Simplified bg, colors good, lighting still needs work

[JBW]

I have started seriously reading Light, Science and Magic (vol 3)

[Manfred M]

Why are you cropping so tight Brian? The whole shot looks very cramped. Try opening up the negative space.

There is a bit of a strange bit of light reflecting on the camera right side. It might look better without it.

[JBW]

Why are you cropping so tight Brian? The whole shot looks very cramped. Try opening up the negative space.

There is a bit of a strange bit of light reflecting on the camera right side. It might look better without it.

That is the light reflecting the color of the glass jar.

I really don't see this as a tight crop. I could add negative space top and bottom. But the more negative space the less detail and the shot is all about the color and the detail.

[Manfred M]

That is the light reflecting the color of the glass jar.

I really don't see this as a tight crop. I could add negative space top and bottom. But the more negative space the less detail and the shot is all about the color and the detail.

Actually a shot is all about how you arrange the material in the image. If you are trying to sell the jar on eBay, you might want to show all the closeup detail, but if you are trying to build an appealing image, you have to take a more balanced view of what the final image will look like.

[JBW]

Actually a shot is all about how you arrange the material in the image. If you are trying to sell the jar on eBay, you might want to show all the closeup detail, but if you are trying to build an appealing image, you have to take a more balanced view of what the final image will look like.

Only if I want to appeal solely to you. Someone who like s a tight drop could think the crop way to wide. I have more spac around the bottle than your lady in the mask and yellow dress. Which I agree is an apples and oranges comparison unless you were trying to sell the ladies portrait on ebay

[Manfred M]

Only if I want to appeal solely to you. Someone who like s a tight drop could think the crop way to wide. I have more spac around the bottle than your lady in the mask and yellow dress. Which I agree is an apples and oranges comparison unless you were trying to sell the ladies portrait on ebay

You are right. It is an apples and oranges comparison. But the principle still applies; does the tight crop work or would a looser crop have worked better?

[JBW]

You are right. It is an apples and oranges comparison. But the principle still applies; does the tight crop work or would a looser crop have worked better?

obviously i feel it works the way it is. Lets see what others say

[Shadowman]

Nice shot.

[James G]

Hi Brian, this is definitely an 'apples and pears' discussion.

I rather like your glass jar, and I like the general way it is presented. But I also agree with Manfred that maybe the background needs a tweak or two, to present the jar in a better light (sorry... didn't intend to be punny!)

If it were my image, I know I would definitely want to square the jar up so that it was central in the frame. As regards whether more negative space is required? Well for me, squaring the position of the jar certainly means increasing the negative space above and below.

Again, if it were my image, I would probably brighten the jar slightly to give the reflections in the glass a bit more punch, and darken the blacks to make it stand out a bit more, but I think I would retain some of the light reflecting on the right in order to keep the jar grounded rather that floating in space.

I would also want to frame it and place it in my kitchen.

I'd also quite like a similar jar in my kitchen filled with preserved apples and pears!

[JBW]

Nice shot.

thanks

[JBW]

Hi Brian, this is definitely an 'apples and pears' discussion.

I rather like your glass jar, and I like the general way it is presented. But I also agree with Manfred that maybe the background needs a tweak or two, to present the jar in a better light (sorry... didn't intend to be punny!)

If it were my image, I know I would definitely want to square the jar up so that it was central in the frame. As regards whether more negative space is required? Well for me, squaring the position of the jar certainly means increasing the negative space above and below.

Again, if it were my image, I would probably brighten the jar slightly to give the reflections in the glass a bit more punch, and darken the blacks to make it stand out a bit more, but I think I would retain some of the light reflecting on the right in order to keep the jar grounded rather that floating in space.

I would also want to frame it and place it in my kitchen.

I'd also quite like a similar jar in my kitchen filled with preserved apples and pears!

this jar is slightly less than 1 inch wide, a bigger one is needed for preserves I shot this tethered and i was about as far back as I could get (short cable). The only way to square the shot is to lessen the negative space. But I'll see if i can re-arrange the shot tomorrow.

[DanK]

A very interesting image. I agree that the negative space is out of balance; I would try either a bit more top and bottom (particularly bottom) or cropping from the sides. I think the adding more would be better.

However, I would focus on something else. The interesting patterns in the jar stand out less than they might because the tonal difference between the jar and the background is limited, in part because of the bright spot Manfred mentioned. This makes the image a bit washed out. One option would be to black out the background and then brighten the jar, while not pushing the whites up to avoid blowing them out. I did these with a very simple edit: I selected the jar using a quick selection tool, used that selection and a curves tool to brighten the jar, then inverted the mask and used it with a levels tool to black out the background. See whether you think this is a good direction.

[JBW]

I like the brighter jar and the darker left side but i miss the green reflection on my computer case.

[Manfred M]

I like the brighter jar and the darker left side but i miss the green reflection on my computer case.

Brian - I wonder if doing a bit more reading on photographic organization; i.e. composition, use of space (including negative space) and distractions might not be worthwhile. You have started pushing back fairly hard when people point out some of these issues in your work.

Dan's edit works well and is the direction I was trying to nudge you towards with my comments in this thread. The technical side of your work has come along nicely, but this aspect of photography seems to be where things are a bit more hit and miss right now.

[JBW]

Brian - I wonder if doing a bit more reading on photographic organization; i.e. composition, use of space (including negative space) and distractions might not be worthwhile. You have started pushing back fairly hard when people point out some of these issues in your work.

Dan's edit works well and is the direction I was trying to nudge you towards with my comments in this thread. The technical side of your work has come along nicely, but this aspect of photography seems to be where things are a bit more hit and miss right now.

M'Lady is on a road trip in a low intensity war zone. has been for about a week. She hopefully gets back with my new camera tomorrow. I'm a bit snarky. Apologies to anyone I have offended. I'll see what I can find online.

[Manfred M]

M'Lady is on a road trip in a low intensity war zone. has been for about a week. She hopefully gets back with my new camera tomorrow. I'm a bit snarky. Apologies to anyone I have offended. I'll see what I can find online.

Nothing to do with offending anyone Brian. Just trying to help you advance in your photographic skill set.

I have a very thick skin.

[James G]

Brian,
Trouble is that we get into a mindset where we can be protective about them , a bit like parents can be with children, (which I have never had). Unlike children we can always start again... another great thing about photography

I've developed a pretty thick hide over the years too. Hope m'lady gets back soon I always got unsettled when Janet was away on residentials with her students, young adults with special needs and crises every moment!

[JBW]

Brian,
Trouble is that we get into a mindset where we can be protective about them , a bit like parents can be with children, (which I have never had). Unlike children we can always start again... another great thing about photography

I've developed a pretty thick hide over the years too. Hope m'lady gets back soon I always got unsettled when Janet was away on residentials with her students, young adults with special needs and crises every moment!

hopefully tomorrow with the camera

[Manfred M]

Brian,
Trouble is that we get into a mindset where we can be protective about them , a bit like parents can be with children, (which I have never had). Unlike children we can always start again... another great thing about photography

I've developed a pretty thick hide over the years too. Hope m'lady gets back soon I always got unsettled when Janet was away on residentials with her students, young adults with special needs and crises every moment!

Excellent point about adult learning, James.

Children and young adults are like sponges when it comes to learning, but adults are a whole different audience.

In my work roles before I retired, I lead design teams. When training material was required to teach people how to use the new tools, equipment, software, business processes, etc. we were called in to help with the change management / training strategies, training delivery design and were sometimes called on to help deliver the training as we were the "subject matter experts".

The most difficult people to train were generally the most experienced ones on the old way of doing things. Part of an adult's "social status" is often driven by their expertise in a certain area. Change the way that things are done and that is put at risk, at least in the individual's own eyes.

Even though I know all this, I find I have to be very careful when I am put into a position when someone critiques my work. I generally have no issues when listening to people that I consider to be my peers or people who are more knowledgeable than I am. That doesn't necessarily mean I will agree with what they say, but at least I will carefully consider their input. My test for this is being able to present a reasoned argument as to why what they have suggested will not be as good as my solution, and being tough and honest with myself is the hard part.