Main post // Vertical black and white version
Where: Footbridge over the San Diego River, Mission Valley, San Diego
When: May 2011
As I mentioned in the main post, I struggled with this photo. As you see here, I originally cropped it as a vertical, with the canvas extending above the final version.
But there were issues - this color version was more vibrant, and maybe it better emphasized the contrast between the leaves and the water. However, I found that digital noise in the upper left - those purplish pixels that I couldn't make go away - too distracting. On the other hand, the leaves looked dingy in black and white.
The solution was simple enough - I cropped out the problem area and lightened the leaves a touch more. I'm happy with the result. It's a simpler, stronger composition with effective contrast that retains the abstract reflections in the water. And I'll always lean toward black and white, especially in a photo with no people.
But what do you think? Do you prefer this version, the vertical black and white, or the horizontal I finally chose?
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Images and text ©2005-2012 Mark A. Dodge Medlin
