B&W and Color!

Hi.
I'm trying something new.
Feel free to comment these 2 pictures and give me advise. I reaaly need frankness...

http://jweber1.free.fr​/_pretty/Img_1158bis.j​pg
http://jweber1.free.fr​/_pretty/Img_0407BW.jp​g

Marignan_1515 wrote:
Hi.
I'm trying something new.
Feel free to comment these 2 pictures and give me advise. I reaaly need frankness...

http://jweber1.free.fr​/_pretty/Img_1158bis.j​pg
http://jweber1.free.fr​/_pretty/Img_0407BW.jp​g

I like these a lot! The SanFrancisco houses is an *old* much worn image (even been there myself!), and even though your selective coloring is novel, it just doesn't save this image from cliche for me (but perhaps for others...?)
The cat one is very nice! Even the eyes only would have worked well.
I have done selective coloring, but with infra-red monochrome "backgrounds." See:

http://129.24.208.200 …/Pear_cactus.ht​m#phototop
http://129.24.208.200 …/Blue%20toes.ht​m#phototop

are just two examples of selective masking of layers of color and monochrome in PhotoShop.

I think the big question about this is: are the images successful (in terms of achieving the photographer's objectives, whatever they be)? If you like to look at them, you have succeeded, by my standards.

cheers,

Philip Ganderton

Don't get me wrong, I think these pictures are interesting and certainly fun to work on, but I tend to agree with Philip in terms of the SF one being "cliche" and the cat is, well, a nice pet picture. I'm not sure whether you wanted an opinion on the total package offered by the picture (i.e., from composition to execution to technical details) or just feedback on selective colors on a B&W picture. If it's the latter I think that you have to be paying even more attention than usual to the subject and to the composition of the picture to avoid an impression of "cliche" or "not very creative". I say that because selective colors in B&W picture is an "old trick" used for "romantic" posters. You may havee seen in supermarket or home improvement stores these posters of two kids, hands in hands with a pet at their feet, the girl holds a rose in her other hand. The picture is B&W but the rose is bright red and the dress of the girl is also colored.

Applying these techniques on a very very creatively composed picture may work very well and generate a great picture. Because the subject/composition of your pictures leans on the "cliche" side, the overall result does not overly appeal to me.

This being said, you asked for an honest opinion, and I don't mean to be overly analytical in criticizing your work. These are cool pictures and definitely much more appealing than supermarket posters!

Cheers!

Philippe