Some worn out eyes

[arith]

Which one is best; if any. I like them.

[ScoutR]

Hi Arith: I like the first one. I like the limited DOF which really suggests the need for glasses and the worn out eyes. I think I'd lay the glasses down on the book in the opposite direction though because that seems to me how I would lay them down when my eyes got tired. I also think I'd like it even more if the background extended all the way to the top.

The last one would win for me for the same reasons as the first, the DOF suggests tired eyes. I'd prefer the regular reading glasses though instead of the shades.

Nice shots
Wendy

[gtibri]

Very interesting pictures, you should redo them with the glasses face down on the book or facing away to make it look more natural and I agree the low depth of field is very neat, maybe even a black and white shot or sepia with soft tones to it would add to the mood.

Brian

[Donald]

Ashwin

I agree with what Wendy and Brian have said in terms of the composition. #1 and #4 are the two I would concentrate on.

I think the use of reading, rather than sun, glasses is better and that you should arrange/crop the picture so that edge of the table is not showing at the top of the frame.I prefer the aspect ratio of #4 better than #1. Seems more harmonious to me. I think seeing more of the book tells us more of a story about the person who has just laid down the glasses to rest their eyes.

[Ashwin]

Ashwin

I agree with what Wendy and Brian have said in terms of the composition. #1 and #4 are the two I would concentrate on.

I think the use of reading, rather than sun, glasses is better and that you should arrange/crop the picture so that edge of the table is not showing at the top of the frame.I prefer the aspect ratio of #4 better than #1. Seems more harmonious to me. I think seeing more of the book tells us more of a story about the person who has just laid down the glasses to rest their eyes.

Why addressed to me... ? ? ?

[Donald]

Why addressed to me... ? ? ?

Don't know. Too early on a Sunday morning!! Will have another cup of coffee.

[Dave Humphries]

Why addressed to me... ? ? ?

"Arith", "Ashwin" - you mean there is a difference?

Boy, you need that coffee Donald! Just off for one myself

[Ashwin]

Don't know. Too early on a Sunday morning!! Will have another cup of coffee.

COFFEE..? Sorry TEA is my favourite, I take about 15/20 cups of Tea every day ( This is my reduced quota... previously when working on computer I used to take not less than 40/45 cups of Tea...Thanks to my Daughter-in-Law, I may still have to settle for 4/5 cups a day only )

[arith]

Thanks everybody; I will have some more cups of tea and when it is dark will try a square aspect pic with reading glasses facing away. I like the first best because it is more subtle; it is the only one with two lights one bounced off a shiny black leather chair -4/3 fev and the other a gold umbrella 1/8 power one metre away approximately. In the others the full power slave flash is triggered by bouncing the on-board flash off the ceiling with manual 1/32 power which doesn't add much.

cheers

[arith]

It was a bit too light but I've took another 15 or 20 and it takes ages to process them so here is the first.

[arith]

Some more

[risingwolf]

No matter what glasses I use I couldn't read that Calculus? book. Great idea, very unique and unusual. As to the position of the glasses did you wear them and take them off and place them on the book as if you were too tired? Would be interesting to try with a well read book with notes written on the pages as if the reader was really involved. What type of pen would they use? Where would the pen be placed?
Boy, did these pictures get me thinking. But,that is what photography should be all about.

[arith]

Cor; this is so hard to choose.



Some have better dof, others a better angle or light.

[arith]

No matter what glasses I use I couldn't read that Calculus? book. Great idea, very unique and unusual. As to the position of the glasses did you wear them and take them off and place them on the book as if you were too tired? Would be interesting to try with a well read book with notes written on the pages as if the reader was really involved. What type of pen would they use? Where would the pen be placed?
Boy, did these pictures get me thinking. But,that is what photography should be all about.

This calculus is about as hard as it gets and I can't read it; I had these journals for algebra which occasionally gets included but this is number theory I think; not too far removed I suppose. I could use an old student text with my corrections but I think my corrections are not correct now, anyway they are faded.

The reason for using this text is that there are some nice squiggly things at the bottom of the page and I want it to be unreadable, so as to not distract from the scene.

The glasses were the most expensive ones I ever bought around 20 years ago; I have different ones now but generally take them off and place them on the book to keep the page. cheers

[ScoutR]

Cor; this is so hard to choose.



Some have better dof, others a better angle or light.

It's all very subjective, but for what it's worth I like this one the best so far. Lighting, angles and DOF work best for me in this one.

Nice work, I like the concept and can very much relate to what you have portrayed. (not the calculus though, just the books, and tired eyes.)

[arith]

Cheers Wendy; I'm crap at choosing and I'm better off with landscape since I only get a choice of one

Risingwolf had an idea and I did a quick shot to try it out. Maybe too many books but it is more real.

[ScoutR]

Hmmmm, I can see where you are going with the last one, and it has possibilities, but I still like the original concept and will stick with the one in post #13 as my choice.

My only suggestion with the multiple texts and notes is perhaps to try having the texts overlapping vertically to the edge of the frame and then maybe the notes and glassed haphazardly lain on top with a pencil and eraser or something. The horizontal placement of the books, with the black background top and bottom just doesn't work for me somehow. Like I said it's so subjective - so I'm just babbling off my thoughts. I really don't know if it would work or not, and I'm not so good at putting things into words. Just trying to give you some ideas.

[Wirefox]

Yep, they just keep getting better. The last 2 posts are by far the best. I like the yellow tint to the light. Whilst these images appear simple they take a heck of a lot of work to get them looking polished and I can appreciate first hand how much effort it takes to get them anything like right. Nice work Arith.

The last one is the most polished but there is something unsettling about the composition in all of them....ah... nothing sits in the thirds grid. It is difficult with a subject like this but unfortunately the eye does not settle comfortably on any part of the image and this causes the Mad Eye Moody effect.

Steve

[arith]

Only two more after this; probably the best:

[arith]

Yep, they just keep getting better. The last 2 posts are by far the best. I like the yellow tint to the light. Whilst these images appear simple they take a heck of a lot of work to get them looking polished and I can appreciate first hand how much effort it takes to get them anything like right. Nice work Arith.

The last one is the most polished but there is something unsettling about the composition in all of them....ah... nothing sits in the thirds grid. It is difficult with a subject like this but unfortunately the eye does not settle comfortably on any part of the image and this causes the Mad Eye Moody effect.

Steve

Cheers; rule of thirds I know but never actually think about until processing. I've got mad eyes anyway. Cheers Wendy it helps to know what others like especially when I can't choose.