Topic: Choosing between similar images - interested in your views

[Ailsa]

I've been going through a mammoth pile of contact sheets today - at the expense of my paid work, needless to say. (But who cares? This was a LOT more fun!  )

I came across quite a few pictures where the image is essentially the same, but there is enough of a difference to have made me go back and forth between them a few times, trying to decide which I prefer. I'd be interested to hear whether your views are similar to mine - or whether you can help me make up my mind!

First up, Faversham Creek. Pic 1 was taken in brighter light. I like the way the movement of the water is bursting out of the left of the frame, and the shadows created by the posts. By the time I took pic 2, the sun had gone in, so everything's a bit softer, more even and a bit more detailed.

Secondly, a couple of pics taken at a country show last summer. I love pic 1 for it's slightly uncomfortable composition, and the more awkward pose of the girl in the background. Pic 2 is more conventionally composed, but the pose of the girl in the background is more ordinary. Crucially, for me, this doesn't work so well, because the background girl has fallen out of focus. I've also made a cropped version of pic 2, but for me that's taken some of the life out of it. I think I've just talked myself into favouring pic 1!

 


[Sorry, image deleted during forum software upgrade. Please re-upload if so inclined.]

[choppert]

Faversham Creek - I think I prefer the first.  OK it's taken in brighter light but I like the shadows and the contrast with the really white waves.  Though maybe the grass in the right foreground is a bit distracting?

Chops

[eyecaramba]

Have to agree.  i think the top one works for me also.  As for the kids, I think the top one also.  While not superbly composed, just having the eyes / expression of the girl in the foreground gives this one an edge...  Doesn't blow me away actually as it seems like a sort of non decisive moment to use a shopworn phrase but it is the better of the three I think.

[db]

Creek
A really nice shot..  I'm going for #3 - the cropped version of  2.
I was struggling to decide which of those lovely elements should have my attention first. The superb post- but then there were several posts, and the largest was so central that I found myself flicking from left to right to explore the others. The texture in the grass is sweet, and then there is the kinetic energy in the water leading me through to another plane.

For me it all resolved in number three. A more off centre cropping of the posts. The water contained on the left of the image, threatening to burst out to the right gives me a sense of a captured moment, and the softer light on the grass stops the foreground from dominating, and allows it to instead frame the scene.

Kids
I don't think this will stay in the folioquite as long. It's a gentle scene where something could have resolved, but the decisive moment didn't quite happen. In #1 the overlapping of foreground and background kids bothers me. Also that the two kids are looking in opposite directions with no emotional relationship which is at odds with that physical overlap. I don't know who to look at or what I'm expecting to happen. The car and audience in  #2 bug me, which makes #3 the winner. I do like that the girl in foreground is watching the dog handler, and the camera viewpoint helps us see the scene through her eyes- I don't need to see her face.

[Sorry, image deleted during forum software upgrade. Please re-upload if so inclined.]

[MarkBurley]

I'd vote for one and three. Number one has such lovely movement and seems more spontaneous.

Number three just seems to enhance the girl and Lab with a juicy foreground. But that's just my two penneth...

[LT]

I seem to remember you taking the first one while I was happily snapping away with the lens cap on my camera (damn those RFs).

As far as the post is concerned, #1 is best for me.  I wont comment on contrast etc as my monitor isnt calibrated, but the water movement is much more pleasing in this one and the shadow of the posts on the water add something the other one lacks. 

#3 works best on the other pic - I like the triangular composition and that the girl in background is blurred, works well to me 

[Andrea.]

Creek snap; Much prefer the second one without the shadows from the bright sun. I mean, whoever heard of sunshine in the UK? But for me this is a much nicer image as I think high contrast is over-rated. As it focus/blur. I go for the first kids snap myself. I like the unconventional arrangement of the beings.

BTW; IS your square image site up and running yet?

[SuzanneR]

OF the creek... I prefer the first. Something about the swirl of the water, and the shadows from the pilings that add interest, and I think the framing is better. I'd be inclined to crop a bit off the top of the second, but don't find any cropping necessary in the 1st.

Not sure any of the children work. I love the gesture of the girl in the foreground of the first, but I find the background distractions might be a little hard to deal with in the darkroom... though I suppose you could crop?

Have fun editing!

[Stu]

I'd go for the first of the beach one and the last of the other one.
Love the composition of the very top one along with the shadow cast on the water.

[Ed Wenn]

I prefer the 1st creek shot because the water movement appeals more in that one. I do like Don's critique (as always) and also his crop which I think improves the second photo. Both are lovely though and could look really great after some darkroom work.

With the kids snaps I agree with Don (again) and Gordon, that there's no single image which really stands out. Of the 3 I prefer the first, but more because of what I think you were going for, or what I can see the moment might have become, than for the fact that it's a strong image in its own right. The stuff at the very top of it is distracting though and I think I'd employ a judicious crop if the image was mine.