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| Group |
Round |
C/R |
Comment |
Date |
Image |
| 60 |
Sep 23 |
Reply |
Hey Debbie, thanks for the positive comments. You're an outlier re: the umbrellas (and I was very intentional re: their placement), but I think that perhaps is because you're looking at it as an environmental portrait, or a BTS (behind the scenes shot), instead of a traditional headshot or portrait. And, that really was the intent. Still, I appreciate everyone's perspective, because it's difficult to critique your own work (but it's SO essential).
Interestingly, my camera was tethered (I use Capture One), and really enjoy that capability, but I wasn't looking at it. The camera in frame is a Nikon D5100 that I can't bear to get rid of, that's just configured to look like it's being tethered. And the camera that took the shot is a Fuji. I set the shot up, and had my wife on the other computer giving me cues on face placement. Good eye and thinking.
If you want to talk tethering workflow sometime, let me know. It speeds things up IMMENSELY for some types of work. |
Sep 17th |
| 60 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
Thanks Barbara. I appreciate the considered eye, and the corroboration. It helps.
|
Sep 14th |
| 60 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
Hey Debbie. I like the reflection in the water too. Focus and DoF work well for me. Colors are natural and vibrant, but not overdone. I kind of like the overhanging trees, which act as a frame for me. Personally, I like the amount of motion in the water, and the creamy smoothness you achieved at this shutter speed.
You wrote that the SS was ".10", no? Is that accurate. I would have thought it was more like 10s (but of course I could be wrong). When shooting water, I start at about 1/5s, and then go from there, till I get the sense of motion of the water that I'm looking for; frozen, rushing, or smooth flow like this. But having said that, you mention that you're trying to capture the stillness. I'm not sure I get that really, given that the point of flowing water is all about the movement, but then again, that's just my perspective. Do you feel that this captured stillness, and if so, how?
It looks to me like you may have removed a couple of objects above the falls, in the leaves. Of course, that sort of softness I'm seeing could have been the result of wind blowing the leaves given this long shutter time. Either way, it stands out to me, but then again, that's just me. |
Sep 9th |
| 60 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
Hey Blair, I think you might have already read that I think still life is a great genre for improving your skills, so I'm glad you've jumped into it. In this case, I think the focus and depth of field (DoF) are spot on. Colors look realistic to me, which is good. As a first step into still life, this is a great, charismatic subject, and one you can spend the rest of your photographic career working with (I'm putting together a whole project of flower shots, styled in ikebana arrangements, by my wife), so keep it up.
My suggestion would be to consider that if you're going for a black background, then make it a black background. In this case, there's other stuff going on back there. For me, learning to pay attention to whatever is behind my subjects, and thus will be in the image, took a long time, and I still fail to do so sometimes. But, getting that skill down will save you big time. Just a suggestion... |
Sep 9th |
| 60 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
I dig intentional camera motion (ICM) shots when they're done well. Dean's right that the amount of motion has to be just right so as to be recognizable, but...changed. I think this is done well. I can't really critique it that much though, because it is so highly stylized. But I can tell you captured trees, and that's really the point I think. Good on you, and kudos for stepping into a new technique. |
Sep 9th |
| 60 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
the world is a different place when you get right up close to it. Interesting subject. Lots of texture and well lit to highlight it. Kudos for noticing the world right at your feet. |
Sep 9th |
| 60 |
Sep 23 |
Reply |
Thanks Rita. It looks like I kind of failed in my intent. However, this was meant to kind of look like a photographer at work, and not to isolate like you would for a real portrait. Environmental Portraiture is kind of tricky that way, I find, in that you want to create believable, authentic, realistic imagery of people in their surroundings, without taking away from the person too much. I find it challenging...obviously. Back to the drawing board. But, thanks for your considered feedback. It's valuable. |
Sep 9th |
| 60 |
Sep 23 |
Reply |
Yes Dean. I DO have super powers...but I didn't need'em here. I have the camera on a ballhead mounted to an attachment at the end of a c-stand, that I frequently use for overhead and tabletop stuff. Makes it much easier to move up and down.
I put that umbrella there purposely, but if it's not doing its job, then I need to reconsider. Thanks for putting your trained eye to work. |
Sep 9th |
| 60 |
Sep 23 |
Reply |
Hey Blair, thanks for the chiming in, and your comments absolutely are valid and valuable. You seem to have hit on a potential improvement that others agree with too. I included that umbrella in the upper left, close to the camera and outside the depth of field, because I wanted that sense of peering at the subject through all the trappings and equipment. However, if folks are seeing it as a distraction, well, I think I'd better listen, so thanks for bringing it up. Yes, it can be edited out in post, but something would have to take its place. Let me think about that, and thanks again. |
Sep 9th |
| 60 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
I love it Barbara. First, I dig still life. I think it's the best laboratory for skill building with composition AND lighting. Everything's under your control and you can mess with one variable at a time. Second, I'm impressed that you've decided to make the leap into artificial lighting. I dig it, and there are things you can do with artificial light you just can't do with anything else, so learning it is a real capability multiplier.
With regard to the image itself, I think the colors look good, and natural. The foreground looks razor sharp to me, but falls off rapidly (Was this intentional? I see that you used f/8 but I'm guessing you focused on the front apples. Sometimes, it's valuable to focus a bit behind the first things you want in focus, knowing that about 1/3 of your DoF will be in front of the point of sharpest focus).
Compositionally, I love what you've done with the apples which appear to be naturally and randomly placed, which is an art really (I know there was nothing random about their arrangement). The dew on the apples is awesome too. The color harmony of the green and red, along with the natural tones of the surface is excellent in my book. Kudos.
I think if if were me, I'd have placed the background much farther behind the apples, so as to keep shadows from falling on it, and to allow it to blur to a really creamy, consistent mass (which would hide that imperfection in it in the bottom, right corner). Beyond that, the relatively hard (small source, relative to the subject) light has given you some challenges (IMHO) because it creates crisper, darker shadows than a soft light, and harder, brighter hi lights which can blow out. This increased dynamic range can make exposure decisions more challenging. What can you do? 1: softer light (there are lots of ways to do this) 2: Fill (even just a bounce card could fill the deep shadows...if that's what you want).
Having said all that, it's about style at this point. I'd recommend taking a look a this:https://expertphotography.com/hard-light-vs-soft-light-photography/
And remember, these are just my thoughts. I think, especially for food, that soft, but directional light (like that which might come through a window), is the most appealing. There's a style of food photography going around these days to shoot food items like they were being illuminated by a laser. I hate it since it usually involves super spartan staging, and the food items appear illuminated by gamma radiation (not appetizing, but I can do it), but it's kind of popular right now. So, my point is that it's just a matter of taste. You're in charge. |
Sep 4th |
6 comments - 4 replies for Group 60
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6 comments - 4 replies Total
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