Lionfish - which version do you like more?

I Post 2 different versions of the same photo - (I played with the levels in Photoshop) which one do you like more?

Alll other critique and thoughts are welcome too.

Simon

And the second version:

First image seems sharper, and I like the color a little more. The background is really distracting in both images - the more you crop away of it, the happier you may be.

As for the image, the fish is going the wrong way :-)

Also the image isn't very sharp on this side. Maybe a faster shutter speed and a wider aperture.

I know you are probably like every photographer and hate to throw out images, but you sometimes have to be harsh.

John Shaw I believe recommends having a box labelled "Images/Photos I am emotionally attached to but will never leave this box". I have many images like this one in there - including some of fish I only have one photo of - but it is a 'fish butt', out of focus, over exposed, badly composed, etc, etc. Now I come to think of it, I need a bigger box.

M

Prefer the first one. Colors seem more realistic, then again only you will know the true color of that lionfish.

Some cameras with the tiny lens have some barrel distortion at the 4 corners. In this case it probably does not apply, since the subject fins are not near the corners, and both fins appear slightly blur.

Maybe photoshop image sharpener may help.