your image. upper right. can't tell if it's man or woman, but they're wearing glasses. is that your reflection??? i always see shapes and patterns when i look at clouds, trees, water ripples...anything really. just curious if you see it too and wondering if that's you.... beautiful stuff...both of them!

Like both... but here I would prefer the colour version! I like the dreamy blue and the contrast very much!

Love them both and they both have good points, but I'm going to go agenised the flow I prefer the B&W, I mean if I was in an art shop/gallery and had to choose between which one to buy, just really love the tones of the B&W. Yep The B&W for sure. Kansas is flat! I will take your word for it, oh well it was only a song!

Has to be colour for me :)

I'm gonna stand on the side of LP on this one - I like the B&W version. The mottled blue is really nice on the color version. Very soft, very dreamy as some have pointed out. But I think the leaves and branches don't stand up with it. They seem weak in comparison because of the color - almost intrusive. There is also the form made by the leaves/branches. It's very strong and interesting in itself and as one of my favorite photographers once said, "Form is the enemy of color" (meaning that if something has a strong enough form, color really doesn't add anything to it and if the form is really strong then in many cases color becomes irrelevant). -=>Donald

i prefer the b&w one, donalds explanation is spot on.

Yes..... succinctly put Donald. squeeze And it's probably something my photo professor would have said too. :~) I think your explanation really describes perfectly why I'm so drawn to the BW..... The color I like merely for the color, and in looking at it further I see how the colored background competes with the branches.... Please tell..... which photographer did you quote? Thanks to all for taking a peek and giving an opinion..... appreciate it!

Got to be the B/W one. The leaves stand out and draw you into the stems. Great colours in the colour one, but not the contrast of the B/W one. And yes, there is a face in the top right, strange . Steve : Scotland

'chelle - It was Jay Maisel (I think the actual quote is "Shape is the enemy of color" and if I remember correctly, he was actually quoting painter Joseph Albers). I love Maisel's work. He has an incredible eye for composition, color and form. -=>Donald

I agree with Donald. The form is there and the blue draws the eye away from the leaves. I would go with the B&W if it were mine and I was submitting to a jury. My wife on the other hand likes the color in the leaves. But then again we rarely agree. :) Magick Michael

PS The B&W is more "Michelle".

I'm just happy you had so much fun!

I think the B&W is great for this crop. The colour one explains more what the shot is about though. If colour I would suggest a larger crop, so a bit more of leaves and surrounding area. are in. Not needed for the B&W. Not sure you understand what I think I said.

I understand what you said Doug...... :~)) Not a possibility for a larger crop though.... this is the full frame from the camera. I try to compose in camera as much as possible and limit out of camera cropping to a minimum, so with my images what you see is usually what I saw at the time the image was taken. Sound advice though.... and I do wonder how it would have looked with the entire branch and leaves in the image. But I really like to work my subjects up close.... I often feel that showing the whole of something often feels static, and maybe somewhat boring too.... But that's just me...... :~)

Advice is such a pecular specie.

Well I do agree with you on composing in camera. This is what I try to do most of time. Also why I miss a lot of good shots when there is some action involved. Tell you one thing though... I do really like images that have sections running out of the frame like what you've done here. To me that is a very artistic way of presenting. LOL @ advice.... Moi? Give advice... I only say things I would do.Renmeber...I'm the hobbyist,you're the pro.

I usually go with B&W over color - but, in this case, I "personally" would go with the color version. There is just something very mystical in the blue tones of the colorized version that makes the image "pop" for me, and it is lost in the B&W image [although, I do like both version]. Michelle, as always, you have an amazing "eye" for taking the perfect image BW or Color! Ahhhh, the beauty of art - one image, two version, much viewing enjoyment to all from both photos :] Dee-Marie

I have never been good with choice....both are appealing to Me.

I also tend to crop to full frame, in camera so I get full resolution. But you know what absolutely, positively makes no sense to me and drives me crazy? Both 35mm film and most digital cameras have a 2:3 frame format. That works perfectly with 4" x 6" paper. So why do they insist on making inkjet printer paper at either 8"x10" or 8.5"x11", but no 8"x12" which is the perfect size? The only vendor, with paper that I like, that has anything close is Ilford with their 10" x 12" Galerie Premium paper. I can cut 2" off the side and have 8"x12" paper. :/ -=>Donald

Yeah but try to find a stck frame for an 8x12. Gotta go custom or large and have uneven vertical/horizontal edges. I am a Libra, I need balance!

Epson B (Ledger) 11X17 is close 11/17 = 8/12.36 = 5/7.73 = 22.65/35 I tend to make big fluffy borders anyway.

Yea ... but that's what I mean. It absolutely makes no sense to me. Most cameras in this country are 35mm format. That's 24mm x 36mm, 2:3 format just like most digital SLRs. That format has been the dominant one for 50 or 60 years at least. Why is it that they apparently can't understand that and make ready-made 8x12 paper and frames?

That said, there are two ready-made frame sizes I find to be good for 8"x12" prints. 14"x18" and 16"x20". The first gives you upto 3 inches for your matte border all the way around the image and the second gives you an even 4 inches.

Still, I think going with a custom frame for 8"x12" gives you the best look.

-=>Donald

I have just read that over and over and over....until I wuz giddy Donald...I like it when You talk all those inches too.

HA! I didn't do any encouraging...... :~P

hmm... shrink wrap standard matte => $2.50 Custom => $25 Ever try to fit "standard" blinds on windows? Can't be done.

Buying a custom matte is crazy talk. :) For what they charge, buy your own matte cutter and materials and do your own. Will pay for itself pretty quickly.

I once covered My entire Body in Shrink Wrap....it felt soOoOoooo good!

As you are the artist, it is up to you to decide. What is it that you want your image to say, and what do you believe does it the way you want to communicate it

blink blink Is that who I think it is? Buying your own matte cutter and doing it on your own is great, and will pay for itself, but only if you can cut a straight line. If you have to cut and re-cut to get it right than it becomes an expensive venture..... one of the crooked people

Alpha? one of the crooked people, still with all my fingers, thank you. Tedz? We really need to see a picture of this. Donald needs a new screensaver.

I see we have evolved this thread into matte cutting, they say variety is the spice of life. I can vouch for the Logan matte cutting system, hey if I can cut straight with it anyone can!

I am with you LP - I have been using my Logan [bevel-edged] Cutter for over 15 years and it gives me excellent cuts of mats up to 32 inches [actually, you can even cut larger sizes with a bit of ingenuity] - even a "crooked cutter" can get a straight line with a Logan :]

For little jobs I will still, on occasion, purchase ready-cut mats, but for those special images - I would much rather do it myself on a Logan :)

Dee-Marie

I have what is probably the cheapest matt cutting system Logan made.... think I paid all of $50 for it..... It's obvious I need to upgrade.

You think??? :P

Help! I am stuck in this damn Shrink Wrap! Help!!!

I'd help but I'm having too much fun visualizing you all wrapped up in the stuff.... ;~)

Yep Dee thats the one, an excellent piece of kit.

Tedzo - I told'ja you hafta spray yourself down with non-stick cooking spray before you wrap up or this would happen. Now hop outside and see if you can find someone. Ask them if they wouldn't mind peeling you like a grape ... and try not to giggle when they start. :) Misha - :P Yea ... cutting straight should not be a problem with a good matte cutter. It will take care of that. You only need to know where to start cutting and when to stop to get nice, clean cuts.

No need to call upon My Neighbors...most lie decaying in My Compost Heap...We never got along.... I did in the end attach the Cling Wrap to My Salad Shredder ...and...Woo! Woo! Donald....it's a blast if You are a Hairy Guy, the way the Shredder rips the Cling foil off...You will never need a full wax again. I was wrapped up too tight to be able to Photograph this unique feat....Donald I almost choked....and the camera steamed up....do You know any remeddy under these circumstances....You being a Man of the Wolrd....the Godfather of the Click Click. Manly Hugz.

i choose the b/w version. !!!!!!!!! #:O) !!!! gerhard