SLC: green and gold earring on blue background

[JBW]

[JR1]

Lacking interest, yep an ear ring on a cloth

Sorry to be harsh but that is it

[JBW]

Lacking interest, yep an ear ring on a cloth

Sorry to be harsh but that is it

with all of the effort you take to belittle and insult me you must believe that I have a marvelous talent that just needs the right prodding. Thank you for your faith in my talents.

[Donald]

Brian - Top left corner. The edge of the cloth. I find that drags my attention immediately.

Also, I think I understand what you might have been thinking about, but I how a greater depth of field that would have kept all of the cloth in focus, would have looked. I think the cloth has a nice texture and find the fade-off the out-of-focus a bit distracting. I think the piece of jewellery is a strong enough subject that it could have dealt with all of the cloth being in focus.

Jeremy - You're comment doesn't really amount to constructive criticism. Perhaps it might be more helpful if you were to expand on your thinking to explain what you were meaning.

[Stagecoach]

Hi Brian,

I also noted the top left corner and wondered about it, not sure. In a way it broke up the expanse of cloth so I'm not going to give a verdict on it (because you will have a reason for doing it I know)

Next shadows, too harsh for me and you need to soften them down, diffuse the lighting, use a piece of white paper to add light in the opposite direction of that of the main light.

Frame, one of the best you have selected to date, complimentary.

Don't forget you can use longer shutter speeds for work like this. I used a 1/2 sec on a tiny delicate flower indoors today.

So hopefully we see the same shot tomorrow with softer shadow

Grahame

[JBW]

Hi Brian,

I also noted the top left corner and wondered about it, not sure. In a way it broke up the expanse of cloth so I'm not going to give a verdict on it (because you will have a reason for doing it I know)

Next shadows, too harsh for me and you need to soften them down, diffuse the lighting, use a piece of white paper to add light in the opposite direction of that of the main light.

Frame, one of the best you have selected to date, complimentary.

Don't forget you can use longer shutter speeds for work like this. I used a 1/2 sec on a tiny delicate flower indoors today.

So hopefully we see the same shot tomorrow with softer shadow

Grahame

Myra is not wearing these earrings lately so there will be time if everything else cooperates. Softer shadows, no top left problem etc etc etc. I will see whatb happens.

[JBW]

Brian - Top left corner. The edge of the cloth. I find that drags my attention immediately.

Also, I think I understand what you might have been thinking about, but I how a greater depth of field that would have kept all of the cloth in focus, would have looked. I think the cloth has a nice texture and find the fade-off the out-of-focus a bit distracting. I think the piece of jewellery is a strong enough subject that it could have dealt with all of the cloth being in focus.

Jeremy - You're comment doesn't really amount to constructive criticism. Perhaps it might be more helpful if you were to expand on your thinking to explain what you were meaning.

I wasn't sure about the top left and right of the cloth. I had hoped that it would balance the bottom but I have to agree that it needs to be corrected. Assuming we have electricity and that Myra doesn't wear them tomorrow I think I shall have another go at this shot.
B.

[JR1]

Jeremy - You're comment doesn't really amount to constructive criticism. Perhaps it might be more helpful if you were to expand on your thinking to explain what you were meaning.

Sorry, yes, that is my problem, assuming that people are mind readers, sorry.

Just like every other form of Photography you need to think "what will the viewer see in what I do", will they see it as I do.

Does it have impact
is it "interesting"

Simply placing anything on a cloth will not work, unless it is for Ebay

Belittle and insult, no.

The taker may see a work of art, but that is not what the viewers see, I see an ear ring on a cloth. It does NO photographer any good to be told, Great, superb when it is fact not, but I will give more info in my answers in the future.

This may help

http://121clicks.com/tutorials/still...-and-tutorials

http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/20...e-photography/

You also posted a shot from your garden, that WAS good

I attach three I did, egg and chips, chock ice and Strawberry light, I am rubbish at still life it is why I do sports

NONE have a "background"

[Loose Canon]

This is the first time you have shot this piece that I have actually been able to see it good enough to tell what it is Brian. I was wondering of you were ever going to!

Cool! Nice piece to shoot.

I think the suggestion regarding the focus has merit Brian. It might not be so bad that it is there necessarily, but the fall-off starts way too close to the top/back of the piece. It appears the entire piece may not be in the focal plane and for a shot like this it would be considered mandatory that it is all in focus. This is a product shot plain and simple. But not always so plain and simple to shoot! Which is of course, why it’s cool to do! Different than “still life” and yet the same!

If the shot were mine I would say that there is just too much surface area to begin with. It really isn’t necessary and kind of overwhelms the piece. One only needs to see a little of it to see it all because of it’s consistency. So I would get the earring tighter in the frame and make it the star of the show. I see you doing all kinds of tight shots in the garden and this is right up that alley!

I have to agree with Grahame’s assessment of the lighting Brian. The placement of it looks good. The highlight on the piece is in a pretty good place. But I would also suggest that you start looking at some diffusion and reflection techniques at this point. This will expand your studio’s potential immensely. If you put a reflector in front of the piece I have the sneaking suspicion you would see it reflected in the piece. Might not be a good thing, but if you tried you could at least see how the reflections/highlights would fall. You might try it off to the opposite side of the piece as the light. Or maybe better still a reflector on either side of the piece. From the side(s) it(they) might not show as a reflection and still throw some additional light into the mix. This piece’s shape and reflectivity would make it a good piece to experiment with.

The lighting could actually stand as is, and some work could be done to it in post that may help it out if an additional reflector didn’t work. And while I am mentioning post I might add that with a shot like this, a little vignette goes a long ways. It gives a visual of a more targeted lighting. The surface (cloth) is regular and consistent and will not suffer in the least.

I like this shot the best so far Brian. I think you did a nice job with it. Sometimes it is good to go with a single uncomplicated piece with an uncluttered BG, learn to light it right, learn how to “see” it, and work with it in post.

To a good studio shooter it is way more than just an earing on a cloth. It is the job of the studio shooter to see and understand that and to know or find out how to bring out its beauty. A lot of times that is much more challenging than shooting a “scene” and if you can do this effectively anything else will be that much the better for it. And that’s a cool thing!

So here is a quickie visual suggestion to go with the verbal!



Crop. Cleaned up the piece a little incl. removing the stray speculars. Cleaned up the metal parts just a bit. Some contrast enhancement. Lightened the cylindrical bead just a tad. Vignette, local sharpening. I didn't take enough time with it but just a little different idea.

[JBW]

Sorry, yes, that is my problem, assuming that people are mind readers, sorry.

Just like every other form of Photography you need to think "what will the viewer see in what I do", will they see it as I do.

Does it have impact
is it "interesting"

Simply placing anything on a cloth will not work, unless it is for Ebay

Belittle and insult, no.

The taker may see a work of art, but that is not what the viewers see, I see an ear ring on a cloth. It does NO photographer any good to be told, Great, superb when it is fact not, but I will give more info in my answers in the future.

This may help

http://121clicks.com/tutorials/still...-and-tutorials

http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/20...e-photography/

You also posted a shot from your garden, that WAS good

I attach three I did, egg and chips, chock ice and Strawberry light, I am rubbish at still life it is why I do sports

NONE have a "background"

I don't know what you consider to be background but I certainly see background in all of your shots; table, ice and the pink on the bottom grey on the tip of your last shot.

I would suggest that our minds work very differently. I enjoy both the crowded complexity of my garden shot and the simple complexity of the earring shot. I will be working to correct the issues that others have pointed out and will be posting it when done.

Thank you for the links which I shall look into and more fully explaining your position.
Brian

[JBW]

This is the first time you have shot this piece that I have actually been able to see it good enough to tell what it is Brian. I was wondering of you were ever going to!

Cool! Nice piece to shoot.





Crop. Cleaned up the piece a little incl. removing the stray speculars. Cleaned up the metal parts just a bit. Some contrast enhancement. Lightened the cylindrical bead just a tad. Vignette, local sharpening. I didn't take enough time with it but just a little different idea.

I have been assured that SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed) will not be wearing this earring tomorrow. I have got fresh batteries for the camera and will be having another go.

I am not sure about having all the background in focus unless I take the shot from the top and that would certainly change it.

But I shall see what I can do.

I will be playing with the lighting and I will see about tightening up the shot. I am not sure how tight I can go and still keep the feeling of solitude that this shot gives me. But then maybe it will speak more honestly as a power shot.

Tomorrow should be interesting.

I can understand from your tighter shot how I missed out on not treating the individual parts of the earring individually. As i said tomorrow will be interesting. This is just a quick experiment with the old shot. A tighter crop and some work done to the stone.

[Stagecoach]

I am not sure how tight I can go and still keep the feeling of solitude that this shot gives me.

EXACTLY Brian !

The original shot suggested a story to me, the tight shot does not. But with things set up you have the option to do either.

Another thing I note today is that the wire piece is protruding into the shadow, good or bad, and also it's centralised?

Grahame

Grahame