# color or bw but.... beware it's a horizontal portrait



## mmaria (May 13, 2015)

ok, I'm aware that many won't like it because... well because of lots of reasons 

anyway


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## Forkie (May 13, 2015)

Colour. 

Definitely colour.

(I love horizontal portraits.  Shhhhh!)


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## waday (May 13, 2015)

Agree with Forkie. Love the color one. Also, I like horizontal portraits!


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## pixmedic (May 13, 2015)

color


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## weepete (May 13, 2015)

Colour, she gets lost a bit too much in the B+W


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## Braineack (May 13, 2015)

more color in the color.


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## D-B-J (May 13, 2015)

Color color color.  Killer image!

Jake


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## vintagesnaps (May 13, 2015)

You seem to be in an experimental mode lately. I like the color better but it made me think of when you're grilling out and get smoke in your face, I just want to clear some of that smoke out! lol Obscures too much for my tastes I guess but interesting.


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## rexbobcat (May 13, 2015)

Color.

The black and white doesn't have enough tonal contrast for me.


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## sscarmack (May 13, 2015)

Guess I'll stand out from the crowd.

Black and white, with more contrast.


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## DanOstergren (May 13, 2015)

I like the black and white as well. One thing I would suggest though is darkening the shadows using a curves layer mask.


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## DanOstergren (May 13, 2015)

Also don't worry about whether a portrait is horizontal or not; horizontal portraits are not taboo, contrary to what a few random people in photography forums say.


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## Vtec44 (May 13, 2015)

DanOstergren said:


> Also don't worry about whether a portrait is horizontal or not; horizontal portraits are not taboo, contrary to what a few random people in photography forums say.



That and a huge amount of negative space.   I happen to like a lot of negative space.


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## sashbar (May 13, 2015)

sscarmack said:


> Guess I'll stand out from the crowd.
> 
> Black and white, with more contrast.



My thoughts exactly, but I am afraid more contrast will not work because of blown areas across the image


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## DanOstergren (May 13, 2015)

sashbar said:


> sscarmack said:
> 
> 
> > Guess I'll stand out from the crowd.
> ...


I think it will work just fine. Contrast can be added without making the highlights any brighter than they already are, and in my opinion the highlights that are already blown compliment the shot rather than detract from it.


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## FITBMX (May 13, 2015)

Forkie said:


> Colour.
> 
> Definitely colour.
> 
> (I love horizontal portraits.  Shhhhh!)



Totally agree on both!


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## Designer (May 13, 2015)

So...it looks like I'll be the first to say there's something across her face.  

That will bring out the "disagrees"!


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## D-B-J (May 13, 2015)

Nominated the color for POTM


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## DanOstergren (May 13, 2015)

Designer said:


> So...it looks like I'll be the first to say there's something across her face.
> 
> That will bring out the "disagrees"!


But there *is* something across her face. Why would anyone disagree with that?

And besides, obscuring the face isn't a bad thing for a portrait.


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## Dave442 (May 13, 2015)

I like the color version, the bright colors.........and then the face.


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## mmaria (May 14, 2015)

Forkie said:


> Colour.
> 
> Definitely colour.
> 
> (I love horizontal portraits.  Shhhhh!)


yeah.... me tooo....... shhhhhhhhh...   



waday said:


> Agree with Forkie. Love the color one. Also, I like horizontal portraits!


 so glad 



pixmedic said:


> color


 ok


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## mmaria (May 14, 2015)

weepete said:


> Colour, she gets lost a bit too much in the B+W


true 



Braineack said:


> more color in the color.


 oh lol, I did desaturate colors in color



D-B-J said:


> Color color color.  Killer image!
> 
> Jake


  Glad you like it!


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## mmaria (May 14, 2015)

vintagesnaps said:


> You seem to be in an experimental mode lately. I like the color better but it made me think of when you're grilling out and get smoke in your face, I just want to clear some of that smoke out! lol Obscures too much for my tastes I guess but interesting.


 lol
still thanks for sharing your thoughts 



rexbobcat said:


> Color.
> 
> The black and white doesn't have enough tonal contrast for me.


 yeah, I understand



Designer said:


> So...it looks like I'll be the first to say there's something across her face.
> 
> That will bring out the "disagrees"!


  I was planning to title the thread "Oh God, there's something across her face"  




Dave442 said:


> I like the color version, the bright colors.........and then the face.


 Thanks for your words Dave


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## mmaria (May 14, 2015)

sscarmack said:


> Guess I'll stand out from the crowd.
> 
> Black and white, with more contrast.


hm.... you just don't want to make things easier for me!!!
 




DanOstergren said:


> I like the black and white as well. One thing I would suggest though is darkening the shadows using a curves layer mask.


Yeah... at first I did that, but then it seemed that the contrast is too contrasty and pull the viewer away from her face...



sashbar said:


> sscarmack said:
> 
> 
> > Guess I'll stand out from the crowd.
> ...


hm... I was thinking similar when I was doing bw version



DanOstergren said:


> sashbar said:
> 
> 
> > sscarmack said:
> ...


 But, our eyes are more attracted to the areas with the strong contrast, in this case the area right on the picture is problematic because blown out highlights aren't that small. In the color version that isn't much of a problem, but in bw, would that be a problem? 

oh idk....


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## mmaria (May 14, 2015)

D-B-J said:


> Nominated the color for POTM


oh!!!  (speechless)



DanOstergren said:


> Also don't worry about whether a portrait is horizontal or not; horizontal portraits are not taboo, contrary to what a few random people in photography forums say.





Vtec44 said:


> That and a huge amount of negative space.   I happen to like a lot of negative space.





DanOstergren said:


> Designer said:
> 
> 
> > So...it looks like I'll be the first to say there's something across her face.
> ...



I love horizontal portraits, love tones of negative space, love framings etc. I've read enough of "horizontal portraits is not a proper portrait" kind of comments and when I posted the photo I just wasn't in a mood to listen more about that.


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## Designer (May 14, 2015)

mmaria said:


> I love horizontal portraits, love tones of negative space, love framings etc. I've read enough of "horizontal portraits is not a proper portrait" kind of comments and when I posted the photo I just wasn't in a mood to listen more about that.


If that is all you are hearing, then you are missing something.  That might be what other members have written to you and others, but apparently you have missed the reason that the comment was made.

In case you have never read that comment by me, I will try to explain: The times I usually object to "horizontal portraits" is when the photographer includes too much negative space on one or both sides of the subject, *for no apparent reason*, while often at the same time cropping a portion of the subject's head, or cropping the body at an unusual place. In shots such as that, I will suggest that the photographer turn the camera. Or even shoot wide and crop to vertical later.

I have seen many portraits in horizontal format that are simply adorable, and it is usually because the photographer has framed the subject exquisitely with good balance to the overall composition.  There is a thread here with that theme.  Worth a look, if you have not seen it.

Your example here is not objectionable, and you have heard no objection from me in that regard.  The only reason I did not nominate it for POTM (long before D-B-J did) was because there is something in front of her face.

So you see, it's not always automatically a bad thing to frame a headshot horizontally.  BTW: the background is the thing that makes framing this in horizontal format make sense.  

I hope that helps.


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## mmaria (May 14, 2015)

Designer said:


> mmaria said:
> 
> 
> > I love horizontal portraits, love tones of negative space, love framings etc. I've read enough of "horizontal portraits is not a proper portrait" kind of comments and when I posted the photo I just wasn't in a mood to listen more about that.
> ...


Ok Jim... this is a misunderstanding.
The sentence I wrote wasn't aimed at your comment (I actually thought your comment was funny and I respond to your comment in the previous message) it was aimed at Dan's and vtec's comments. It's my fault I haven't deleted the comment that Dan quoted from you.

I have never had troubles with your comments and I'm always glad to find you in my threads.


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## manny212 (May 14, 2015)

Color on this !


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## bribrius (May 14, 2015)

color.
creative.
it is "okay". Guess i am impartial on this one.
I do like the display of some creativity.
Thanks for posting.


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## bribrius (May 14, 2015)

vintagesnaps said:


> You seem to be in an experimental mode lately. I like the color better but it made me think of when you're grilling out and get smoke in your face, I just want to clear some of that smoke out! lol Obscures too much for my tastes I guess but interesting.


sorta with you. Little less could be more. Especially covering her.  It is semi interesting though.


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## jovince3000 (May 14, 2015)

DanOstergren said:


> And besides, obscuring the face isn't a bad thing for a portrait.



You just killed every classic-composition maniacs out there.

Very interesting picture, congrats on nomination =)


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## DanOstergren (May 14, 2015)

mmaria said:


> DanOstergren said:
> 
> 
> > sashbar said:
> ...


I think perhaps you're overthinking it, and putting too much emphasis on the "rules". Blown highlights, clipped shadows, and not following the rule of thirds does not always mean the photo is bad. My eyes went straight to hers regardless of any of those elements.


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## DanOstergren (May 14, 2015)

jovince3000 said:


> DanOstergren said:
> 
> 
> > And besides, obscuring the face isn't a bad thing for a portrait.
> ...


I know, so scandalous!


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## mmaria (May 15, 2015)

manny212 said:


> Color on this !


  thanks 



bribrius said:


> color.
> creative.
> it is "okay". Guess i am impartial on this one.
> I do like the display of some creativity.
> Thanks for posting.





bribrius said:


> vintagesnaps said:
> 
> 
> > You seem to be in an experimental mode lately. I like the color better but it made me think of when you're grilling out and get smoke in your face, I just want to clear some of that smoke out! lol Obscures too much for my tastes I guess but interesting.
> ...


ok bri, thanks


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## mmaria (May 15, 2015)

DanOstergren said:


> I think perhaps you're overthinking it, and putting too much emphasis on the "rules". Blown highlights, clipped shadows, and not following the rule of thirds does not always mean the photo is bad.


 you're right. I need to relax a bit.



> My eyes went straight to hers regardless of any of those elements.


 thanks for telling me that!


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## frommrstomommy (May 15, 2015)

I like this a lot.. the color version.


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## annamaria (May 16, 2015)

I like the color Maria, and I tend to like shots that are unique and out of the norm.


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## Donde (May 16, 2015)

She looks very ghostly. I like the color version too and just the way it is.


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## mmaria (May 18, 2015)

frommrstomommy said:


> I like this a lot.. the color version.


thanks for telling me Bonnie 


annamaria said:


> I like the color Maria, and I tend to like shots that are unique and out of the norm.


  I'm not sure that this is unique but thanks  Anna Maria 



Donde said:


> She looks very ghostly. I like the color version too and just the way it is.


 thank you Donde!


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