To snow...or not to snow?

[AtuspidsGoddess]

...I tried out combining two images and wanted to get an opinion...to snow...to snow with the perception of "Depth"...or not to snow at all?

I kind of feel like having the two larger spots makes the middle pic have a bit more depth than the first which seems a bit flat? Or am I just better off without the snow at all?:meh:

 

[Jace]

I say no to snow. It just.. doesn't look like snow, especially on the child's face.

 

[MissCream]

I agree.

 

[AtuspidsGoddess]

....hrrrm....so if I wanted to keep the snow...how could I fix it to make it more realistic?...or no chance?

 

[FattyMcJ]

I'm actually going to dissent to the previous opinions...with a stipulation. You go back in and fix the snow with some motion blur in photoshop. Directional motion blur and even some gaussian blur would really make it look more ... well ... real. You got the idea right with multiple size "flakes" giving them pseudo "depth"...now just blur it like it should look and you'd be gold. That's just talking about the snow though....the photo itself seems a bit too "mug shot" - ish. Too straight on.

Just my $0.02

Edit: This is the only photo I could think of off the top of my head, from one of my contacts on Flickr. He shot his wife while it was lightly snowing with off-camera flash. If you look close, you'll see the motion blur "ahead" of the actual flakes...which is a whole different issue, think of that blur, but behind the flakes...and you'll have it.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5290/5324689136_5b65d42dba_o.jpg

 

[rlemert]

I like the last one without the snow best, and I think it's because the snow looks too artificial in the others. It looks like you painted snow flakes on a clear piece of plastic and held it in front of her with no depth at all. Plus, the flakes look too hard-edged. If they were softer and more all-around her, I might change my mind.

 

[SrBiscuit]

I agree with fatty...if you wanna go with snow you'll HAVE to blur it. Don't go extreme with the motion blur...I might try gaussian, and see how it looks.
It should look a bit more like bokeh than snow IMO. Various sizes, opacities, blurriness....I think you're on the right track. :thumbup:

 

[AtuspidsGoddess]

Thanks for the input guys! I'll try a few different things to see if I can make it better...I did initially try the motion blur and didn't get the kind of result I wanted...but will try the gaussian and see...will post update soon!