Opinions please

JamesK

JamesK

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Name
James
Edit My Images
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Afternoon.

I've not taken a photo for a good few years and thought I'd get back into it.


Im pretty out of touch now, I used to be able to gauge if a photo was overdone or not but I'm struggling here.

So my question is...

Black and white or colour?

Do you think they are overdone, bearing in mind I was going for a kind of high contrast look?

IMG_1225b&w by James Keeley, on Flickr

IMG_1225-2 by James Keeley, on Flickr
 
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Opinion on… James?
 
B&W always for me for this type of picture i.e. portrait of an "older" person (male or female).
I might also try a slightly darker B&W version, and maybe tone down the highlighted forehead (right side)?
Matt

ps - is it a selfie :)
 
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Colour works best, not only portraying the skin texture (as the B&W does) but the skin quality as well ... adds a lot IMO. :)
 
I'll sit on the fence with this one.

I'd agree with toning down the highlight, but it does show how bright the light was.
 
I like both, and also the apparently harsh lighting - you have controlled highlights and shadows well in both images.
 
I like both too. Both could have their uses if they were hanging on the wall and then you choose which one is best suited to that area/other photos.
 
The colour one shows why he`s squinting and I`d guess it was the hard sun and the tone of his sun kissed skin tells that it is.
I do like the B&W one though and it also shows a difference that there is sun but not so much imo.
 
I like them all... even the sepia.....

I remember in the50's we had an old bearded chap with grizzled face that made a good living going round all the London art schools as a model... even the life classes.
I am sure generations of Photo students, like my self shot him numerous times. and he appeared every year in student exhibitions of all kinds.

Such faces alway favour the high texture direct lighting and sharp focus yours exhibits.
 
I am afraid the sepia is not sepia :) I did those back in the early 1980s before I gave up photography. It needs much more colour (or I need a different laptop). At best it is just a bit stronger than the warm B&W agfa papers could produce (back then).
 
the original B&W for me, tells a story just looking at it
 
I think it's a fantastic portrait - once I opened it up on Flickr and saw it at a good size - what you posted was far too big for my 1080p Monitor (excuse to upgrade).
I don't think it's overdone at all and really makes me think of his age, history and perhaps struggle.
 
I'm drawn to the original black and white one, a photo that tells a story without words.
 
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