#39 First thoughts - c&c please

AndMan

Ok so here are my first attempts for #39.
Does this work as a concept?
I feel there's something lacking but I'm not sure what.
I will need to re-shoot when I sort out a better lighting set-up.

Thanks for looking.

"The colour of money".
#1


#2


#3


#4


All c&c appreciated.

craig_d

3 and 4 strike me as more interesting than 1 and 2. 4 is nice because of the simplicity and symmetry of the design.

2 is spoiled by the shadow in the lower right corner, but I think 3 is a better perspective anyway.

anonymouscuban

I like #3 the best. I think composition and perspective are the most dynamic and interesting. Not sure about the focal point though. My eye keeps going to the $20 bill but it's not the bill in focus and it is bothersome. That could be because the $20 USD is the most familiar to me.

I wonder how this shot would look as a high key image? Something about the not quite gray, not quite white background bugs me and the first thing that came to mind was, "this would look cool as a high key image."

nightpixels

Great idea. I like this set a lot. If you have some time try some more angles and DOFs to see if you can come up with something even better, but great job with these!

travelways

nightpixels wrote:

Great idea. I like this set a lot. If you have some time try some more angles and DOFs to see if you can come up with something even better, but great job with these!

- Very good idea

AAABluestocking

I think it would be better with a shallow DOF. So that only part of something legible was in focus. With the whole thing in focus your eyes don't know what to do.
see how just the queen's eyes are in focus here;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/raceytay/3959341653/
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tinamarie52

I like this set. Pay closer attention to the shadows and DOF. It seems to me that the DOF needs to either be very small or much larger. You seem to be in between.

I found the background to be distracting because I can see either the pattern on the b/g cloth or some lettering showing through.

Good wpork! Here we are a week into the Mega and I haven't shot an idea yet!.

Chris

AndMan

Craig, Allen, Tatiana & Chris thanks for the feedback it is very much appreciated.

anonymouscuban wrote:

I wonder how this shot would look as a high key image? Something about the not quite gray, not quite white background bugs me and the first thing that came to mind was, "this would look cool as a high key image."

Thanks for the suggestion, as I've never shot high key, don't have any lighting equipment and have only ever seen high key portraits this proved something of a challenge. I did manage to get a pure white backdrop (though it doesn't always look it in the images I shot with it presumably due to my naff lighting gear & my lack of skill ). I would ask if you meant full high key as I've seen 2 explanations 1 which is very low contrast & little / no shadow (like Allen's "sublime" image) the other is simply on a very white background with marginally less contrast than normal. I tried both but failed (at least they didn't come out very well).

AAABluestocking wrote:

I think it would be better with a shallow DOF. So that only part of something legible was in focus. With the whole thing in focus your eyes don't know what to do.

I see what you mean but having tried it full on I didn't like the results though I have tried a half way approach so thanks for the suggestion.

AndMan

Having taken on-board all the interesting suggestions everybody made here are some form yesterday's re-shoot.

C&C always appreciated

a.


b.


c.


d.


e.


And a couple of more experimental ones

f.


g.


h.


Once again thanks for looking and taking the time to provide c&c.

travelways

What about placing them in a plastic wallet?

lizzard_nyc

Hi there,
My two cents...I like A. the layout of the money and the angle you used. I think it's probably the best one, but the eyes in F. are crazy. The eyes are so cool that they are probably distracting from "the color of money" though.

ASkip

Hi,
I like the weird staring eyes in the 20 schilling note. Like paper money is hypnotizing or something. Maybe you just need a new title, like "you neeeeed meee". ha.
and I like the first one too, but it bugs me that the numbers are upside down. The colors are nice though.
anna

dls

i like a the most, with b a close second. f and g are a little freaky. nice job and concept!

AndMan

photo-bug wrote:

What about placing them in a plastic wallet?

Thanks for the suggestion Tatiana, I had actually tried it but I couldn't get a decent image.

lizzard_nyc wrote:

Hi there,
My two cents...I like A. the layout of the money and the angle you used. I think it's probably the best one, but the eyes in F. are crazy. The eyes are so cool that they are probably distracting from "the color of money" though.

Thanks for the two cents Liz, always appreciated. I'm not sure about F as an entry but I like how it turned out.

ASkip wrote:

Hi,
I like the weird staring eyes in the 20 schilling note. Like paper money is hypnotizing or something. Maybe you just need a new title, like "you neeeeed meee". ha.
and I like the first one too, but it bugs me that the numbers are upside down. The colors are nice though.
anna

Thanks Anna, I really like the eyes as well but it would need to be a stonking title to pull it off.

dls wrote:

i like a the most, with b a close second. f and g are a little freaky. nice job and concept!

Thanks Dan.

slpollett

I also like 'a.' Great idea, too!

Sherry

tinamarie52

I like A, then B. The eyes in F are great! You get oints for creativity!

I'd like to hear about all the places you went to collect the money!

Chris

AndMan

slpollett wrote:

I also like 'a.' Great idea, too!

Sherry

Thanks for the feedback Sherry.

AndMan

tinamarie52 wrote:

I like A, then B. The eyes in F are great! You get oints for creativity!

I'd like to hear about all the places you went to collect the money!

Chris

Thanks for the input Chris.
Most of the notes are travellers cheques (US or UK) with some dollars (US & Canadian) and sterling. The oddities are the Greek Drachmas & Spanish pesetas from trips to the Greek & Canary islands in the days before the Euro became the common currency. The Austrian schilling is from a ski trip many years ago.

Thank goodness I have a habit of keeping odd bits of left over currency from my trips. This wouldn't have worked with just dollars or sterling.