Stone kitty

[Tom Barry]

I think I prefer the color version.
Statuary by tombarry975, on Flickr
Statuary2 by tombarry975, on Flickr

[Geoff F]

But with the colour version all that out of focus area becomes more noticeable and the texture is more obvious with the B&W alternative.

I think I might consider cropping the colour image tighter at the top?

[Tom Barry]

On consideration, I think you are right about the color distracting.

[Wavelength]

Black and white has the advantage that it has homogenised the yellow patches to a white whole, happened for better; yet i like both

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Tom, et al,

My thoughts ....

This is a subject and location that does not immediately lend itself to B&W, hence the colour is more attractive to me for the contrast between subject and background. The colour version could be processed to reveal more texture.

For me the framing, depth and composition make sense and I wouldn't change them.

If you really want to see the texture and shoot it mono, you need to find a way to separate the subject from the background.

On the (possibly false) assumption this is in your garden, or at least somewhere you have access to day and night, I would try shooting after sunset and lighting, or even light painting, the subject only, avoiding spill to the background. A narrower aperture might bring more subject depth in to sharpness, with careful focus, not on the nose, but say, the ears.

When lighting or light painting, be careful to light with tangential to the surface light to show the texture, if unsympathetically lit, you'll lose some of that.

It will take some experimentation, so try different things while out shooting, as the results may only be obvious once back inside staring at a computer screen.

Good luck if you (can) give that a try, we'd love to see the results.

Cheers,
Dave

[Tom Barry]

Thanks, Dave. Those are all good, thoughtful ideas.