Selective color C&C

[BlueMeanieTSi]

I did a surface blur to her skin because she's 12 and plays 4 different sports, her skin is always bruised and scratched up so it is a bit "airbrushed".

4x5 crop with more blur on the water:

 

[unpopular]

What about 4x5 crop in landscape?

I know what you mean by bruised up kids. Sometimes when he's wearing shorts, I'm afraid that people will think we beat my son's legs!

 

[BlueMeanieTSi]

 

[unpopular]

Ok. I think the bottom line is that there is just too much headroom, and not enough in the foreground.

 

[DiskoJoe]

So then as long as the client's needs are met, we're all suposed to ignore an image's shortcommings?

I'm not the customer.

Paying clients interests, happiness and payments trump your critique any day of the week. Not that your opinion is not a good one but money talks and youre doing a lot of walking.

 

[Jaemie]

I like the last version. The crop works well, imo. For my daughter, I'd do the selective colour, but I'd discuss with her the reasons it's generally considered an artistic horror. I'd forego the surface blurring and any other cosmetic adjustments; sports-related bruising is a sign of physical prowess.

 

[BlueMeanieTSi]

I'm not sure it really matters to a 12 year old what "adults" think about selective color, to me that's like saying "I understand you want to be creative but...here's how it's supposed to be done"

I'm not going to limit her artistic expression.

 

[Juice]

I'm not sure it really matters to a 12 year old what "adults" think about selective color, to me that's like saying "I understand you want to be creative but...here's how it's supposed to be done"

I'm not going to limit her artistic expression.

Exactly. I had never even heard of the anti-selective color movement until I joined this site. I think what happened was a few established members here made comments about it, then the rest of the sheeple who don't know any better blindly jumped on the band wagon, causing the selective color stigma to evolve into what it is today.

 

[snowbear]

Personally, I think selective color can be effective, especially in advertising, but it needs to bring attention to the main subject. I have done a couple of them the old way - oil paint on a silver (or analog) print. But a lot of those that I see now seem to be done without any thought of the what the subject is, such as backgrounds and peripheral objects, not to mention the attempt to use SC to "improve" what is a poor shot.

Of the 4x5 crops, I think I like the portrait orientation a little more than the landscape version.

 

[unpopular]

I'm not sure it really matters to a 12 year old what "adults" think about selective color, to me that's like saying "I understand you want to be creative but...here's how it's supposed to be done"

I'm not going to limit her artistic expression.

... why exactly did you post this image for critique?

 

[unpopular]

Exactly. I had never even heard of the anti-selective color movement until I joined this site. I think what happened was a few established members here made comments about it, then the rest of the sheeple who don't know any better blindly jumped on the band wagon, causing the selective color stigma to evolve into what it is today.

I started hating selective color when I first saw it when I was about fifteen. Aside from perhaps Schindler's List, I have never seen it used in any way that promotes anything aside from the technique, which is an easy way to make an image look impressive and unique without much effort at all.

 

[unpopular]

So then as long as the client's needs are met, we're all suposed to ignore an image's shortcommings?

I'm not the customer.

Paying clients interests, happiness and payments trump your critique any day of the week. Not that your opinion is not a good one but money talks and youre doing a lot of walking.

What a load of rubbish!

Just because the client wanted something does not validate the image, and what the client's views are should not come into consideration in critique. The question is if the image is successful, and all I remember of the original is bright a magenta-pink headband. I don't even recall the girl's fashion sense being outlandish or original, only brightly colored. I barely even remembered the girl.

While it's great that the client was happy, that has nothing to do with the image! And frankly, I'm hearing a lot of whining comming from the OP that others seem to have ignored... a lot of "oh, I know that selective color is inherently obnoxious ... but what about the rest of the image?" if the OP wanted a critique of this image and it not be about selective color, then he or she ought to have posted a different version.

I keep hoping to see "good" selective color, one that actually promotes the image. But I have yet to find it.

 

[IByte]

I started hating selective color when I first saw it when I was about fifteen. Aside from perhaps Schindler's List, I have never seen it used in any way that promotes anything aside from the technique, which is an easy way to make an image look impressive and unique without much effort at all.

There was an old post named "Coffee" that used SC effectively.

 

[BlueMeanieTSi]

Sorry, just whining through.

 

[BlueMeanieTSi]

I'm not sure it really matters to a 12 year old what "adults" think about selective color, to me that's like saying "I understand you want to be creative but...here's how it's supposed to be done"

I'm not going to limit her artistic expression.

... why exactly did you post this image for critique?

Just to get you wound up.