Selective coloring AND Vignette?!?!?!

Rebekah5280 · May 17, 2013

This isn't something I would normally post here.. BUT...

I had a momma and her hubby come to my studio with these beautiful potted flowers and a request to incorporate them into the shoot (these were the same flowers that they used in their wedding). This is one of the things I came up with. I was trying to do something new and the color and print of her dress really camouflaged the flowers, which I wanted to highlight so the best was to do this was to black and white the background and leave the subject colored...

The vignette I usually don't use, but I think that it helps bring the focus to the flowers...

Thoughts??

frommrstomommy · May 17, 2013

Hmm.. I can't decide how I feel about it. lol

Lets see, I can commend you for thinking outside the box, as I know I'd not have come up with this concept.. and it was definitely a creative way to incorporate the flowers as well as the ultrasound photos.. but I feel like its just too busy, and would have been crazy if they'd been in color. I totally get why you did the selective coloring, but its just still too busy to me. Maaaybe use their silhouette behind the flowers somehow, ditch the u/s pics?

Rebekah5280 · May 17, 2013

frommrstomommy said:
Hmm.. I can't decide how I feel about it. lol

Lets see, I can commend you for thinking outside the box, as I know I'd not have come up with this concept.. and it was definitely a creative way to incorporate the flowers as well as the ultrasound photos.. but I feel like its just too busy, and would have been crazy if they'd been in color. I totally get why you did the selective coloring, but its just still too busy to me. Maaaybe use their silhouette behind the flowers somehow, ditch the u/s pics?

I agree, too busy. You should see the original. lol You think THIS is busy.. lol

I did take a single flower and use it for a baby bump photo, which is way more simple and more my style...

BUT... the flower kind of blends in because she was wearing a white shirt.. :/ *sigh* win some - lose some...

frommrstomommy · May 17, 2013

It does blend.. not sure what it may have looked like placed on the bottom maybe? Or like the.. in her hand out in front of her like everyone does the baby booties or something.

Rebekah5280 · May 17, 2013

IDK. Mom really really liked the pictures though, so I guess in the end - thats whats number 1 important. lol

Me, however, will dream about ideas to make this better throughout the evening.. lol

frommrstomommy · May 17, 2013

Rebekah5280 said:
IDK. Mom really really liked the pictures though, so I guess in the end - thats whats number 1 important. lol

Me, however, will dream about ideas to make this better throughout the evening.. lol

Definitely top priority

I do the same.. on the drive home I'm always like shoulda xyz! And then when I'm editing the same thing again. lol

OLaA · May 17, 2013

I feel like the couple in the background comes off as an after thought. I actually wasn't able to make out what it was immediately. I'm not trying to put you down as I you were trying to come up with a solution for a clients ideas, but I don't think it worked. It almost looks like there's the flowers and a black and white picture of a couple placed behind it. I think maybe just shooting the flowers separately would be more effective.

Rebekah5280 · May 18, 2013

Yeah. Sometimes I create elaborate stories in my head and most of the time I can get it to translate well.. this time however.. fail.

Here is one I'm mostly pleased with.

TMC · May 18, 2013

I think the 1st photo would have been better without the sonogram pictures. For me it clutters up a otherwise nice shot and one of the few instances where i dont hate the selective coloring. and if the flower is meant to be the main focus of the image than the vignette works nicely as well.

Granddad · May 18, 2013

I think the vignette, the selective colouring and the photos work, in this instance. What bugs me is the fact that the couple are headless. It took me a while to figure out what I was looking at in the background and that distracted me from the main subject. Kudos for thinking outside the box AND for having the courage to submit a photo with both vignette and selective colouring on THIS forum!! :shock: :lmao:

o hey tyler · May 18, 2013

'Tis not my jam, home girl.

squirrels · May 18, 2013

I wonder if you could have gotten a single curving branch with belly shot, but these orchids don't look like they have that gentle curve. Maybe one was removed from it's stakes? I wish she wasn't wearing that busy skirt.

I'm glad she was happy, and I agree with Grandad.

Qveon · May 20, 2013

o hey tyler said:
'Tis not my jam, home girl.

Yup. Usually use selective color to bring out my entire main subject from the background which you did we'll. just strange someone would request their flowers to be the main subject