RUSH! DSS 14 choices. HELP?!

Candid Arts

So I started off with an image, and after I've seen some of the other submissions, I felt mine was not near good enough. So I tried to re-shoot, do some different things, and gave up on that idea. Tried a few others. Here is my first idea:

Titled: Mac Loves SmugMug
#1

My newest, and I think best idea. I call it... "Check Mate".
#2

And a couple others with different angles, lighting, etc...

#3

#4

#5

So what do you guy's think? I need some feed back before this thing ends. I've been working on composition a lot lately, as well as "ideas" behind my photos. I don't really have any ideas behind the last three cept I'm from AK, love AK, and it's Christmas time (hence the M&M's).

Soo...Comments...Suggestions...?

Thanks in advance to everyone!

BeachBill

I really like #2, Check Mate, even before seeing that it was your favorite.

Tylwydd

#2 is really nice (Being a chess fan I may be biased though ) but the lighting and colors of #3 are really appealing imo. Tough decision there !

MrsCue

Yeah I would say number 2 too.

AnnasPhotos

I like #2 also, but now I want some m&m's!!

travelways

I personally like #5

richtersl

Love the chess set!!!

#3 is also very nice but I think you have a stronger contender with the chess set.

Pat664422

I like your glass and m&m shots, but #2 is my favorite.

Candid Arts

Thanks for everyone's input. I prefer #2 as well, but I do like the angle and lighting in #3.

anonymouscuban

2 and 5 get my vote. I actually like #5 the best but I think 2 is better for the challenge.

divamum

#2 for sure for me - the reflection and light control SOOC is very impressive!

Now, can you explain the bed of thumbtacks in your first shot? I've been tryingg to figure out if that was "significant" since you first posted it- either I'm WAY overthinking the shot, or there is some deep meaning there that is totally lost on me and it's been driving me nuts! Enlighten, if you care to share

Candid Arts

divamum wrote:

#2 for sure for me - the reflection and light control SOOC is very impressive!

Now, can you explain the bed of thumbtacks in your first shot? I've been tryingg to figure out if that was "significant" since you first posted it- either I'm WAY overthinking the shot, or there is some deep meaning there that is totally lost on me and it's been driving me nuts! Enlighten, if you care to share

Hahaha. Well first off thank you for the comments on #2.

Secondly, in regards to the thumbtacks. At first I just set up the tacks as a cool landscape to shoot, then everything else just kinda fell where it lays. There was no deep meaning to it originally, but since being in art school for a semester, I'm finding people can find meaning in almost anything. So maybe something like a delicate balance between something, "walking on pins and needles", being careful, the idea of the thumbtack being sharp like a photo, or iPhone or iPod. Laying on a bed of sharpness, but so deliberately placed that it's not a danger and it can hold the weight of an object or emotion? Hahaha...I'm just BS-ing now as I do in class critiques. But no, orginially had no meaning to it other than trying something different.

Gastrocnemius

Five !


(am I too late ?)

Candid Arts

Gastrocnemius wrote:

Five !


(am I too late ?)

Not to late. I've got most votes for #2, and a couple for #5.

Can I hear some reasonings or anything to help me pick between the two?

ic4u

I like #2 better than #5 for the stupid reason that beer and m & m's don't sound like a good combo,
(although I like beer and m&m's, just not together):D

travelways

My reasons are:

1. #2 is from far more interesting in terms of subject, but the weak point are
a. the exposure - it's too gray, with not enough contrast.
and
b. the cropping - I personally don't like the black triangle on the top right (outside of the table)
it does not match anything in the composition

2. #5 doesn't say anything in terms of a subject:

Alaskan beer - as Karin Jensen mentioned, doesn't have anything in common with M&M's
and in addition... where is the beer - is it a clear beer?

However, the photo has more qualities: color, contrast, stronger composition(vertical, horizontal, diagonal),
nicer light, good exposure, and regardless the objects (beer glass and m&m's) it has a direction - it leeds the eyes to someplace: from the strong vertical object to the strong horizontal object, with a perspective.

I hope this makes sense...

Candid Arts

Kiki wrote:

My reasons are:

1. #2 is from far more interesting in terms of subject, but the weak point are
a. the exposure - it's too gray, with not enough contrast.
and
b. the cropping - I personally don't like the black triangle on the top right (outside of the table)
it does not match anything in the composition

2. #5 doesn't say anything in terms of a subject:

Alaskan beer - as Karin Jensen mentioned, doesn't have anything in common with M&M's
and in addition... where is the beer - is it a clear beer?

However, the photo has more qualities: color, contrast, stronger composition(vertical, horizontal, diagonal),
nicer light, good exposure, and regardless the objects (beer glass and m&m's) it has a direction - it leeds the eyes to someplace: from the strong vertical object to the strong horizontal object, with a perspective.

I hope this makes sense...

Yeah that makes total sense. I'm working with the "Check Mate" picture some more to try and give it some more...whatever. I'm shooting it in B&W, so adding color isn't an option. I did add some stuff, changed the angle so that black triangle isn't there (good call on that, I didn't even notice), and I got it A LOT more contrast, which I'm hoping will more than make up for the lack of color, and it's a B&W, so there obviously wouldn't be any color anyways. I'll get some uploaded soon as I can.

travelways

Candid Arts wrote:

Yeah that makes total sense. I'm working with the "Check Mate" picture some more to try and give it some more...whatever. I'm shooting it in B&W, so adding color isn't an option. I did add some stuff, changed the angle so that black triangle isn't there (good call on that, I didn't even notice), and I got it A LOT more contrast, which I'm hoping will more than make up for the lack of color, and it's a B&W, so there obviously wouldn't be any color anyways. I'll get some uploaded soon as I can.

Wow.. B&W can be a winner! - yes, if you have the time, give it a try, definitely

Good luck to you, and thank you for your help, too
(however, I decided to go back to the first version... uff, it's hard to judge your own work...)

Candid Arts

Original:

#1

New Ones:

#2

#3 [IMG]http://candidartsphotography.smugmug.com/photos/436711809_3t6tP-M.jpg[/IMG #4[/img]

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

And I'm re-doing some of the beer glass ones, but I think with better context. And I added the beer Kiki, so you might like it better...;-)

I'll get them up as soon as I can (SLOW internet at home -- Student budget)

Candid Arts

Ok. I'm running out of time... hahaha.

Here is the original Beer glass one (w/o beer Kiki) and the M&M's:

#1

And my new one. No water, beer instead, no M&M's, peanuts instead. Different lighting, different spot on my table so no angle line in the bottom right corner. Anyways, without further a due...:

#2

Oh and #3 from the other post, now is #4:

#4

What's everyone think?

Candid Arts

Ok. Last two options. I promise! Plus I don't have any more time...

#1

#2

Ok, out of the like 93824759823047 million photo options...what do we all think?

Here is a link to my gallery with all the posted ideas...might be easier to see them all on one page:
http://candidartsphotography.smugmug.com/gallery/6824232_hrzyR/2/436866565_8tzeN#436866565_8tzeN

JDouglas

I rather like the last one.

Your shots keep getting better, and you have 7 hours left.

JD

Candid Arts

Thank you.

And as a side note. I'm about 99.99% sure this is the first time I've ever opened a beer. And I had to do it twice for this shot (I'm 24 going on 25 btw...)

I may have 7 hours left, but no more beer, and already cleaned everything up.

Candid Arts

OK...so looking at my webage gallery [http://candidartsphotography.smugmug.com/gallery/6824232_hrzyR/2/436866565_8tzeN#436732810_ZKJCy] (not the pictures posted in this thread) I've narrowed it down to my fav. 3.

#7

#13

and #16

sathya

out of the above three, #13 would be my choice !!!

ic4u

13 or 16, both are good. #13 I think would be a better stand out against the other entries, because it's different.
BTW, nuts are a much better choice than m&m's:D
Did you like the beer??!!

Candid Arts

ic4u wrote:

13 or 16, both are good. #13 I think would be a better stand out against the other entries, because it's different.
BTW, nuts are a much better choice than m&m's:D
Did you like the beer??!!

Ok, 13 is it. That is my favorite choice, plus I couldn't find a name for #16. I didn't drink the beer. It went down the drain. Sorry folks. I don't drink alcohol, never have.

Wow, I totally fell asleep. Glad I woke up with 20 minutes to spare to switch out my photo. Wow...

Ok. Good luck to everyone!