'Did I toast enough?' C&C please

[Boomn4x4]

I just don't think that shot works as a B&W. In order for a bw shot to work for me, it has to have distinctive contrast differences. The main subject is salvageable, but you've got that girl in the background that is very blah... and takes away from it. Notice how the the luminace of the skin tone clashes with the luminace of the coat which clashes with the luminance of the background, that whole half the the photo is very flat.

You'll notice the opposite to be true of the main subject in the left half. There is a lot of contrasting going on, in her jacket, you have the dark shadows from her hair and hat, you have the strong contrasting background with the trees and the sky, the shiny skewer stands out quite well....these all come together to make for a good shot.

The left half of the shot is interesting, the right half is quite bland... The phrase, "A chain is only as strong as its weakest link" can also be applied to photography.

 

[Ken Rockwell Fan]

The sky looks blown out to me and her right hand is blurry. Cute girl though.