Color or B&W better for this photo?

[behyx]

This is a photo of a man on the street in downtown Melbourne, writing and selling his poems. Shot in Summer 2003.
Just want to get some views, which is better, and feel free to give any comments for your decision.

Color

Black and White

Please cast your vote.

 

[behyx]

helped a non-CS friend to cast a 'color' vote.. ;p

 

[Paul_Yeo]

personally, i think the orange wall doesn't match the guy's face :embrass:

 

[behyx]

Thanks Paul for your comment..

Photobum, can you tell me roughly what did you do to the photo? It's really nice!

 

[photobum]

personally, i think the orange wall doesn't match the guy's face :embrass:

I concur with Paul. The orange background is taking our attention off the person's face.

 

[photobum]

Photobum, can you tell me roughly what did you do to the photo? It's really nice!

Thanks! Sorry, it is my trade secret. I can PM you the method however.

 

[behyx]

Thanks! Sorry, it is my trade secret. I can PM you the method however.

yes please PM me
thanks in advance!

 

[Witness]

actually i prefer this one in colour....

 

[Stoned]

as do I. The orange background is lovely because it makes him really stand out from the background in the blue jacket. The colours are nicely saturated as well.

 

[Ah_Seng]

I actually prefer the original b/w compared to photobum's version.

More focus on the man's expression which i feel draws me more into this image.

 

[Paperkurt]

b n w....
shows e man's expressions.
Nice pic was it on ur album??

 

[hondasleeper]

I think the black and white image works for me better. The image is much stronger!

It almost reminds me of the image that Dorothea Lange took of the Migrant Mother.

The colors in the the original are nice, but the black and white just has more impact.

 

[mich_2103]

I personally prefer the colored version.

However for you B/W, I think it would be more interesting if there is more visible contrast. It's too grey.

 

[xotic]

prefer the original b/w, it tells me the man very sianz :bsmilie:

 

[Ah_Seng]

How do you like this now? Better?

Hi photobum,

no offence to my earlier comments...

Ah yes...i like this version of yours compared to your earlier one in my humble opinion.

I guess it's due to my personal preference for the coat to be darker so that the focus pt will be more on the man's expression.

 

[photobum]

Ok, ok.... you guys are pickier than my boss. How about this?

 

[Ah_Seng]

Ok, ok.... you guys are pickier than my boss. How about this?

:bsmilie: I don't know abt others....but to me....BINGO !!!

No lah....actually, i also not very picky lah......:sweat:


​

 

[photobum]

No lah....actually, i also not very picky lah.....

I used to work for this photographer, picky as hell. She (yes, it is a lady) changes her mind every second and willing to compromise her client's time to get what she wants. Some of our clients got fed-up of her.

 

[johanan_loo]

Hi photobum,

no offence to my earlier comments...

Ah yes...i like this version of yours compared to your earlier one in my humble opinion.

I guess it's due to my personal preference for the coat to be darker so that the focus pt will be more on the man's expression.

This one look like a old mountaineer just woke up

 

[cjtune]

I think it's better left in colour to match the subjects expression and description.
He's a poet and so is a 'colourful' person and I can see that he's almost smiling a bit...
The pet dog sleeping to his side adds a warm fuzzy feel to the composition, further emphasized by the pastel-like orange wall behind.

B&W would be too serious and moody.