Is this beyond redemption?

[JBW]

[Shadowman]

Works for me, some might say tone down the highlights but I like them as they contain enough detail underneath.

[John 2]

Works for me, some might say tone down the highlights but I like them as they contain enough detail underneath.

+1 from me Brian. Well seen as well.

[Round Tuit]

This does not need redemption. Very nice.

[Inkanyezi]

I am not sure what you might think of to redeem. Personally, I rarely like the light emitted from a small flash straight on, as when it is mounted on the camera.

A problem with flash for lighting is that you never see it until you have taken the picture. Therefore, studio strobes have modelling light, in order not only to be able to focus and compose, but also to see the effect of the lighting. Still objects, like this, are often easier to photograph in ambient light, to avoid sharp shadows and bright highlights that are reflected off shiny surfaces.

So if your idea is to eliminate sharp shadows and specular highlights, I'd suggest a retake with different lighting.

[Wavelength]

Very good image...

[Geoff F]

Maybe try selectively working on the lattice work areas to tone down the highlight brightness. Possibly use an adjustment layer with the blend mode set to Luminosity so you don't lose any more saturation?

[Manfred M]

Brian - this is a nicely composed image. I suspect that you are referring to the specular highlights as the issue you are concerned about? If so, how did you light this shot?

[xpatUSA]

Brian,

Assuming that the specular highlights are of concern to you, I thought perhaps to reduce the contrast by lightening the background and also reducing the gamma of the high tones, for example by a reverse 'S' levels curve.

FWIW:


By upping the low/mid tones the highlights become a little less prominent although you might not care for the less somber aspect of the whole thing.

[JBW]

Brian - this is a nicely composed image. I suspect that you are referring to the specular highlights as the issue you are concerned about? If so, how did you light this shot?

You're right. I tried the shot in natural light but the shadows on the side away from the daylight were too extreme. As there was no lighting in the house I used the flash set to 'fill'.

[JBW]

Maybe try selectively working on the lattice work areas to tone down the highlight brightness. Possibly use an adjustment layer with the blend mode set to Luminosity so you don't lose any more saturation?

next time i will take the pp into Gimp.

[JBW]

Very good image...

but next tike it will be better

[Manfred M]

You're right. I tried the shot in natural light but the shadows on the side away from the daylight were too extreme. As there was no lighting in the house I used the flash set to 'fill'.

And that is the reason for the hot spots on the image. Your built-in flash is tiny, not particularly powerful, not directable (i.e. it only points straight ahead). It provides a very harsh light that most serious photographers avoid at all costs; you want a soft diffuse light.

Just about the only use for the built-in flash is to use it to trigger off-camera flash.

[JBW]

And that is the reason for the hot spots on the image. Your built-in flash is tiny, not particularly powerful, not directable (i.e. it only points straight ahead). It provides a very harsh light that most serious photographers avoid at all costs; you want a soft diffuse light.

Just about the only use for the built-in flash is to use it to trigger off-camera flash.

What I want has to coincide with what I need before it becomes what I get. I will figure out a way to use natural light.

[Manfred M]

What I want has to coincide with what I need before it becomes what I get. I will figure out a way to use natural light.

Exactly. Natural light diffused through a large, white sheet (a.k.a. a "scrim") works extremely well in taming harsh light.

[Inkanyezi]

There is a video of how to make one at http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/h...t-photography/

Of course bamboo is a more environment friendly and more beautiful alternative to PVC tube. Often in the far Orient people use pliable room dividers, and I have seen such dividers with white cloth that can serve as scrims. IKEA sells one, but they are not present in the Phillippines.