# A Piano and a Rose



## eric-holmes (Jan 31, 2010)

Black and White or Color?


----------



## Whootsinator (Jan 31, 2010)

While I think black and white is overused, it looks really good here. Great picture.


----------



## DubbinTy (Jan 31, 2010)

Both nice but im going to agree my eyes are enjoying the black and white one a bit more.


----------



## Wingutcg (Jan 31, 2010)

I personally like the black and white better, but i think it would look really cool if the the rose was in color and the piano stayed B&W.


----------



## y0aimee (Jan 31, 2010)

The 1st pic in b&w is nice, although I wish there were more contrast.

The 2nd pick I would prefer more if the rose and keys were kept in color while the rest of the piano was b&w.  Might be interesting to edit it that way.


----------



## WimFoto (Jan 31, 2010)

i'd vote for color. 
i like how the red of the rose matches the color of the piano. in my eyes anyway.


----------



## hower610 (Jan 31, 2010)

I am a fan of selective coloring, I think it would look good with the rose petals in color and everything else black and white.


----------



## mom2eight (Jan 31, 2010)

Color!


----------



## mrmacedonian (Jan 31, 2010)

Wingutcg said:


> I personally like the black and white better, but i think it would look really cool if the the rose was in color and the piano stayed B&W.



I thought so too! Quick edit, just desaturated the image around the rose.


----------



## IgsEMT (Jan 31, 2010)

I think they might be a bit underexposed.
not particular liking BW, try boosting the red channel in it - might give the flower more of a KICK. However the color one looks much nicer. Nonetheless the colored version seems VERY red/warm.
I've been a fan of selective color for very long time perhaps the colored photograph is the candidate for such manipulation.
Good Luck

*EDIT*:
and as I was typing it, someone DID selective color - much better IMO.


----------



## ChenXiaohui (Jan 31, 2010)

I personally like the color one better.


----------



## Bitter Jeweler (Jan 31, 2010)

Eric, you know my thoughts on selective color. I also know you won't be offended by my comments.

Selective color doesn't always "work". It doesn't work for this image. It really makes this image weak. It just looks like a super imposed red flower on another image. Selective color creates such strong center of interest that the rest of the image just doesn't matter. Can it get any more cliche? Also, with the rose being on the left, your eye stops there and the rest of the image is just dead.

As has been suggested before why not try slightly desaturating the rest of the image to draw attention to the rose, without smacking the viewer over the head with it? What happened to subtlety? Why does the rose have to be super saturated?

My question to everyone who just loves selective color...Why? What about it grabs you so much? Does it add anything to the commentary of the image? What does it say to you?


----------



## pcacj (Jan 31, 2010)

I like the colored rose on the B/W piano.  Never get tired of seeing this type of photo.


----------



## eric-holmes (Jan 31, 2010)

Bitter Jeweler said:


> Eric, you know my thoughts on selective color. I also know you won't be offended by my comments.
> 
> Selective color doesn't always "work". It doesn't work for this image. It really makes this image weak. It just looks like a super imposed red flower on another image. Selective color creates such strong center of interest that the rest of the image just doesn't matter. Can it get any more cliche? Also, with the rose being on the left, your eye stops there and the rest of the image is just dead.
> 
> ...



I believe we have the same thoughts about selective coloring. I am simply not a fan of it at all. I believe the reason I do not like it is because it seems like everyone with a point and shoot who edits the pictures on picnik feels they need to selective color their image. But that's just how I feel about it. When I get home I may try to slightly desaturate the image while leaving the rose. What are your thoughts on the image itself Bitter.


----------



## Bitter Jeweler (Jan 31, 2010)

pcacj said:


> I like the colored rose on the B/W piano. Never get tired of seeing this type of photo.


 
Why?



eric-holmes said:


> What are your thoughts on the image itself Bitter.


 
I think it could be better with the rose, in focus, farther down the keys. The keys would be leading lines taking you to the rose. Where as now, like I said above, the rose is the first thing you see, on the left of the frame, and you need not wander farther into the image. 

My thoughts. Here's a grain of salt "."


----------



## mJs (Jan 31, 2010)

I like the black and white best... the color is just a bit too  much... or how about not quite fully black and white?  like this:


----------



## pcacj (Jan 31, 2010)

It simply appeals....nothing deep in why I like it. Simple contrasts combined to make one image.  Same as a hot fudge sundae (hot and cold).  I also never get tired of sex and that is something I have had the good fortune to have lots of (thanks to my willing wife).


----------



## eric-holmes (Jan 31, 2010)

I enjoy that edit except for the color of the rose. Maybe if it was more red and less pink.


----------



## mJs (Jan 31, 2010)

eric-holmes said:


> I enjoy that edit except for the color of the rose. Maybe if it was more red and less pink.



That can be done...


----------



## Bitter Jeweler (Jan 31, 2010)

pcacj said:


> It simply appeals....nothing deep in why I like it. Simple contrasts combined to make one image. Same as a hot fudge sundae (hot and cold). I also never get tired of sex and that is something I have had the good fortune to have lots of (thanks to my willing wife).


 

Hmmm...I don't know why you found it appropriate to bring your sex life into this, but I am deeply sorry that your sex life is simple and cliche.


----------



## eric-holmes (Jan 31, 2010)

Lol oh wow


----------



## shmne (Jan 31, 2010)

I enjoy the color, however the angle of the piano is throwing me off. The problem is the edge of it takes you right to the end of the photo, some people enjoy this but in my experience it will take the viewer right off of the picture. 

Also, I feel the flower is a bit too saturated. A very slight drop in saturation and increase of darkness to it would make it a middle point of saturation *meaning the piano keys are black and white, absolute dark and bright. Nothing in the "gray" range* Not really a fan of the selective color one myself, lately that has been getting more and more on my "do not do" list.

For the angle bring the camera down a bit as well, I feel like it is too high up.


----------



## Craig G (Jan 31, 2010)

Nice but I'd rather see the color version on a black piano.


----------



## eric-holmes (Jan 31, 2010)

I also think a red rose on a black piano would look nice. I just don't know where one is... But I will keep that in mind.


----------



## c.cloudwalker (Jan 31, 2010)

When I see a rose, I usually want to see color and it is the case here. I don't think the B&W works very well.

Unfortunately, I don't think it works very nicely in color either because of the color of the piano itself. I think it would work better with a black piano. Of course, that is just my taste.


----------



## pcacj (Feb 1, 2010)

Bitter Jeweler said:


> pcacj said:
> 
> 
> > It simply appeals....nothing deep in why I like it. Simple contrasts combined to make one image. Same as a hot fudge sundae (hot and cold). I also never get tired of sex and that is something I have had the good fortune to have lots of (thanks to my willing wife).
> ...



Funny .  I must inform my wife that we need to spice things up.  As you detected, my reference is to your expression that the red rose on the B/W piano is cliche.  Just because we see it a lot doesn't mean we shouldn't like it or repeat the process.  New and creative photography is great and I appreciate those that are always pushing the edge to find new ways of expressing themselves, but I hate to banish something appealing because it has been done before.


----------



## AliasPros (Feb 1, 2010)

no bueno on the selective coloring either, but also would have been nice to see a long single stem of the rose follow the rest of the keys over to the right would have added nice dimension and also more movement utilizing the rest of the space on the right... we they just out of long stem roses? This one looks like it could have no stem at all from the pic, just a humble thought, everything aside its a clean pic...


----------



## eric-holmes (Feb 2, 2010)

Thank you for the input and comments.


----------

