Stag at Richmond Park - B&W or colour?

[mikep]

Hi all

Woke up early yesterday, so got up and went to Richmond Park just after it opened.

This Stag had just won a fight in long grass, and had most of it left on his head - which he seemed quite impressed about... but which do people prefer?

by Mike

Untitled by Mike, on Flickr

Obviously, they're not the exact same shot, but you get the idea!

Cheers all

Mike

[Trev B]

Re: Stag at Richmond Park - B&W or colour?

I like the B&W, but both good shots

[Stan]

Re: Stag at Richmond Park - B&W or colour?

for me unless the original colours of the animal are already black and white, eg zebra, I much prefer to see them in their original colours

stan

[mikep]

Re: Stag at Richmond Park - B&W or colour?

Fair do's... I'm caught between liking both, but I know what you mean Stan.

With the lovely morning light I quite like the colour version too, but all my friends have favoured the B&W!

It would be boring if we were all the same, wouldn't it?!

[Brian Sugden]

Re: Stag at Richmond Park - B&W or colour?

Both shots are very good, but I prefer the colour one.

[colin C]

Re: Stag at Richmond Park - B&W or colour?

Colour.

I would be tempted to tone down the out of focus highlight above his head and the autumn colour at the top of the tree.

[EOS_User]

Re: Stag at Richmond Park - B&W or colour?

Hi Mike; #2 colour for me too; the complimentary colours just sum up Autumn... That said, I like the framing of #1, and would like to see the colour original of that!

PS; B&W of wildlife can work very well, and does so frequently... no need for the animal to be b&w IMO

[AlexR!]

Re: Stag at Richmond Park - B&W or colour?

I normally prefer nature shots to be colour, but I much prefer the composition of the mono so it is hard to say. I do love the detail you have got in his coat and the bracken, so I would be interested to see the first in colour.

[mikep]

Re: Stag at Richmond Park - B&W or colour?

As requested, here's the colour version of the B&W original...
Untitled

And the modified one suggested by Colin...
Untitled

Again, cheers guys. Seems the colour one is the way to go!

Who knew? (Apart from you lot)

[@imagesBV]

Re: Stag at Richmond Park - B&W or colour?

That was difficult ....comparing two different compositions, so not a straightforward question of colour or mono....of the original two my preference was the mono shot for composition....and having scrolled down to the new colour version....I'm still with the original mono.
i think its because the close up shot looks like it contains what you intended and with no wasted space.....the wider shot shows what was visible and I guess you'd prefer that the whole beasty was visible but sadly some of it is obscured.
i'm probably thinking too hard but thats my ten penneth...

[mikep]

Re: Stag at Richmond Park - B&W or colour?

Thanks for your comments Brian... always good to hear someone else's thoughts on your shots.

I too prefer the composition of the first (original B&W) shot... but for me, it's a tough call between the 2 versions. I'm leaning towards the B&W, if only because you usually see colour shots of deer, and B&W is different! ;-)

Cheers, Mike

[Hereford_EOS]

Re: Stag at Richmond Park - B&W or colour?

Hi Mike

Colour for me mate

[mikep]

Re: Stag at Richmond Park - B&W or colour?

Thanks Stephen.

[antoeknee]

Re: Stag at Richmond Park - B&W or colour?

Was going to say the first but feel the slightly clearer view of the eye in the second works better.

Oh, and colour version for me.

[tesarver]

Re: Stag at Richmond Park - B&W or colour?

Do you need to ask me? BW all the way for me.

Tom