The other day I posted Grille, a close-up on the front end of a 1934 (I think) Ford. I’ve output that shot in a few different ways, looking for the best version. The original was a low-saturation take with the sign in the background taken way down in the processing phase. Here are two other iterations. First, the B/W that I think most people are going to prefer:
And here’s the fun, highly colorized version with the distracting sign top right.
Opinions welcomed…
5280 Lens Mafia 
I liked the one from the other day best – that small touch of blue highlighted the antique quality of the vehicle. It was like a perfect piece of jewelry for the grille.
I think you’re right, although my trash-it-up love of color just loves the second one here. And others seem to like that the b/w reflects the subject (you know, 1934, before color was invented). I see the point, but if I were going to try and enter one in a competition, the original is the one I’d go with.
i prefer the original as well, but then i don’t really know how to use photo-manipulating sw very well, and so tend to try to get what i want through the lens (because i know for a fact i won;t be able to get it later!). where, by the way, did you find such a beautiful car to photograph?
At a bowling alley in Wheat Ridge. Glad I had my camera with me.
Always carry a camera. Always… My two cents: To my eye, this photo is primarily a bold, graphic statement about intersecting and curving lines. Black & white keeps the focus on that, whereas the vibrant — and lovely — blue color draws my eye to it, distracting me from the essence of the image. But this is totally a matter of opinion. An equally valid argument could be made for the color image. (In fact, I’m wondering what Peter Turner would have to say. Have a look at this and get your mind totally blown: http://peteturner.com/Americana/index.html)
Definitely enter the color one in Dpreview.com’s “Americana, through the eyes of Pete Turner” challenge: http://www.dpreview.com/challenges/Challenge.aspx?ID=7202. I think it would be perfect!
I tried, Tom. I tried. First they wouldn’t let me register because my IP had been identified as a spammer address (wtf?) and once I did get in and went through the entry process it told me the contest was closed even though the page I was looking at said it was still open.
I guess I have to learn about the nuance of how the place works. Thanks for the tip, though.