Duotone attempt

[yehosaphat]

Hi all,

Any comments on this duotone attempt for this shot? Thanks!

[tamiya_model]

Just to help you clarify your title:

shade: color+black
tint: colour+white
tone: colour+grey


monochromatic: using any shade, tint, or tone of one colour

These are artistic definitions that artists conform to throughout the world.

Makes duotone and tritone sound like flat photographs, don't you think?

The chroma is refering to the brightnes or dullness of a colour.

I think then that your title is inappropriate, just so that others don't get confused.

[yehosaphat]

Duotone - An image printed in two colours rather than one (greyscale). Normally, black is used together with a further colour. Duotone is used as an alternative to standard greyscale images, as the technique offers a softer, more detailed result.

FYI, I have used Black and a shade of pantone orange for the above pic. Appreciate if you can comment on the picture, if any, instead of the title. Thanks.

[tamiya_model]

Originally Posted by yehosaphat Duotone - An image printed in two colours rather than one (greyscale). Normally, black is used together with a further colour. Duotone is used as an alternative to standard greyscale images, as the technique offers a softer, more detailed result. FYI, I have used Black and a shade of pantone orange for the above pic. Appreciate if you can comment on the picture, if any, instead of the title. Thanks.

Oops, sorry about that. Just did a search and realised that there is another photographic print interpretation: a method of printing an illustration either in a dark and a tinted shade of the same color or in two different colors from two plates of a monochrome original made from negatives at different screen angles.

Anyway, I would have preferred a slightly wider shot of the woman to show the whole headgear, instead of cutting the edge off. And the BG is slanted. Tonal range, however, is well controlled and pleasing.

[yehosaphat]

Originally Posted by tamiya_model Oops, sorry about that. Just did a search and realised that there is another photographic print interpretation: a method of printing an illustration either in a dark and a tinted shade of the same color or in two different colors from two plates of a monochrome original made from negatives at different screen angles. Anyway, I would have preferred a slightly wider shot of the woman to show the whole headgear, instead of cutting the edge off. And the BG is slanted. Tonal range, however, is well controlled and pleasing.

Thanks for your comments!

[yehosaphat]

Still got comments on how to improve?

[Chris Lim]

Originally Posted by yehosaphat Hi all, Any comments on this duotone attempt for this shot? Thanks!

Sorry mate, compositionally and tonally, doesn't work quite well with me.

I do agree that by using duotone techniques, you do bring out more detail. But in this case, you may have actually killed the detail. Eg. the shirt is now flat black, and almost "hollowed". Some images are best left in colour unless for specific reasons to change or morph it into a pantone, duotone or any other colour.

Compositionally, this is a problem i always encounter myself. Which is allowing the subject too much head room or space above the head instead of filling the frame with more of the subject and less of the negative space around him/her/it. BG slanting as mentioned by Tamiya_model is not too great a worry on close ups. But do be cautious that in this case. your framing has put the subject in a pretty obvious state that the camera position is slanted (take a look at the unnatural head to shoulder line in perpendicular to the left shoulder. then at the BG) the stable base of the image doesn't match the slanting BG thus makinging it jarring.

Perhaps, shoot it just a tad bit wider. Lesser head room. A little eye contact would be good. And perhaps in colour?

Hope you find this comments useful.

Cheers.

[yehosaphat]

Thanks Chris for your comments. The intention was not for the subject to have eye contact with the camera.

Anyway, did some processing. How abt this:

[Chris Lim]

Originally Posted by yehosaphat Thanks Chris for your comments. The intention was not for the subject to have eye contact with the camera. Anyway, did some processing. How abt this:

much better. But try to bring the subject further out from the BG if you can. Cheers.

[yehosaphat]

Originally Posted by Chris Lim much better. But try to bring the subject further out from the BG if you can. Cheers.

Thanks for your comments.... ha... very often you cant really control where your subject is placed esp when taking these types of shots... but thanks!

[Chris Lim]

Originally Posted by yehosaphat Thanks for your comments.... ha... very often you cant really control where your subject is placed esp when taking these types of shots... but thanks!

i agree, you cant control where you want the subject to look or "pose" but you can control where you place your subject within the frame. If not just ask gently if you can take a shot of her. Hope this helps. =)

[yehosaphat]

Originally Posted by Chris Lim i agree, you cant control where you want the subject to look or "pose" but you can control where you place your subject within the frame. If not just ask gently if you can take a shot of her. Hope this helps. =)

Yup thanks Chris.

Any more comments from anyone else?