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Where: Footbridge over the San Diego River, Mission Valley, San Diego
When: May 2011
I struggled with this photo. I originally cropped it as a vertical, with the canvas extending above this final version.
But there were issues - the color version was more vibrant, and maybe it better emphasized the contrast between the leaves and the water. However, I found some digital noise in the upper left - purplish pixels that I couldn't make go away - too distracting. On the other hand, the leaves looked a bit 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? Take a look at the vertical versions - color, black and white - and tell me if I made the right choice.
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Images and text ©2005-2012 Mark A. Dodge Medlin
