Garden flower still life try

[cargo]

Was doing some pruning earlier in the year and managed to kill a tree :-( better half not best pleased :-(
Anyways under the now removed tree there was an Hydrangea despratley trying to reach the light. All was left of it were these 2 flower stems lay on the soil so yesterday I brought them in and tried take a few photos of them.
This was my bestest attempt.

Gaz

Any/all comments appreciated.

 

[Elines]

The colours are good and not overcooked - something I am often guilty of .

Don't think the lighting is doing you any favours though - seems almost full frontal as the shadows are not very prominent..

I know colour is often the choice of many/most for flowers but have you considered a B& W shot of a single flower. I think with a dominant sideways on light plus some reflected light you could have a great shot with this subject

 

[Swissglover]

Hey Gaz, Very pretty flowers and I love the vase!.
I will echo the comments above regarding lighting, how was it lit?. I'm guessing just from window light?. My eye is being drawn to the shadow on the background so at the least I would remove that in PP if it were my shot.

 

[cargo]

Thanks for the feedback folks. If i'm honest I didnt think this image would get any so I am pleased with that

I know colour is often the choice of many/most for flowers but have you considered a B& W shot of a single flower. I think with a dominant sideways on light plus some reflected light you could have a great shot with this subject

Hi Chris. No I wouldnt consider black and white but I no doubt it may look ok but not in my hands
Answer below on lighting.

Hey Gaz, Very pretty flowers and I love the vase!.
I will echo the comments above regarding lighting, how was it lit?. I'm guessing just from window light?. My eye is being drawn to the shadow on the background so at the least I would remove that in PP if it were my shot.

Hi Kevin. Yes they were lovely flowers even if beaten up. Yes you are right natural light through an open doorway. They were sort of sidish on if thats a word and I did use a reflector for fill. I was aware that it might be too strong and took lots with and without but favoured this image out of the ones taken.
The first few were taken with the doors open which gave the petals nearest the light some quite bright highlights so I diffused the light leading to a much softer photo I guess you have to make a choice drama over calming ?
There is a window as you can see to the left of the doors which as bars accross it hence the outline I shot a few with a speedlight outside to enhance this as I was feeling ambitious so thought why not try Maybe wrong as it is not to your liking.
Did take a shot from outside of the set up, you can workout where I was stood from this I think.
If anyone can give me some more tips off the info provided I would really appreciate it.

Gaz

 

[topgazza]

Still life is hard to do and it can be all about lighting. But this is a nice simple picture which shows up well. Hard to do but the background would have perhaps been a tad better if the shadow wasn't there.

But I like it

 

[TheBigYin]

I'm going to go against the flow here, but actually I like the window bars shadow and their effect on the background - the only thing it for me, because of the light coming in from the LH side of frame, there isn't enough shadow modelling across the flowers - i.e. you're reflector has thrown a little bit too much light back into the image. One of the hardest things I've found in shooting still life shots is to be able to sometimes just get away from the idea of lighting the subjects so you can see them all, and move onto the mindset that the subjects are really just an interesting set of shapes and colours to let the light play across... in effect to be actually photographing the light, not the objects...

 

[F1.2]

I find with this image the 2 flowers are competing with each other , and my eyes are looking down then up then down , I like the basket and maybe just maybe composition wise it would be better with a single flower in the basket and a single bloom on the table just so it adds a small amount of colour ( But who an I )

 

[cargo]

Still life is hard to do and it can be all about lighting. But this is a nice simple picture which shows up well. Hard to do but the backfround would have perhaps been a tad better if the shadow wasn't there.

But I like it

Thanks (Gazza) Happy that the image is worthy and as worked to a degree

I'm going to go against the flow here, but actually I like the window bars shadow and their effect on the background - the only thing it for me, because of the light coming in from the LH side of frame, there isn't enough shadow modelling across the flowers - i.e. you're reflector has thrown a little bit too much light back into the image. One of the hardest things I've found in shooting still life shots is to be able to sometimes just get away from the idea of lighting the subjects so you can see them all, and move onto the mindset that the subjects are really just an interesting set of shapes and colours to let the light play across... in effect to be actually photographing the light, not the objects...

Thanks Mark. I have taken on board all thoughts on the background but I too still like it this way as I don't think it is a very strong shadow on the wall. Good way of thinking you have regarding the light but I think my brain may not allow me to think in such a way. When taking this photo I was aware of a dark area in the front dead center at the base of the vase. Which I thought needed some fill light my train of thought was you should be able to see into the shadow area. I now realise this is not the case and I could let the shadow fall into darkness. ?

I find with this image the 2 flowers are competing with each other , and my eyes are looking down then up then down , I like the basket and maybe just maybe composition wise it would be better with a single flower in the basket and a single bloom on the table just so it adds a small amount of colour ( But who an I )

Hi Allen. I get your drift re having just the one flower maybe next time I could try that. "But who am I" ) Glad you took the time to comment

Gaz

 

[cargo]

Although I have taken all the above on board and will try and put some of it into practice on my next try at still life. I have edited this a bit to give it a touch more shadow and highlight. Sure does drive home to me that it is ok to have dark shadows not that I have many here though.

Gaz