Critique After

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Gary
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Hi

I collected these bottles a while ago with the intension of letting some wax run down the necks as I always liked the look of them when you see them in restaurants.

Having done the above months ago I had been at a loss as to how I was going to make a photo out of them.

A few weeks back I was working on a property where some old doors had been taken off and were awaitng the arrival of a skip.

I rescued the one seen in the background as it was full of cracked brown paint.

At the moment I am working on a property just a bit further down the road from "door property". On this job there were an old shed out the back, the builders had tipped the contents out. Amongst the debris were a box of long candles.

This seemed very weird as had used all my long candles weeks before.

So home they came too.

I added the glass and wine as I just thought it looked the part and had the feeling of ......

Then again I could be totally wrong and it does not work at all.

Apologies for the waffle.

I am open to all critique / feedback.

Gaz








PCyNzPc.jpg
 
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All the elements are there and yet it doesn't move me in the way that most of your other still life photos do. Reading your description I assume the white things centre right are candles laid down but I can't see enough detail to know that and I think it would be better without, I also wonder if there is just a little too much wax dripping off the table. Perhaps a little less contrast and overall a little darker might be more engaging?

That said, thanks for sharing and it is probably a lot better than anything I could do. I really hope you are up for giving this another go because as I said it seems like you are pretty close to a very pleasing image.
 
Perhaps a slightly higher viewpoint, just looking slightly down onto the table giving a little more reference to the slightly anonymous white things on the table. With my "Vanitas" still life head on, I was wondering how the hell you'd managed to get a squid to burn! - the image having drinks bottles, and a spilled wine glass evoked thoughts of food on the table rather than candles - in a kind of minimal "ontbitjes" vibe...

Another tip, more related to the "aging" of the prop bottles, would be to get different coloured wax buildups... I find that Red wax is particularly effective...

And a slight "cautionary note" - be careful using "laid down" glassware, as it's got a very upsetting habit of rolling off set and shattering...

www.talkphotography.co.uk

The Ephemeral Nature of Music…

... and Glassware, as it turned out. This shot's been held back for a while, as I entered it in the April round of the Staff POTY and haven't been able to "publish" until after the results were out. The Ephemeral Nature of Life (and Glassware) by The Big Yin, on Flickr
www.talkphotography.co.uk www.talkphotography.co.uk
 
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IMO the bottle could do with more wax, although it doesn't need variation (again, IMO!)

Agree with Mark about the laid down candles resembling squid.
 
All as mentioned, especially the wax being a bit overpowering. The right hand flame needs some candle beneath it to seperate it from the bottle.

I'd be tempted to put a texture over the image. (y)
 
@Bobsyeruncle
@sirch
@TheBigYin
@Nod
@mstphoto
@Dale.

Thanks evryone I am very pleased to recieve so much feedback on this image. I can't stop seeing squid now :)
Yes I have smashed a glass previously like in the link provided. You turned yours into a success though.
Funny thing is my Mrs smashed a glass on Sunday I said never mind maybe I could make an image out of it......

I can't disagree with any of your comments they all make perfect sense and have given me things to think about going forwards.

Thanks again.

Gaz
 
I like that Gary - only one niggle for me is maybe shoot in landscape as opposed to portrait???? The reason I say that is the right side of the image just looks cropped or cut off, if that makes any sense mate ?:)

Les
 
Morning Les.
Thanks for the feedback.
I agree it does looked chopped off. Which it is. I did crop in a bit too. Reason being I didn't like the look of the candles towards the outer edge. I can see " now you mention it" that in landscape it would have been a much more balanced photo.

Gaz
 
Loving the idea with this image.
As above, it's all there, but the R/H side is the only part without any space.
I'd also (personally) look at reducing the contrast and (if raw), put the colour temp slightly to orange for that 'aged' look.
Still, vastly better than anything I could achieve.
 
@reheat module
Hiya. Really appreciate the feedback. Funnily enough I did increase the contrast in post. Which is very unusual for me as "in my eyes" I shoot a bit flat.
Being as quite a few replies suggest the right hand side is cut off I'll have a look at the PSD to see how much I cropped off.
I'm pretty sure it's not very pretty on that side :-(

Great crit on this image from everyone thanks again.

Gaz
 
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