Ghost town, Colorado (Nevadaville)

[JakPot]

This shot was taken in an old mining town in Colorado called Nevadaville. It was a neat little town to walk around and shoot. I couldn't decide if I liked the color version or the B&W version. I think the B&W fits the town better, but the colors were so vivid, I couldn't decide, So what do you guys think??

You won't hurt my feelings on any negatives you find. It will only help my next attempt! Thanks in advance :D

http://www.jakepotts.com/potn/Potts_Extra.jpg

and the b&w (with a very slight sepia tone)
http://www.jakepotts.com/potn/bw.jpg

[jde95tln]

I like the B/W best.

[JakPot]

...thanks, now why?

[jde95tln]

I don't know it gives it that old ghost town feel in B/W, and I think on the color version my eyes are drawn to the center of the photo to the very brightly lit pile of dirt. My eyes wonder over the B/W more looking at all the debris.

[Molnies]

I agree with jde95tln, the colored version doesn't give an impression of a ghost down and the focal point is of no real interest. The B/W version is much nicer, cleaner and creates more of a mood.
The photo looks a bit over sharpened and a bit too much post-production for my taste, but that's probably just me.

[JakPot]

I don't know it gives it that old ghost town feel in B/W, and I think on the color version my eyes are drawn to the center of the photo to the very brightly lit pile of dirt. My eyes wonder over the B/W more looking at all the debris.

thanks! that's much more helpful.

I agree with jde95tln, the colored version doesn't give an impression of a ghost down and the focal point is of no real interest. The B/W version is much nicer, cleaner and creates more of a mood.
The photo looks a bit over sharpened and a bit too much post-production for my taste, but that's probably just me.

I'm tending to agree more & more that I look at it. It's one of those shots that I've looked at too much & needed more input.

It may have been over sharpened because I did apply a second round of sharpening after I resized for web. I've got a few versions running around, and even a printed version that looks nice.

[Molnies]

I'm tending to agree more & more that I look at it. It's one of those shots that I've looked at too much & needed more input.

It may have been over sharpened because I did apply a second round of sharpening after I resized for web. I've got a few versions running around, and even a printed version that looks nice.
I know what you mean, looking at your own photos too long can make you go crazy, it's always hard (at least I find it so) to judge your own photographs when you've looked at them for extended periods of time.

This is one of those photos, the B/W one, that I imagine looks much better printed, preferable on matte paper. And yeah, that sharpening after resizing is probably what I'm picking up on, I mean I'm sure you know it but things like sharpening should always be done on the original size and not resized versions.

[JakPot]

I know what you mean, looking at your own photos too long can make you go crazy, it's always hard (at least I find it so) to judge your own photographs when you've looked at them for extended periods of time.

This is one of those photos, the B/W one, that I imagine looks much better printed, preferable on matte paper. And yeah, that sharpening after resizing is probably what I'm picking up on, I mean I'm sure you know it but things like sharpening should always be done on the original size and not resized versions.

which was the case, but it looked a little soft once it was sized down (way down, file came from a 5d, resized to 800px)

Oh, I didn't even think about doing it on Matte. I printed it on a smooth pearl. I'll give the matte a shot. :D Thanks again for the feedback.

[sunbeast]

Pretty much agree with other observations, but if you haven't already done this (I know you indicated you have worked the picture several different ways), try dialing down the saturation a bit on the color pic and then experiment with the dodge and burn tools to create differnt "moods".