Machine Shop Variation

Sometimes you have to choose between two relatively similar images. First is an image I worked on tonight, a wider view, a bit more complex, which might be interpreted as cluttered) but I like the corners of the sheets at the bottom and top. The first image includes the drum in the bottom right, but I have toned it down.



Or perhaps this one, which was the earlier image I worked on. This image has a better splay, but it's a simpler design.



At the moment, I think I prefer the first image, though who's to say how I'll feel tomorrow, never mind next week. I'll live with the images for a few weeks before deciding. In this case the images are probably too similar to include both in a portfolio.

Interestingly, were I submitting for publication, I might well send both, letting the editor choose which they prefer - they like having a choice, and they may pick one over another for entirely different reasons than you might consider - such as which goes better with the other images, how it will look in reproduction, shape relative to page, and so on.