Give me a kiss, color, B&W

[rudi]

Hi all,
It's been awhile since I posted anything...
Well, coming out off my comfort zone with family photography. Started with it abt 18 months ago with the arrival off our first granddaughter, I feel a bit more comfortable now, but still a lot to learn.
Grandma (my beloved wife) with our two granddaughters.

1:

To get rid off the distracting colors, I found it a good idea to convert this into B&W ( another 'out off my comfort zone'). As I usually don't 'see' a picture in B&W I started with presets in Nik Silver Efex, and came out on this. Any input on this is much appreciated.

2:

Playing around with Nik Silver effex, my wife, daughter, son in law found that the 'Antique Plate' had a different feeling to it..

3:

C&C welcomed and really appreciated.

[Shadowman]

Nice capture, I like the second B & W, very clean conversion. The 3rd image looks like a faded memory. The first has a snapshot quality which is overcome with the conversion.

[Manfred M]

It looks like you might have taken advantage of the Google offer of free Nik software and got some practice with SilverEfex Pro.

I agree with John that your second image is the strongest. You have used an important compositional tool, simplification, to craft a better image. There were simply too many conflicting colours in the shot, as shown by the colour shot you posted and eliminating that gave you a stronger image.

The third image is not working as well. That faded late 1800's look just does not look right in the modern setting. I have used it in some shots of a ghost town that is from that era, but that is probably the only time I have found that particular filter useful. What it does is it eliminates some of the superfluous material in the image. Had you done this by rearranging the position of your subjects and moving things around in the room, you would have gotten an even stronger image in the first two shots you posted. Composition lessons learned, I hope.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Rudi,

You were kind enough to comment in one of my recent threads (there's another coming soon), so I thought I should return the favour.

I agree with the others; the second version is the best. A combination of factors, not just the tint colour, make the wide white vignette version look too old, as Manfred has noted. That said, we all grab an unexpected shot when the occasion arises and have to deal with the consequences 'in post' - may be that's what happened here and you don't need the following advice.


What I find is that the more effort you put in before you press the shutter, the better the end result - and it'll be reached far easier.

If possible, when you know you and your wife are going to visit the Grandkids, try to arrange for everyone to wear, if not black or white, then pale (and complementary) colours. Clothes, of all involved, should ideally be non logo'd too, no text or badges, preferably not even boldly patterned. We are usually interested in their faces and expressions, so almost anything else is going to distract in a photograph, unless of course, the shot is of someone wearing their favourite costume, say.

The next thing is to scout out some good locations in their home - and I appreciate this can be challenging - but try to find the simplest backgrounds possible - or consider trying to make them simpler by screening things off.

Then all you need to do is get everyone set up before moments like the above unfold, ready for you to capture.


I acknowledge that I have it easy-peasy at the moment - one grandchild, that is not mobile (yet) - all we have to do is slot the photography in between bouts of crying, feeding, winding, nappy changing, etc. As numbers multiply and their age increases, the issues must differ, I know


Good luck with the next shoot, Dave


PS
My thoughts are with your countrymen after the recent atrocities in Brussels.

[bnnrcn]

My fav is #2 , a lovely scene

[rudi]

Thanks John for your valuable input. One off my 'problems' is to find my way out off 'snapshot-quality' and make them 'work'.

Nice capture, I like the second B & W, very clean conversion. The 3rd image looks like a faded memory. The first has a snapshot quality which is overcome with the conversion.

[rudi]

Hi Manfred,
Unfortunately I bought the Nik package a few years ago...

What I liked about the third image was the blurred distracting elements. Rearranging things wasn't possible,
as this happened spontaneously, and I wasn't really ready to it.
And yes, lesson learned !!

Thanks for your valuable input, really appreciated.

It looks like you might have taken advantage of the Google offer of free Nik software and got some practice with SilverEfex Pro.

I agree with John that your second image is the strongest. You have used an important compositional tool, simplification, to craft a better image. There were simply too many conflicting colours in the shot, as shown by the colour shot you posted and eliminating that gave you a stronger image.

The third image is not working as well. That faded late 1800's look just does not look right in the modern setting. I have used it in some shots of a ghost town that is from that era, but that is probably the only time I have found that particular filter useful. What it does is it eliminates some of the superfluous material in the image. Had you done this by rearranging the position of your subjects and moving things around in the room, you would have gotten an even stronger image in the first two shots you posted. Composition lessons learned, I hope.

[rudi]

Hi Rudi,

That said, we all grab an unexpected shot when the occasion arises and have to deal with the consequences 'in post' - may be that's what happened here and you don't need the following advice.

Hi Dave, you said it much better than I can !! This was really an unexpected shot at an completely unprepaired moment.
We had set things up in the opposite corner where we had plenty of natural light, nearly all unwanted items removed are screened off, but nothing happened there.
Most off the time I do struggle with too busy backgrounds, unwanted items in those unexpected 'snapshots'. Usually I blur things a bit, . But this was such a tender loving kiss, hardly to see in the picture. So I wanted this particular image to be better. I have 5 consecutive images to the real kiss ....Will need to try other things I guess...
With Charlotte, now 18 months young, I Always must act quickly. As soon as she sees the camera she wants to look at the pictures at the back off the camera, so over with the shoot...

Anyway, thanks for your valuable input, which I really appreciate. Any advice is Always welcomed.

[rudi]

Hi Rudi,

PS
My thoughts are with your countrymen after the recent atrocities in Brussels.

Thanks Dave, Hardly to understand that such horrible things really happens.

[rudi]

My fav is #2 , a lovely scene

Hi Binnur, Thanks for looking and commenting. Really appreciated.