Picture Poll

[wlotus]

I took my camera for a walk after Russ Kassoff's set. Here are two of the shots I got:


A


B

[Poll #1207743]

Give your reasons for your choice in the comments. There is no right answer. I like them both, and for different reasons!

Comments

[littleblueworld.livejournal.com]

I like them both, but I like the gesture in the second one, how he is reaching over to the other side. It's aggressive, but it's chess...you know?

[silveringridd.livejournal.com]

i am drawn to B because of the way the arm is reaching across, however, i like how in A there is no background with other chairs. those are more distracting in B. but still. i choose B.

This is why I asked for comments...

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

Now that you mention it, B looks better to me, too, with a tighter crop.

Re: This is why I asked for comments...

[silveringridd.livejournal.com]

yes yes yes yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Heh heh...

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

And even better in black & white. My photography instructor says that in many cases, color is distracting. Take a look:

Re: Heh heh...

[silveringridd.livejournal.com]

oh yes. i really like the black and white, but i love black and white most. i liked the color, but the black and white is lovely. great shot, lotus!

Re: Heh heh...

[nimbrethil.livejournal.com]

Hmm.

I've always tended to gravitate more toward color, particularly in landscape shots or things that I just feel should have color, like flower shots, but comparing this b&w version with the color one above, I definitely feel that b&w does this photo more justice. The color really does detract from the action. For lack of a better term, the color seems to make the image too loud.

Re: Heh heh...

[mahogany.livejournal.com]

Actually, I like B better overall, and I prefer it in colour. I think A would be a better shot in black and white.

Alternate View

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

What about the coloring makes you prefer B in color, but A in black and white?

Re: Alternate View

[mahogany.livejournal.com]

Even though they're both action shots, shot A, seems to be paused, while shot B seems to be moving. Black and white creates feeling of stillness for me, which is why A seems to work better in black and white. It is already still. B is more alive? and thus, in black adn white seems artifically frozen somehow. I feel like I'm waiting for the picture to thaw out and get moving again.

Re: Alternate View

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for explaining that. I'm enjoying learning what works for different people and why.

[shutterbug.livejournal.com]

I think I like A better because the left arm isn't distracting us from the main subject of the board. However, I do like B for the movement that the left arm creates.

Thusly, I agree, I like them both for different reasons.

Neat!

[far-gone.livejournal.com]

I like the action of the reaching in B, and also the action in the other man's hand - kind of a waiting to move himself! Both are really nice.

[mmmmgreen.livejournal.com]

I liked b better because of the arm stretched across to the other side. It implied a more intense game to me.

[kuangning]

The aggressiveness in B is exactly why I liked A better. There's more sense of ... hrm. Give and take? A lazy day and people *enjoying* themselves in friendly competition? B seems to me like the competition's been ramped up several notches. I wonder what happened next, but I don't enjoy the picture it makes as much.

[nimbrethil.livejournal.com]

I honestly can't decide if I prefer one over the other. I almost like the second one better because my first thought was that it looked like there was about to be an altercation over ownership of chess pieces. But really I think the two just go really well together. Particularly if you have one or two additional photos of this they'd be awesome as a set.

[ruthiebgr8.livejournal.com]

I like them best taken together. It shows the interplay between the 2 players. One is showing his decisiveness in his choice (A) and the other is retalliating with his choice (B). Taken together it makes me wonder who won.

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

That is an interesting take on it, as well! I'm enjoying reading different people's take on the shots.

And for the record, the fellow on the right won that round. :-)