Ch 58: colors deux

[Angelo]

OK, so I haven't tried my hand at a challenge in a while. 58 just "spoke to me" :lol3

Some of my first off-the-cuff attempts. I'd love your input. Thanks.

1.

http://angelo.smugmug.com/photos/55586533-L.jpg

2.

http://angelo.smugmug.com/photos/55586537-L.jpg

3.

http://angelo.smugmug.com/photos/55586539-L.jpg

4.

http://angelo.smugmug.com/photos/55586543-L.jpg

[vangogh]

OK, so I haven't tried my hand at a challenge in a while. 58 just "spoke to me" :lol3

Some of my first off-the-cuff attempts. I'd love your input. Thanks.



Number deux does it for me :):. I like black & white contrasts

Nicola

[bham]

#2

[Tessa HD]

:huh

[Stormdancing]

#2
What is it? I keep staring at it trying to figure out what it is. It's like an optical illusion. It almost seems to have movement to it. Keep looking and you're going to see a zebra or something.
Love it.

[DoctorIt]

this is gonna be one of the challenges where black and white are going to make me confused. While I love the #2 photo (simplicity, pattern, minimal, modern, love it love it), I don't see 2 colors, I see a geometric pattern. Same with #1 and #4. Only #3, the wall and the sky grab me as a two-color image.

[Flyinggina]

Love your photos, Angelo. Especially #2. :thumb But I am with Erik on this one. It is hard to think of black and white as representing two colors. Don't know why since I think that white and blue, for example, would qualify. Or black and red. Or, or, or. :scratch Maybe you could use LAB to change either the black or the white into a "color." :D Maybe a consensus will build that use of simply black and white does the trick. :dunno Anyhow, I love #2.

Virginia

[Mitchell]

#3 is a nice shot which fits the challenge perfectly. I love the contrast of the confines of the brick wall against the freedom of the beautiful sky. Good eye on that one.:thumb

[Froggy]

this is gonna be one of the challenges where black and white are going to make me confused. While I love the #2 photo (simplicity, pattern, minimal, modern, love it love it), I don't see 2 colors, I see a geometric pattern. Same with #1 and #4. Only #3, the wall and the sky grab me as a two-color image.

What two colors are in that pattern, if you don't see colors....lol:rolleyes

[johno]

2! This one stands out from the rest.

peace.
johno~

[dancinkate]

I love 2 & 3!

[DanielB]

#3 is a nice shot which fits the challenge perfectly. I love the contrast of the confines of the brick wall against the freedom of the beautiful sky. Good eye on that one.:thumb


:agree #3 is a keeper

[Angelo]

HOLY MOLY!!!!

I'm away from the office for one morning and I return to 11, count them ELEVEN responses. Wow!

My cup runneth over. Thank you all so much.

It appears #2 may be leading the pack but I will read all responses above carefully and then reply later. Thank you again!

:lust :lust :lust

[shatch]

Why not Photoshop photo #2 to be two globally recognized colors and you will have the best of both worlds.

Great shots...

[Thusie]

#2. Makes me dizzy to look at it, but I really like it.

[Angelo]

Number deux does it for me :):. I like black & white contrasts

Nicola

Thanks Nicola. :thumb

[Angelo]

#2

...and counting. thank you :D

[Angelo]

:huh

soooo, you're what? simply dizzy? :rofl

Thanks Tessa :thumb

[Angelo]

#2
What is it? I keep staring at it trying to figure out what it is. It's like an optical illusion. It almost seems to have movement to it. Keep looking and you're going to see a zebra or something.
Love it.

Try staring at it after a jack and coke! :lol3

I think I'll keep the mystery alive a little while longer. Thanks for looking Storm.

[Angelo]

this is gonna be one of the challenges where black and white are going to make me confused. While I love the #2 photo (simplicity, pattern, minimal, modern, love it love it), I don't see 2 colors, I see a geometric pattern. Same with #1 and #4. Only #3, the wall and the sky grab me as a two-color image.

Is that something esoteric... black nor white are colors. black is the absence of color; white is pure light? :lol3

Eric, I do love the colors of the brick wall/sky too. This will be tough to decide upon. Thanks for looking. :thumb

[Angelo]

Love your photos, Angelo. Especially #2. :thumb But I am with Erik on this one. It is hard to think of black and white as representing two colors. Don't know why since I think that white and blue, for example, would qualify. Or black and red. Or, or, or. :scratch Maybe you could use LAB to change either the black or the white into a "color." :D Maybe a consensus will build that use of simply black and white does the trick. :dunno Anyhow, I love #2.

Virginia

You and Erik present an interesting argument. If I can figure out how to change the colors in PS I'll certainly try other combos. Thank you for looking and commenting.

[Angelo]

#3 is a nice shot which fits the challenge perfectly. I love the contrast of the confines of the brick wall against the freedom of the beautiful sky. Good eye on that one.:thumb

Thanks Mitch. You've described this image in an interesting way. I appreciate your input. :thumb

[Angelo]

What two colors are in that pattern, if you don't see colors....lol:rolleyes

Maybe he was wearing striped "shades"? :rofl

[Angelo]

2! This one stands out from the rest.

peace.
johno~

It appears we have a clear front runner. Thanks John. :thumb

[Angelo]

I love 2 & 3!

Thank you Kate :thumb

[Angelo]

:agree #3 is a keeper

Ah Daniel san. Thank you :thumb

[Angelo]

Why not Photoshop photo #2 to be two globally recognized colors and you will have the best of both worlds.

Great shots...

I have absolutely NO idea how to do that :dunno :cry

Thanks for looking Shatch :thumb

[Angelo]

#2. Makes me dizzy to look at it, but I really like it.

Maybe you should lay off the sauce? :lol3 Just kidding.

Thank you Thusie :thumb

[jwear]

#2 black and white are 2 colors --still :huh sky blue cloud white brick red crout black 1-2-3-4 :wxwax still like 2 but you do know better than to take advice from me :scratch right :rofl

[Angelo]

#2 black and white are 2 colors --still :huh sky blue cloud white brick red crout black 1-2-3-4 :wxwax still like 2 but you do know better than to take advice from me :scratch right :rofl

Thanks Jeff. :D

[cabbey]

wow! #3 just smacks me up along side the head and screams *color*, and more importantly *two colors*.

Yes, #2 has two colors, but no matter what two colors they are, it's not the color you see, it's the pattern... it's just too busy. Now when a a contest for "random lines that capture your eye and hold onto it way longer than they should" comes along, then that's the image to go for.

If you don't mind my playing with your image a bit (if you object, just say the word and they're gone), I think I can show you what a couple of folks here mean:

http://cabbey.smugmug.com/photos/55685168-S.jpg

http://cabbey.smugmug.com/photos/55685172-S.jpg

http://cabbey.smugmug.com/photos/55685175-S.jpg

No matter what two colors I make it, the geometric pattern is still the stronger focal element.

(and just to be complete, 1 and 4 I had to stop and ask "what 2 colors are you trying to convey?")

[Angelo]

wow! #3 just smacks me up along side the head and screams *color*, and more importantly *two colors*.

Yes, #2 has two colors, but no matter what two colors they are, it's not the color you see, it's the pattern... it's just too busy. Now when a a contest for "random lines that capture your eye and hold onto it way longer than they should" comes along, then that's the image to go for.

If you don't mind my playing with your image a bit (if you object, just say the word and they're gone), I think I can show you what a couple of folks here mean:

http://cabbey.smugmug.com/photos/55685168-S.jpg

http://cabbey.smugmug.com/photos/55685172-S.jpg

http://cabbey.smugmug.com/photos/55685175-S.jpg

No matter what two colors I make it, the geometric pattern is still the stronger focal element.

(and just to be complete, 1 and 4 I had to stop and ask "what 2 colors are you trying to convey?")

Hi Cabbey - thanks for lending your thoughts and your hand to my efforts. I understood what others meant by swapping colors on my #2, I just don't know how to do it. The examples you've shown have a common problem; too much noise, or ummm, rough edges (?) Is that because they're low res or is it just an optical thing due to the pattern?

On my #1 I thought the pink/green was evident, and with #4 I assumed creative license would allow the sky to drop out as neutral, leaving just the building. Clearly those two shots are being dropped from consideration :):

Thanks again. :thumb

[ButterNutz]

I Agree with DoctorIt #3 is the only true two color image, and it happens to be a good one! The sky and wall make a warm blend of colors!

[Dee]

To #2, but wonder if a tighter crop would help? It does not say two colors to me, however.

I like the idea of the brick wall, but just think the red in the brick is too unrealistic, and again, maybe a tigher crop? Wouldn't some people shadows on the brick be cool? Hey, photoshop's allowed... and a bird in the sky? There goes your trapped and free concept to the max...

[cabbey]

Hi Cabbey - thanks for lending your thoughts and your hand to my efforts. I understood what others meant by swapping colors on my #2, I just don't know how to do it.
Yup, figured the concept was clear, I just wanted to see what they looked like myself in other colors to confirm what I thought. As soon as I did, it really gelled in my mind, and I figured I'd share the results.

The examples you've shown have a common problem; too much noise, or ummm, rough edges (?) Is that because they're low res or is it just an optical thing due to the pattern?
Yeah, they're low rez (smugmug Small) and even lower color depth. I was really just going for a quick knock together prototype to see what effect changing the colors had. So the process I used there was just that... quick and dirty. The side effect was some noise. The image that was exported to jpeg was only 1 bit per pixel, that's where most of that noise came from. I simply changed the definition of what the resulting two colors meant and exported three versions. If I was going for a print quality image instead, I would have used a much different process.

[Angelo]

I Agree with DoctorIt #3 is the only true two color image, and it happens to be a good one! The sky and wall make a warm blend of colors!

Thank you butternutz :thumb

[Angelo]

To #2, but wonder if a tighter crop would help? It does not say two colors to me, however.

I like the idea of the brick wall, but just think the red in the brick is too unrealistic, and again, maybe a tigher crop? Wouldn't some people shadows on the brick be cool? Hey, photoshop's allowed... and a bird in the sky? There goes your trapped and free concept to the max...

Hey Dee, thanks for looking. I have to figure out how to wrap my brain around the notion that black and white are not two colors.

I did a little saturation bump on the wall for drama. the plain, original brick was rather boring.

[Angelo]

Yup, figured the concept was clear, I just wanted to see what they looked like myself in other colors to confirm what I thought. As soon as I did, it really gelled in my mind, and I figured I'd share the results.


Yeah, they're low rez (smugmug Small) and even lower color depth. I was really just going for a quick knock together prototype to see what effect changing the colors had. So the process I used there was just that... quick and dirty. The side effect was some noise. The image that was exported to jpeg was only 1 bit per pixel, that's where most of that noise came from. I simply changed the definition of what the resulting two colors meant and exported three versions. If I was going for a print quality image instead, I would have used a much different process.

Thanks again Cabbey. I have to figure out how you did that. :D

[muddyknees]

On my #1 I thought the pink/green was evident, and with #4 I assumed creative license would allow the sky to drop out as neutral, leaving just the building. Clearly those two shots are being dropped from consideration :):


I'm surprised that no one has seriously considered #1 - that's the one that seemed closest to my notion of the assignment - two colors varying in saturation and luminance, essentially a "tritone", and your shot#1 is exactly that, and without even resorting to photoshop!

Duotones would in my view be another reasonable interpretation of the the "colors 2" assignment. Yet in my mind one would need gradations of the tint from shadow to highlight, whereas #2 is simply the two extremes, and a neutral (colorless) black/white at that, disqualifying, in my mind. :dunno

[Angelo]

I'm surprised that no one has seriously considered #1 - that's the one that seemed closest to my notion of the assignment - two colors varying in saturation and luminance, essentially a "tritone", and your shot#1 is exactly that, and without even resorting to photoshop!

Duotones would in my view be another reasonable interpretation of the the "colors 2" assignment. Yet in my mind one would need gradations of the tint from shadow to highlight, whereas #2 is simply the two extremes, and a neutral (colorless) black/white at that, disqualifying, in my mind. :dunno

Muddy, thank you for validating what I had hoped would be a clear choice among the selection. While I respect everyone's opinon and appreciate the feedback, I really thought the natural hues of #1 were very good. The fact that the sky matches the buildings is so incredible to me. Perhaps there was an assumption that I PS'd that. :dunno

Thanks for taking time to look and comment. :thumb