Selective Coloring in Photography: VENT - feel free to ignore

ElinJ · May 2012

Ok, this has NOTHING to do with our BMB, but OMG I need to get this out. Selective coloring (where you make the photo black & white everywhere except like the rubber duckie in the photo, flowers, or the shoes, bow, etc) is BAD. It's JUST NOT PRETTY! This will make your photos (which you want to be timeless) look very dated, and very cheesy.

It pains me to see FB friends post "professional" photos of their baby they paid to have taken, where some horrible selective coloring has been done. Literally, it makes me sad. When you do that, you take the focal point away from the cuteness of your baby, and put it on some random object. Just because Photoshop can do that, doesn't mean you should.

I apologize in advance, because I am sure I am offending someone. I just needed to say that somewhere!

I will also add, when I first learned Photoshop, I was guilty of this myself. I did it a few times, but I have now realized it doesn't look good or professional, and vowed to never do it again!

*steps off soapbox, off to hide in a corner in case someone yells at me*

MrsWP · May 2012

not gonna yell at you.. but I do think their kinda cute. Although I do see your point, like the vignets or the way the used to overlay the pictures with a more transparent close-up of baby's face. I think it's super important to make sure that MOST of your photos are timeless classics. But a few that going to look dated someday won't kill you.

blueshamrock7 · May 2012

Aw, I think they are cute. To each his own! I was excited when I learned how to do it on PS Elements... but I'm still not that great on it. If I were doing newborn pictures, I wouldn't mind if the photographer did some (as long are they were tasteful and not every single photo lol). They are definitely very popular right now.

bornmommy · May 2012

One of my favorite pictures in my wedding album has all the people in black/white and the flowers in color... It's also one of the ones I get the most "oooos" and "ahhhsss" for.

bellelamb · May 2012

I have to agree with the op, not my idea of good photography at all. I am however a sucker for traditional simple black and white photos very timeless.

MelissaMiso · May 2012

Agree. Not my taste at all. I find it cheesy and dated as well. To each his own but I say "meh" to such photoshopping.

mrs+harlow · May 2012

I think it depends on who, how and why it is being done. I work in the bridal industry and I have seen some knock out bridal pics with selective coloring highlighting royal blue shoes or another pop of color. Doing it on a Sears style portrait shot of a baby with a ridiculously large flower on her head...probably not so much amazingness.

cari12 · May 2012

Agreed x1000. Selective coloring, white vignettes, out of focus horribly under exposed photos edited in (well whatever people are using in place of Picnik now). Ick. Sorry if you're into that but it's horrible and I always cringe when people pay for their pictures to look that tacky.

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Selective Coloring in Photography: VENT - feel free to ignore

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