Monday, August 17, 2009

One pool, two views



Which of these two shots do you prefer? The were both taken at the same time; late afternoon. One was taken with an old film camera, using Kodak 200 film. The other was taken with a digital camera.

P.S. This is not a trick question. There is no right or wrong answer.

46 comments:

Don and Krise said...

My wife and I are in total agreement on this one.
Photo 1 looks like it represents the true colors. It's crisp and bright and a great photo.
Photo 2 (which we're guessing is the film) is really soft, has warmer tones and is pleasing to the eye in a relaxing way.
We both like #2 better.

Rob said...

So, which is film and which is digital? my guess is the top photo is digital. The top photo has a cool color tone and the bottom photo has a warm color tone. tough decision, I like the warmer image, but like the pool water surface in the cool photo.

Memphis MOJO said...

I like the first one. I prefer the color of the water and the white of the fence in that one. Also, the first one seem brighter.

Small City Scenes said...

Well hello!!
I didn't go far afield--I stayed in the state because like you said 'it is a beautiful place to be'. Paraphrased of course.
I like the first pic better because it looks like natural color. The second is very nice too only it looks a little doctored. Maybe it's not. Only you know. MB

Olivier said...

je préfère la lumière et les couleurs de la deuxième photos, j'aime beaucoup.
I prefer light and colours of second photographs, I like very much.

VP said...

Being this an American blog, I invoke the Fifth Amendment.

Sean said...

Top for me!

Dan J. said...

I prefer the bottom one. It seems to show a wider range of color and more highlights. They're both nice images.

Your back yard? That is a nice piece of paradise to wake up to every morning.

Prospero said...

The second one!

James said...

I like the top one best. :-)

Allison said...

Hi Jacob!

I prefer the darker, warmer colors of the bottom pic. The palm tree sure stands out more in the second frame. Is this your humble backyard retreat?? Safe Leif and I will be there at 5 for drinks on the patio! Fire up the barbie!!

Antjas said...

The top picture looks crisp, fresh and cool. Almost like an early morning picture.

The bottom picture looks dreamy, hot and steamy. The lighting reminds me of how my pool looks in the late afternoon in late August as the shadows are getting longer. It also has a sort of "Body Heat" or "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" sort of feel. Like something heavy is hanging in the air.

Lowell said...

@ Allison - If you two can get here by five, I'll definitely fire up the barbecue!

Halcyon said...

Oh goodness! I like them both. The greens on the top one seem to be "greener". But I also like the aqua blue of the pool in the second one.

I think the first one is the digital camera.

Halcyon said...

PS: Is your fence white or cream? I still think the top one is digital. The colors seem truer to me.

EG CameraGirl said...

Hmmm. I've been studying the two photos for a while because this is not an easy question. I very much like the brightness of the top photo but I'm also drawn to the warmth of the second. The top photo also seems to be a tiny bit crisper (but maybe that's just me.)

Leif Hagen said...

Ditto what Allison said! Looks like you even finaly pulled the weeds! How about lutefisk on your barbie??! Yum!

Frank said...

It's an amazing thing to me, after working with film for 40 years, that we can have this discussion. We can actually HOLD film in our hand and look through it and see an image...almost forever embedded in the film stock. It's tangible and real. Then this darn digial comes along and for most intents and purposes it is incredible, unbelievable and so near perfect... instantaneous and cheap. What's not to love and admire about the technology and results? I prefer your top image but for me the question still is, what happens without the ability to retreive the digital image? We need to print more on good, archival stock, but that said, we all have 1,000s of unseen and unprinted digital images that multiply worse than rabbits. VERY good question you put to us. Thought provoking. Thanks.

Daryl said...

First has truer colors IMO

Lowell said...

@ Frank - The other thing, Frank, is that if done rightly, film can beat out digital hands down...the latest issue of one of the photography magazines presents several landscapes, incredible photos, and they were all taken with Fuji Velvia 50 film (albeit in large format cameras)!

The other thing is that a modest scan of film will produce images at 25 megapixel...and I don't know of any digital camera that can do that! Then you put these images on your computer and viola, "digital" but better!

Many of the world's best photographers insist even today on using film for landscapes and art projects, although they will use digital for people shots, sporting events, etc.

It doesn't have to be either/or. And isn't for many.

The hard part is finding a place that can do high resolution scans. Costco is one.

Judy said...

This time I'm picking the second picture as the film shot. It's the color that makes me think that. Nice backyard too!

Frank said...

The photographer that shot the Woodstock album cover photo is a friend and scans his 4 x 5s and larger format film (for file/printing) and then either prints black and whites from the original negs or has color "carbro" prints made from the digital files. Best of both worlds as you said. Digital is almost not believable. And its capabilities are addictive.

Lowell said...

@ Safe Leif - Lutefisk? You're looney!

Cezar and Léia said...

very interesting!I prefer the first one for the blue intensive and lights.Anyway they are wonderful!
Léia

Cezar and Léia said...

By the way, wowwwwwwww what a beautiful pool!I don't know how to swim but I could learn there in so charming spot!
Léia

cieldequimper said...

This is a trick question! ;-)) Part of me wants to follow VP. :-) I do, however prefer photo # 2 because it's mellow and not garish. I'm not too sure it's the film camera one though.

cieldequimper said...

P.S. If that's your pool, I will definitely accept an invitation for a drink! ;-)

crocrodyl said...

Nice! Beautiful blue of the water:)

Bergson said...

the second photo we change a little with this sweet shade

Lowell said...

@ Ciel - This is your invitation!

Inday said...

I like them both. I can tell the second one was taken using the old film.

Lois said...

I'm a little late commenting today, but before I read the comments, I did decide I liked the second one better because it has warmer looking light. I also picked the first one to be the digital.

Hilda said...

True to my Jesuit training, I say it depends on what the purpose is.

I like the first one better because the white is whiter and the blue is bluer, so it shows off the fence and pool better. If I publish an architectural magazine, I'd choose that.

The second photo looks like it was taken late in the afternoon with the sun beginning to set — it's lovely because of the warm lighting and is therefore better at evoking positive feelings. If I worked in an ad agency, this would be my choice for family and leisure lifestyle products.

:)

Lowell said...

Time for the truth: The two photos were taken at the same time. The top photo is, indeed, the digital. The second was taken with an old film camera and old film.

At first I was most attracted to the digital shot; but then I came to really like the warmth of the second shot. Perhaps as Hilda mentioned, they serve different purposes.

Thanks so much for all your comments.

Virginia said...

Lord have mercy at the comments. You know what they say about opinions........ well I have one too! HA I like em both. I almost could not tell the diff. They are both gorgeous.

J, thanks for you kind remarks today. I appreciate your visits so very much.
V

cieldequimper said...

Phew! I feel better now that I know! I'll bear that invitation in mind! Thank you! :-))

Unknown said...

I prefer the warmth of the 2nd shot in general and the blue sky of the 1st... Not a great help, right? :-)
I presume the trunk we see belongs to one of the palm trees responsible for the berry mess on the ground... :-)

Lowell said...

@ JM - You are right about the palm tree - one of three!

namaki said...

looks like a cool pool !

Rose said...

I chose the bottom one as film, as well as the one I prefer.

Talking about Velvia! I LOVE it! It is the best film ever from someone who hasn't had a lot of experience....never had the money or time to spend on photography, but I did manage a roll of it every now and then.

What film did you use for this? I picked up some Kodak Gold the other day and haven't had time to get out my Nikon. I would love to have a day to do some comparison shots!

Lowell said...

Hi, Rose. Yes, the bottom one is film. And, as I recall it was some old Kodak 400. The real problem is finding someone who uses a fresh mix to develop the film. And the scans from local drugstores are absolutely awful.

I'll be sending my film stuff to a special lab in California in the future.

Dan J said...

I have been thinking of picking up a film camera since they can be found pretty inexpensively. What lab in California would you be sending your film to?

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

The water looks cleaner and purer in the first, but the light is softer and warmer int he second--how about pasting the water of the first into the warmness of the second, LOL!

Nice captures, Jacob!!!

Sujata said...

I cant decide!!!!

I like them both.....

Ilove your pictures! I am galad I chanced upon your blog.

Anonymous said...

I like both of them, but for different reasons. The first one I like for the clarity of the water and the second one I like for the "old Florida" postcard feel. - What I want to know is, which one most accurately captured what you were seeing?

Lowell said...

@ Nikki - That is an interesting question. I think you'd have to combine them to get the most accurate portrayal of "reality." The second is probably closer except for the fence...the fence was quite white.

"Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again." — Henri Cartier-Bresson