Broken filament C & C welcome

[topol]

I've tried to capture the broken filament as well as the discolouration created by the filament burnout.
They are crops of the originals, with Sharpening using Picasa 3.
Fuji FinePix SL300

Broken filament (2) by taffopol, on Flickr
Picture Mode - Auto
ƒ/3.1
4.3 mm
1/50
ISO 200

Broken filament (1) by taffopol, on Flickr
Picture Mode - Auto
ƒ/3.1
4.3 mm
1/42
ISO 200

[JR1]

Does nothing for me, try a macro shot of the filament and the paper is off white needing white balance correction

[Shadowman]

You've captured both filament and discoloration, are you looking for realism or do you practice a bit of special effects on your images?

[topol]

You've captured both filament and discoloration, are you looking for realism or do you practice a bit of special effects on your images?

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "looking for realism". The pics are "as is" except for the editing mentioned in the OP.
"Special Effects" - moi ? no way, not yet anyhow.

[Mike Buckley]

You've done an admirable job considering that you're probably relatively new at photographing a subject with such difficult photographic characteristics -- curved shiny metal and transparent glass. I highly recommend the fourth edition of Light: Science and Magic for ideas about how to approach this subject.

[topol]

You've done an admirable job considering that you're probably relatively new at photographing a subject with such difficult photographic characteristics -- curved shiny metal and transparent glass. I highly recommend the fourth edition of Light: Science and Magic for ideas about how to approach this subject.

Thank you, indeed.
I've bookmarked your page - amazing.
And downloaded the PDF of Light: Science and Magic

[Shadowman]

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "looking for realism". The pics are "as is" except for the editing mentioned in the OP.
"Special Effects" - moi ? no way, not yet anyhow.

I wanted to know if you were interested in enhancing or creating a fantasy image or exhibiting as is? If only interested in "as is", I'd suggest shooting multiple bulbs, some broken some intact and perhaps having one lit. What would be really cool is to capture the exact moment the bulb burns out.

[topol]

[...]I'd suggest shooting multiple bulbs, some broken some intact and perhaps having one lit. What would be really cool is to capture the exact moment the bulb burns out.

Multple bulbs is a distinct possibility, having one lit isn't really practical for me.
Capturing the actual burnout - yeah, right.

[IzzieK]

I immediately saw what you were trying to do here and I really like it that you captured these shots with very little light reflection that might blow out in this photo. Sometimes, the simple ones are best to photograph...it may not be what others are interested in but you got your practice in that direction. Good job.

[Stagecoach]

Norm, I have followed your posts and am aware you are 'playing' with a new camera. Absolutely nothing wrong with that, we all do it and should do it.

You picked a subject that is not easy and have a very good result. It's an extremely difficult subject because it's hard to control specular highlights, Mike has referenced good reading on lighting.

What I do want to mention is the previous comment in post 2 by Jeremy regarding the need for White Balance correction of the image.

Taking sample points just in from each of the four corners we have RGB readings of;

187, 188, 186
204, 206, 204
180, 180, 178
180, 180, 180

This indicates that your White Balance is just about as SPOT ON as you could wish for if this was white paper. White paper of course varies very slightly in colour but lets not split hairs. If you were to adjust the White Balance as suggested you would in fact be making things worse regarding the colour neutrality of the paper.

To achieve the paper being nearer white, if of course that is what you want, you can simply increase brightness/exposure which with this image will also increase the few specular highlights but that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Here's a very quick adjustment, RGB values in top right area now 248,248,248.

[JBW]

Hi Norm, If I am right and you are new to the passion and your camera here is some good news; I use a Fujifilm S4200 and after 10,000+ shots I am still finding new and intriguing ways to use it. Welcome to C in C..

You have already got good input to the shot so allow me to make a different type of suggestion? Gimp 2.8 is a somewhat complex but free software program that will help you to bring out the best in your shots.

Have fun.

[JR1]

................

[Stagecoach]

................

Jeremy, it would be useful to all if you actually took the time to mention who you are responding to and what a post containing nothing other than '................' (similar to others) you have made today actually means.

[topol]

Thanks again to all who have responded since my last post.
I'll try to answer some of your points in turn:

If the bulb hadn't blown the night before, I'd never have thought of it as a subject, so I'm glad it blew.

I haven't yet got around to playing with White Balance, so that was very much hit or miss - seems like it hit OK though.
RGB values - I know what they are, but that's all.

I have GIMP, (standard with Linux) but so far have only used it for cropping and resizing. My Picasa 3 is far simpler, but very "ordinary".

I think every forum has a "Jeremy"

[IzzieK]

...I think every forum has a "Jeremy"

I kinda like your attitude...don't change...