weekly d00d's 52 in 2014 ... Week 51 : Extravagant

Hi David

Cut...simple ,on theme.....if a bit grisly :)
 
Hi, works for the theme, crit black BG looks added in can't let you get away with it as I have just criticised someone else for the same thing, the two coins need to be stacked better.
 
mr.si said:
Very swish! Nice clean image and great idea. Focus is in all the right places for me.
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Thanks ... not too swish I hope.

alsjazzera said:
Hi, works for the theme, crit black BG looks added in can't let you get away with it as I have just criticised someone else for the same thing, the two coins need to be stacked better.
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Thanks yes bits of the BG are added: bits between the base and the see-saw. Stacked better! You don't like my stacking! ;)


*This 52's exhibit is the first time I've used a flash.
 
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Hi David

Catch up from me

Fall - very good idea and well handled - good motion - all the elements of books, shelves spot on but b/g a little grey for me.

Communicate - like this a lot. I thought that the selective colour worked well and then I saw the colour version and did not know which i preferred. I like the capture of the intense expression and concentration. The guys don't bother me as I think that they ad to the feel of the shot as their demeanour contrasts nicely with that of the young lady. Also like the wider crop as it includes that motion of the flowers which adds to story.(y)

Dark - good rich browns, very good lighting and sharp. (y) Not sure about the border and intrigued as to how you managed such a clean cut on the chocolate:thinking:

Big- elegant, sharp, good light, brooding and exuding power. top shot :clap:

Cut - simple idea which works. Not the most elegant of scissors tho.

Balance - like the choice of materials and the concept. With such a minimalist shot the pound coins really should be stacked properly as they immediately stand out. Note that you have used flash and must say that it works as it has introduced just the most subtle of light onto the coins and red bead (?)
 
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Hi David, big catch up time for me. Some great shots here - so apologies it took me so long to get round to commenting (bloomin' work!)

Dark - I think this is one of your best shots yet and one of the standout shots from anyone for the entire week/theme. The lighting is magic - I like the bright corner TL of frame as it provides welcome contrast to the dark piece at the bottom. The angle of lighting is very well chosen for me. The shadow under the main piece is perfect and lifting that would have weakened the shot, IMO. I genuinely think this would be a magnificent stock shot (if not for the brand as that may prohibit its use). But even the lettering has come out very well with the very shallow lighting - honestly a nigh on perfect shot for me! :banana: (oh, and I like the DOF).

Big - another fantastic product shot, although I'm struggling to get the connection to the theme - sorry for being thick! Not usually a fan of vignettes but this one really works. Is it completely 100% level? Other than that question, it's properly fantastic :clap:

Cut - nice idea for the theme. The background behind the cut picture maybe weakens the shot a touch, and I think having all of the scissors in frame would work well. Compared to the first two though, it's a bit flat - hope you don't mind me saying so.

Balance - yup, well thought out and executed. I'm wondering if the lighting is a bit too "front on" which flattens the image a bit? With the grooves in the coins, I'd be tempted to replicate your idea for Dark and have very shallow side lighting to really accentuate the pattern? But it's well done nevertheless, albeit not quite to the same exceptional standard as dark and big! :)
 
Thanks so much guys for your considered comments:clap: ... and Susie ... it's a genuine balancing act, the red pivot is a staedtler pencil, I spent a few hours on this one trying different lighting, PoVs and things. I finally decided to go with ... everything being perfectly level except the two £ coins, setting the camera to a level where it's aimed at the see-saw directly side on, meaning you're looking down very slightly at the base. In PP I rotated the whole thing one degree CW and reset (rebuilt) the base.
 
pjm1 said:
Balance - yup, well thought out and executed. I'm wondering if the lighting is a bit too "front on" which flattens the image a bit? With the grooves in the coins, I'd be tempted to replicate your idea for Dark and have very shallow side lighting to really accentuate the pattern? But it's well done nevertheless, albeit not quite to the same exceptional standard as dark and big! :)
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yup interestingly, to me at least, Dark (chocolate) and Big (Audi) were both shot with considered use of natural light:

Dark with light from window blocked from behind and to the right of the chocolate, Big taken outdoors at dusk on an overcast day therefore no shadows.

Here is a pic I took recently with my new 35mm prime @ f/1.8 naturally backlit and this is the sort of result I was aiming for with Balance but erm didn't. o_O
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-...AAAAL9A/dMeW8DpE8Gk/w863-h750-no/DSC_0015.JPG
 
Balance, well done David.

great idea, having the same amount of money clearly on each side, but with the very necessary differing distances from the pivot point.

Spot on, a circular pivot would have been beautiful, but about a million times harder without resorting to glue!
 
Hi, time is short, I'm afraid...:(

Balance #2 for me. Low angle, shallow DOF, cracking detail. Like it.

Crit, wonder if you could have got a little more unalignment in the coins to emphasise Balance.

Cheers.
 
Nicely done with #2. I think I prefer the first, but there is lot to commend the second one. The super shallow DOF works (I'm guessing some negative clarity was added here?) and I really like the bokeh which helps b*****d the background with the carpet. I think the carpet texture works really well, especially with the super shallow DOF.

The only comment I'd make is I'd probable prefer side lighting to really make the surface of the coins jump out, but it's a very minor quibble and it's a super shot regardless. Very well done again! (y)

Edit: that was weird - it seemed to sensor "blend". However, on pressing edit, I see I might have put one too many "e" and "l" in it after the "b" to make something rude :oops: :$
 
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Hi, first of all lovely stack of coins, you have done well there :LOL:

change excellent idea though there is very little definition in the camera bits, though to be fair it could well be my monitor, could have gotten a bit lower to get more of the nice bokah BG in the frame
 
Hi David

#1 Balance I like...simple , splash of color in the red ( pencil ?) & a great black bg :clap:2 minor crits from me....the highlight on the red thing 7 the 2 coins not in line...my OCD is not happy :D

Balance 2......great stack but maybe, as per Andy's comment , the coins could have been slightly more is-aligned to emphasize the balance aspect ?

Change....lovely bokeh but not quite enough light on the lenses or camera body
 
Change. Great idea and pretty much spot on, could be worth a lift of the shadows as there isn't as much detail there as I feel there could / should be.

Also going to age with Allan that a lower POV would have helped, more bokeh lights and more of a thirds split.
 
Hmmm ... OK .. what about this: Change #2

change3.jpg
 
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Thanks for your comments guys ... I know what you mean about not enough light/detail ...

I'll explain ...

Change #1: I wanted to create Bokeh using little white xmas lights (a first for me). I placed a chair under a window, draped a white blanket over, draped lights over that. I placed the subject on a cardboard box about 3 feet in front. At f/2.2 I got the Bokeh and depth I wanted, I also got that backlit feel with light from the window on the top of the subject, and plenty of FG to show the shadows.

By contrast, Change #2 is a front-lit composite.
 
Balance - prefer #1 for the clean lines and the use of the red, but well done on managing to shoot #2 before they all fell over :clap:

Change - definitely #2, it just looks really special like something out of a Nikon brochure (y)

PS and I've looked really hard but I still have absolutely no idea where the joins are :confused:
 
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I prefer the edit. Bit more front lighting IMO and the bokeh from the Christmas lights are a little large.

It's a Nikon so you are forgiven :)

Cheers.
 
Thanks guys ... #2 eh! .... now I'm liking #2 more ... I mean I like #1 and #2 but for quite different reasons.

@ Susie ... yes new lens .. 35mm f/1.8 ... great for Bokeh ... new camera too .... D5300 :clap:
 
Hi David...

I have to say, I think your first shot is brilliant subject to a couple of tiny tweaks. Ignoring any tiny negatives though... I really like the composition and it very much reminds me of a professional shot you'd see in a lens comparison review, for example. Superbly done. For the tweaks... they're more just about enhancing what you already have and making the subject more prominent. I'd tone down the backgroundy bokeh very slightly which you could do by getting more light on the lenses & camera and stopping down the shutter - or perhaps even turning down the xmas lights if they're dimmable. I'd also get some fill light on the two lenses and camera... but - and here's the really tricky bit - I love the surface they're on and the shadows you have (back lighting from the background). I'd really not lose that so just using fill flash high up is not IMO the way to go as it'll wipe those lovely shadows out. The only way I can think of doing it is to have the flashes below the level of the surface, pointing up towards the camera & lenses. This does mean the fill won't quite fill in the very bottom of them, but that's not an issue for me. Alternatively you could snoot (or even grid) to stop light spill onto the surface. Failing that, you could just cheat and do it in post :D

I'm less excited by your second change... for me the simplicity and composition can't be beaten. It seems everyone else prefers the second, so I'm alone in this!!! But well done and apart from a tiny tweak or two, the first one does it for me :)
 
Hi David :)

Balance - Both great idea's, really like the narrow DoF and the background on the stack of coins, love the sound/thought of unalignment :D

But my choice is the first, nice simple but clever shot, the red pencil end works well with the hardwood, nice straight lines... real good :clap:

Change - Agree with the others really, maybe an increase in the shadow detail, increased blacks and slightly darker background, but still a real good idea and 95% there for me, great effect with the christmas lights (y)
 
Thanks guys there's some good and more good critique there. (y)
 
Hi David

Change - #1 for me. prefer the comp - more unusual. Lower pov and a touch more light as has been said but (y)

Grow - super shot.good pov and dof with some nice colour. Blurred b/g is like a desert shimmering away in the distance , far from the oasis of the green of the plant.:clap:
 
Thanks Alan

Change? another vote for #1 :clap:

Grow? I'm pleased with but not 100% so here's another shot of the same thing:-

Grow #2

Grow2.jpg
 
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#2 for me. Plants really have a habit of growing from anywhere.

I like the low angle and shallow DOF. I might have been tempted to up the exposure a tad.

Cheers.
 
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