Would like some input Please!!

[SteveD]

After looking through a post by Titan, I played with a sepia conversion he recommended. I havent done much withB/W or sepia convertions and was wondering what everyone thinks of this one. Also, what do you think of the horizon line being level with her eye? Is that a plus in this case, or a minus?
Thanks for your input!
Steve

[SteveB]

It looks to me like you need more contrast in the image. Unfortunatly the horizon does take away from the image also. Keep experimenting!

[Titan]

My opinion: I likw thwe photo, but if her eyes were about 1 inch or so higher above the horizon it would be better, as for the sepia, I like it as it is, but I think I would also like it with a bit more contrast.

Here's a question. Do you like it?

[RSStory]

Originally Posted by SteveD

After looking through a post by Titan, I played with a sepia conversion he recommended. I havent done much withB/W or sepia convertions and was wondering what everyone thinks of this one. Also, what do you think of the horizon line being level with her eye? Is that a plus in this case, or a minus?
Thanks for your input!
Steve

Generally speaking I think it takes a certain kind of image for sepia toning to work. I think this image has problems before we even get to the sepia. The horizon doesnt work for me at all. I find it to be very distracting. I would like to see the image with more contrast as well but I am not sure that will work for me either. I am a big fan of B&W photography but in this case I find myself wondering what I am missing by not seeing it in color.

I also find the grain in her face to be distracting. It doesnt really look like grain it looks like dirt to me.

This is all just my opinion though. While I dont agree with Titan on much and certainly not his technical knowledge he did point out a very important question. Do you like it? That is really all that matters.

Scott

[FrankParis]

This doesn't look sepia to me.
Horizon looks like it splits her head.
Great looking girl, but the composition is just not doing her the justus she deserves.

[SteveD]

Here is the color version with little or no retouching. The grain is from screwing up and leaving the D100 on ISO640. This may not have been the best for the conversion but for some reason it caught my eye. I still dont know if I like it or not but I keep coming back to it. It is grainy and a bit soft but in some images that works. My eye keeps going to the horizon but it takes me back to her eye. For some reason it keeps growing on me. I do like it , but it does bother me. weird huh? Thanks for the input!
Steve

[jtsmith]

AS a general rule I try and keep horizon lines out of heads. Since this is a head shot I think the placement of the horizon line is ok and leads to the eyes. Outside of that I would have angled it to try and avoid the line all together since the scene doesn't really matter in a close up.

The image is flat so pump up the contrast a little. I like the less grain image better but it's still flat as a pancake in my view.

J T

[SteveD]

I will be at your seminar in Kansas city in june. See you then!
Steve

[jtsmith]

Looking forward to it Steve. Going to be a great time.

J T