Does selective color work here?

[sleist]

I don't often use it and usually hate it when I see it used, but it seemed (to me) to work here.
Please tell me:

1. It rocks
2. It sucks
3. Meh.
4. What was the question?

 

[Destin]

Its ok. I'm not a big fan of selective color, but is one of the more tasteful attempts at it I've seen. Doesn't do anything for me, but I don't dislike it either.

 

[sleist]

Its ok. I'm not a big fan of selective color, but is one of the more tasteful attempts at it I've seen. Doesn't do anything for me, but I don't dislike it either.

OK then - a definite "meh"

anyone else?

 

[J.Wolfe]

Selective color should be done in a way where it enhances the photos context/meaning. Most of the time people apply selective color to an arbitrary object 'just cause'

I feel that's the case here. Now is it tacky or awkward? No, I think its well done, and the photo itself is nice. Just the selective color does nothing extra for me...

 

[sleist]

Selective color should be done in a way where it enhances the photos context/meaning. Most of the time people apply selective color to an arbitrary object 'just cause'

I feel that's the case here. Now is it tacky or awkward? No, I think its well done, and the photo itself is nice. Just the selective color does nothing extra for me...

I agree with what you say, but the problem is I have yet to find an instance where selective color is accepted as a good choice.
I have seen it used many times and I rarely feel that I would have used it in those photos.
This is the one of the only times I thought it might work in one of my own captures, yet it still seems to be a universally disliked processing technigue.

It seems to be hated as much as HDR, but I do think there are times when both techniques are done well.

I'll count this as "It sucks"

 

[Mike Lamb]

I like the color but maybe crop off most of top a little of bottom so its all engraving.

 

[DiskoJoe]

I think it works here because if you didnt tell people they wouldnt know.

 

[Big Mike]

It's not offensively done here, like it often is...but I don't think it's really helping, or doing anything special.

To me, the subject of this photo should be the engraving...the texture...the very shallow DOF and how it spans a few lines of text. That is the interesting part of the photo. The leaves, to me, are just a distraction to that....and by selectively coloring them...it creates a confusing image/message.

I think that an all-too-often forgotten aspect of selective coloring, is selective de-coloring of smaller parts of an image. For example, if the stone was left in color, I might be temped to desaturate the leaves (not all the way) just so that they don't distract as much from the more interesting parts of the photo.

 

[Choppography]

I wouldn't have realized it was selective color if you hadn't said anything. It kind of looked like the lighting you had to work with to me.

 

[sleist]

Thanks for all the comments. Interesting thoughts.
I will post another version tonight based on what was said here.

Thanks for looking!

 

[bazooka]

Mike, I'm with ya.... I've found selective desaturation can make images really pop. I like to desat a small spectrum of color, usually yellow or red.

As for this image, I wouldn't have known it was selective if you hadn't mentioned it. I don't understand what you're trying to communicate here as the leaf and the stone/engraving don't seem to be related except that it places the stone outside... perhaps in the fall or winter. Is that the link? Is it a headstone?

 

[Derrel]

I think that the selective color is battling with the selective focus, and that the two have fought to a virtual stalemate.

 

[Big Mike]

I think that the selective color is battling with the selective focus, and that the two have fought to a virtual stalemate.

Well put. I think that sums up what I was thinking.

 

[sleist]

Here's the shot prior to bringing it into Silver Efex.
The LoCA could not be removed by Capture NX2, on of the few times I couldn't with that application.
That's why I went momochrome, but I missed the yellow of the leaf.
My blue toning makes the yellow more stark and that may be why some think it competes with other aspects of the composition.

And desaturated with a different crop:

Well, thanks for your feed back everyone.
Much appreciated.

Steve

 

[Big Mike]

I find that with the desaturated image, my eye is wondering around the photo, checking out the details in the stone. On the earlier version, my eye was almost locked onto the leaf.
So I think that the desaturated image is an improvement.