Beginner Colour, B&W or Toned?

Jim_Tod

Jim_Tod

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Jim
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Would appreciate some critique on which of these you prefer and why. I think the base portrait is fine but would welcome critique on that also please.

I was planning on it being a colour but decided I've cocked up with the white background (that's what happens when the newbie portrait tog gets a hilite- white, white and more white- got some darker ones and a stand on order). My post processing skills aren't yet up to altering the white background so I thought I'd look at the options of B&W or cream toned to minimise any background issues. All part of the great learning journey.

Alice CLR by Jim Tod, on Flickr


Alice BWL5 by Jim Tod, on Flickr


Alice CT by Jim Tod, on Flickr
 
I think they’re much of a muchness Jim. What’s your problem with the background?

I will add though, a slightly higher camera position and short lighting would both be much more flattering to your subject. There’s more to this lighting lark than ‘enough’ light.
 
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The first thing I would note, Jim, is that it would be somewhat
a more flattering portrait when you could direct Alice to face the
camera in a more direct way. The vale could be less tight around
her face — that would even soften more the portrait and give it
some highly desirable gentle shadows.

I like the higher key rendition of these as it softens her traits and
helps reveal the very fine details of all her facial features.

The soft pastel tones and the blond hair marry very well. I think that
you desaturated the colours and forgot to replace the chrominance
values resulting in a tad too light versions of both monochromes.
 
Phil V said:
What’s your problem with the background?
Click to expand...

Phil
Honestly I don't know for certain- just don't feel that it focuses me fully on the subject- in hindsight i think a darker background with that scarf colouring might help hold the colour one together but I might be wrong- will try again when my daughter is out of her sick bed and feels up to it.

Thanks for the comment on the camera position and alternate lighting. I'm just getting into the studio lighting side and portraits and I'm reading up and trying to implement it- finding it very intresting. I've got a friend coming around in a few days to model for me and I'm currently trying to plan out the image I want and plan the lighting now rather than my current approach of set it up, take images and see what you get maybe moving the light about a bit. I've even started practising on still life subjects for the lighting- as a mainly landscape /occasional wildlife photographer to date, it feels strange to be thinking that much about the light before getting near the shot as often in the field you can only plan to a certain level however the final quality of the light is not really in your control- this idea of being totally in control of the light is nice- just have to learn what to do with that control.
 
Kodiak Qc said:
I think that
you desaturated the colours and forgot to replace the chrominance
values resulting in a tad too light versions of both monochromes.
Click to expand...

Thanks Daniel- will aim to have some model positions to try as well as some lighting ones.. On the chroma- not totally sure what you mean- I've looked up chroma and it baffles me. I can get HSL properties but not sure where I would adjust chroma in LR or PS.
 
Kodiak Qc said:
•
I like the higher key rendition of these as it softens her traits and
helps reveal the very fine details of all her facial features.
Click to expand...

:agree:
 
Jim_Tod said:
Thanks Daniel- will aim to have some model positions to try as well as some lighting ones.. On the chroma- not totally sure what you mean- I've looked up chroma and it baffles me. I can get HSL properties but not sure where I would adjust chroma in LR or PS.
Click to expand...

You can adjust the brightness of each colour channel in HSL, which is what I think Daniel is talking about.

Personally I prefer the slightly lighter rendering of the pure mono because it has lightened some of the less pleasing shadows and reduced the fine hairs on the top lip. The skin tones of the colour have a very 'classical painting' look to me, and give a pleasing portrait to a non-portrait photographer.
 
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