Having a terrible time “seeing” color

[XopheCasa]

I typically work in B&W, but sometimes I’m inspired to go color, especially in very dark or difficult situations. Things a photo I took under a very contrasty situation. I think I handled the balance of light/dark well, but I’m always wondering if the bright window is a distracting or overwhelming element. Thanks for your ideas.

 

[brphotographycanada]

The window is certainly the center of attention since the eye is drawn to the brightness. The high contrast means that any detail below the bathtub line is basically gone. I suspect you're fine with this.

Another approach might be to shoot later/earlier in the day with the window darker and the candles lit. Since you mention "seeing" color, golden hour is always a good choice to add some nice warm yellow to the ambience.

One minor thing, you might want to crop the left side a tiny bit more so the edge of the cabinet (or sink?) isn't poking into the frame. The dark corner stands out against the white walls. When I can (and remember) I always try to sweep my eyes around the edges of the frame before hitting the shutter. I'm looking for those little "uninvited guests". Once you have the habit developed, it only takes a second to reposition a little bit and remove those little distractions.