High Key or Not

[bobfriedman]

Nikon D5 ,Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR
1/2000s f/9.0 at 1000.0mm iso900




Nikon D5 ,Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR
1/2000s f/9.0 at 1000.0mm iso1100

[Bjørn Rørslett]

A careful blend of the extremes, perhaps? Almost but not entirely white surroundings could well do the trick.

[Akira]

Love the first one.  The abstraction works!

[Anirban Halder]

High key one is very creative, but I like the second one, Bob.

[Tristin]

I have to agree with Bjørn here.  The high key versions look very pleasant, but also artificial.  Perhaps somewhere in between could take advantage of either. 

[Frank Fremerey]

I like both version.  The abstract draws more attention.

[elsa hoffmann]

The grey background is too "dead" and the white background is too white.
BUT - the white background is clearly "done on purpose" and artistic - that is why I would choose that above the grey image - which looks dull and washed out - as if you forgot to do editing. It's my opinion only (today) maybe tomorrow I look with different eyes.

[ColinM]

I like the third of these four, but think it would work better without so much white space on the LH side
(that is, if you wish to retain as much of the island as you're currently showing)

[golunvolo]

Difficult question. The image works. Out of the two choices, I prefer the gray one. Maybe lifting it towards the white but not as much as showed here can be a good option.

  I´m going to copy Elsa here and say "this is my opinion today", because it is as close to the truth as I can think.

  Cool images

[Randy Stout]

Bob:

Always fun to tinker with this type of image, which has such a strong graphic component.  I took the liberty of trying several, and thought this one might be an option.  It is a bit of a mix of the two styles, as suggested by several folks. 

Cheers

Randy

[Matthew Currie]

The high key version is interesting, but I prefer the version with water that is a bit more water-colored.  I like Randy's version with the slightly bluer water, and also it seems as if in this one the edges are a little more comfortable.  Of course it's hard to evaluate downsampled JPG images on the net,  and the very nature of the photographs is a factor, but Randy's version looks a little smoother at the transition between subject and background.

edit to add:  thinking about this, I also suspect it could look a good bit different depending on how it's printed and framed.  I would not write off the high key version as a matted print where its resemblance to a non-photographic graphic might be rather striking, especially the third example. 

[Thomas G]

a) High key, #1. Pleasing, very focussed, minimal style.

Interpretation b) Picking at a crocodiles nostrils?

For print I'd make sure to either print on structured canvas or that the little elements in the water and the waves stay visible.

[bobfriedman]

was interesting to see the BG with more blue..