forays into #14...

Benjer

Is this a "still life?" Clearly there is action taking place so I'm guessing no. But I had all of 4 minutes to get out my camera, tripod, and compose something before the reflection on the wall faded. Short days and regular work hours don't allow for much natural light shooting at home!

Note: for this challenge I decided I would try to come up with one "still life" shot per day, as a personal challenge. I promise I won't bore you by submitting all of them! But I will be asking for comments on at least a few of them. Cool?

Thanks,
Benjer

richtersl

This is a really cool shot. But I'm just not sure if having a hand in the photo constitutes "still life".

JAG

Great capture of light! You did still a moment in life...not sure if that qualifies or not since there is an element of movement.

Trevlan

If I read the details correctly, "Still Life" is wide open to intepretation. If he can come up with a good title, I'm sure it'll be a great entry. Love the capture! I would submit it...

Benjer

hey guys, thanks for your thoughts and encouragement

i'm working on more ideas for this challenge to better fit the theme...hopefully soon I'll have some more attempts for critique before I submit the final entry. In the meantime, I'll be thinking of a solid title...

Trevlan

Benjer wrote:

hey guys, thanks for your thoughts and encouragement

i'm working on more ideas for this challenge to better fit the theme...hopefully soon I'll have some more attempts for critique before I submit the final entry. In the meantime, I'll be thinking of a solid title...

:ivar

Benjer

made several attempts at this one, different arrangements, etc. wondering if the spinning top should be sharp (fast shutter) or blurred with deepened DOF for contrast? would like to reshoot with better light, if it's worth it. (i cropped and tweaked this out-of-camera to get better handle on composition and exposure for the next try.)

thoughts?

divamum

This is more of a still life and very nice, but doesn't have the "wow" impact of that first shot - that's a stunner! The question, of course, is whether or not it's really a still life, but no question that it's a great, great shot.

I love the reflections and colours in the new one; the thing that jumps out at me most is the item on the left is cut in half (I can't even tell what it is). The top might be better frozen, not sure; can you try it both ways to see?

Benjer

divamum wrote:

This is more of a still life and very nice, but doesn't have the "wow" impact of that first shot - that's a stunner! The question, of course, is whether or not it's really a still life, but no question that it's a great, great shot.

I love the reflections and colours in the new one; the thing that jumps out at me most is the item on the left is cut in half (I can't even tell what it is). The top might be better frozen, not sure; can you try it both ways to see?

I agree with all your points. I began shooting with the same light reflections as the first shot, as a background - hoping for that "wow" factor again. But it comes and goes so quickly that by the time I got a decent shot, the light was gone! I'm hoping to try again tomorrow, as long as the sun cooperates. Bringing in that chopped top with a better arrangement would definitely help. I think I need some lessons in Feng Shui!

I thought it would be cool to get some movement in this "still life," perhaps just my natural tendency to try and stretch the boundaries. But a "frozen" spinning top might be really cool, balanced on its point...?

Benjer

idea number 3


here's an attempt at being "artsy." i wish i had a better feather specimen, but found this in the backyard a while back and held onto it for some reason. lit with a penlight and ambient room light. is this one going anywhere???

pyroPrints.com

I love it. If you can reshoot, you should, but it works as is as well.

divamum

pyroPrints.com wrote:

I love it. If you can reshoot, you should, but it works as is as well.

Love the stark impact - great shot!

richtersl

Benjer wrote:

here's an attempt at being "artsy." i wish i had a better feather specimen, but found this in the backyard a while back and held onto it for some reason. lit with a penlight and ambient room light. is this one going anywhere???

I really liked the one with the feather! The only thing I'd try to do is frame it so that 's not so vertically centered. But it's already pretty good "as is".

Benjer

yet another idea...

runaway sushi!

I think I did about a hundred shots of this one, various angles and placements. the hardest part was keeping up with that runaway shrimp - it's a wascally one. lighting is just a window in front and an under-cabinet halogen light above.

I actually put some thought into the composition of what was intended as a visual joke, especially with respect to leading lines and DOF. At first I thought the whole thing should be in focus, but I wanted the eye to be drawn to the sushi up front, first - so it's sharp while the rest fades out a bit. Then I'm hoping the eye will follow up the curve of the plate toward the sushi wiggling away, then to the chopsticks, which again point to the runaway to reinforce the visual punchline.

what do you think? did your eyes follow the path I described, or were you drawn to something else first? when did you notice the sushi was "moving" away? and after all that, does this succeed as an image, apart from the joke??

richtersl

Runaway Sushi
Hysterical!!

Your concept works, IMO.

eoren1

Wow! These are really great shots!!
The first is very, very well done but doesn't seem to fit the theme.
The feather is my favorite. Unexpected and has great wow-factor.
The sushi is a very nice 'product' shot. Though, again, I really keep going back to that feather.
Can't wait to see what the other days bring...
E

divamum

Benjer, these are all wonderful ideas and very well executed! The sushi is hilarious, and very original, while the "graphic" quality of the shadow (possibly still my favorite) and the feather are also very strong.

Geez, give the rest of us a chance, will ya?!?!?!

Great stuff

Benjer

divamum wrote:

Benjer, these are all wonderful ideas and very well executed! The sushi is hilarious, and very original, while the "graphic" quality of the shadow (possibly still my favorite) and the feather are also very strong.

Geez, give the rest of us a chance, will ya?!?!?!

, thanks for the encouraging words! It's the amazing work I've seen here from "the rest of you" that's really challenging me to work harder and open up creatively.

Yeah, I think the feather shot is my best one for the theme so far, but there's always tomorrow! One thing I've learned so far is that even the not-so-good ideas are really worthwhile once attempted, because then I know what DOESN'T work, and I can let it go and move on to the next one.

These challenges are forcing me to stretch and try new things, and the practice of shooting and re-shooting is really helping me improve. The personal challenge I set of trying to shoot "something" every day is doing wonders, and most importantly is a lot of fun! I promise I won't post everything, but I really value all of your input and critique. I can't thank you enough!

Benjer

anonymouscuban

All nice Benjer.

Honestly, I like the last one of the Sushi. It's a perfect example of the traditional interpretation of a Still Life image.

Alex

Benjer

anonymouscuban wrote:

All nice Benjer.

Honestly, I like the last one of the Sushi. It's a perfect example of the traditional interpretation of a Still Life image.

Alex

Thanks, Alex. I'm torn between that and the feather (which I've re-shot to try and improve the centering problem), and still entertaining more ideas...

Looking forward to the weekend to try them out!

Benjer

untitled


this idea has been composting for a few days. it's intentionally dark to fit the dark tone of the (fictional) backstory...but is it too dark??? What do you think, overall?

Thanks for all the helpful comments so far!

anonymouscuban

First, let me say that you have quite an interesting imagination.

As for the pic, I think it's an amusing twist on the traditional still life photo. I do think it's a bit to dark. Maybe it's my monitor though. I find my self squinting to try and make out the details of the box. I like the idea though. But I also like your Sushi shot.

BTW, the first thing that came to my mind when I saw your photo is "Tyra Banks". Not sure why. Maybe it's the wig and the slightly psychotic feeling of the photo.

divamum

1. Your thought processes rock my world
2. Newest image is creeeeeepppy :uhoh
3. I still think the shadowplay first shot is the most interesting *photo* of the bunch
4. The sushi cracks me up and I think is the best challenge *entry*

All just mho, of course - take it with a grain of salt!

Benjer

anonymouscuban wrote:

First, let me say that you have quite an interesting imagination.

As for the pic, I think it's an amusing twist on the traditional still life photo. I do think it's a bit to dark. Maybe it's my monitor though. I find my self squinting to try and make out the details of the box. I like the idea though. But I also like your Sushi shot.

BTW, the first thing that came to my mind when I saw your photo is "Tyra Banks". Not sure why. Maybe it's the wig and the slightly psychotic feeling of the photo.

. Hey - who you calling :crazy ???

As for the alleged "interesting imagination," really I've just been grabbing random items and then trying to put some of them together in a way that tells a story or says something to me. Me, and the voices...the voices...

Benjer

divamum wrote:

1. Your thought processes rock my world
2. Newest image is creeeeeepppy :uhoh
3. I still think the shadowplay first shot is the most interesting *photo* of the bunch
4. The sushi cracks me up and I think is the best challenge *entry*

All just mho, of course - take it with a grain of salt!

Sorry if that last one creeped you out, ! And thanks for breaking it down with your vote for the challenge entry. I'm leaning that way too now, since the feather shot (my preference) really needs too much work in PS to make it "right." Here's how it looks now (not a valid entry) http://benjer.smugmug.com/photos/434901472_9jZkw-L.jpg

divamum

Benjer wrote:

Sorry if that last one creeped you out, ! And thanks for breaking it down with your vote for the challenge entry. I'm leaning that way too now, since the feather shot (my preference) really needs too much work in PS to make it "right." Here's how it looks now (not a valid entry) http://benjer.smugmug.com/photos/434901472_9jZkw-L.jpg

Actually I'd forgotten about the feather - that's pretty cool too. But something about the sushi just cracks me up - alll that work for the perfect "stylist" food shot, and then the toy sushi waddling off... It just makes me LAUGH (something I need today - Operaland is VERY not fun at the moment, with the company where I hold, er, held, a couple of good contracts for next year declaring bankruptcy this week and that work and money now being goonnnnnnnnneeee... :cry)

Benjer

divamum wrote:

Actually I'd forgotten about the feather - that's pretty cool too. But something about the sushi just cracks me up - alll that work for the perfect "stylist" food shot, and then the toy sushi waddling off... It just makes me LAUGH (something I need today - Operaland is VERY not fun at the moment, with the company where I hold, er, held, a couple of good contracts for next year declaring bankruptcy this week and that work and money now being goonnnnnnnnneeee... :cry)

Oh wow, sorry for your troubles! Operaland, huh? Does that mean you're an Opera diva?? Brava! Funny, you there in Operaland, and here I live just around the corner from Opryland. :tough Totally different animal!

divamum

Yep, that'd be me - I sing and I'm a mom = divamum

richtersl

divamum wrote:

4. The sushi cracks me up and I think is the best challenge *entry*

That sushi pic will definitely capture some attention!!!

Benjer

some last attempts
okay guys, I've had some time to play more with this still life thing (I think I'm hooked!). Here's a couple from earlier today:

lucky sneaks


ornamental


So what do you think?
Should I stick with "runaway sushi," or are either of these better?

*****************

oh, and as a side note - finally have a title for that "creepy" shot...

Homicide Blonde

I did some processing in PS so it's no longer eligible, but for some reason it calls to me...or one of my other personalities... But really, I feel much better now. And so do I.

anonymouscuban

I really like the new version of Homicide Blonde. The PP made it much better.