Playing with Vignettes

[SCraig]

I'd appreciate some C&C on these since I can't decide whether or not I like the effect. I think I like the gray but I can't decide whether it's too strong or not. On my monitor it looks about right but it may vary greatly depending on what it's viewed on.

What do you guys think?

Original Shot ...

Gray Vignette ...

 

[luvmyfamily]

Great shot 1st of all. It is preference IMHO. I mainly photograph people, so I use Vignettes quite often.

 

[Frequency]

Vignette gave the impression of "Flight across the Sun"... but personally i love the plane white b/g.

Regards

 

[SCraig]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the input. I shot that yesterday and the sky was totally featureless. It's not blown out, there was just plain nothing there. No cloud texture, nothing to break up that expanse of light gray stratus. I normally like high-key and low-key shots but felt like this one need "Something" to break up those expanses of white nothingness. I don't shoot people much so I haven't used vignettes much and thought it might help. I agree that it's personal preference but I can't decide whether this person likes it or not

 

[PaulLambeth]

Excellent shot. I much prefer the all-white background, I think because it shows the blankness and isolation of the environment the birds are in. It also gives it an anonymity. You did well to get a featureless background, so make the most of it.

 

[Joel_W]

I agree with Frequency, I much prefer the 1st picture. Extremely well composed which is something that birds are notorious for not allowing one to do very well.

 

[SCraig]

Sounds like the majority so far prefers the original high-key shot. Thanks, I appreciate the input as I am really undecided. Joel_W having shot birds enough to know how unpredictable they are I quit trying to compose in-flight shots long ago. I try to shoot wide enough that I've got room to compose later yet close enough to retain detail and even that is difficult most of the time. These were wheeling around my head in a big group so I had an opportunity to shoot a number of shots.

 

[Fishpaste]

Did you remove the second shot? I can't see it.

The first one, I presume, looks awesome!

 

[SCraig]

Did you remove the second shot? I can't see it.

The first one, I presume, looks awesome!

Yes, sorry. I was messing with some files on the web server and deleted the wrong file. I didn't even realize it until I saw your post, thanks for mentioning it. The file is back now.