#75 First Try -- Help Wanted!!

slpollett

OK, this is my first ever attempt at combining images or pieces of images into one. I'm still not sure I can pull off my concept, but... I'm hoping that before I spend too much time going down this road that you guys can tell me if the idea is worth pursuing.

I know I need to reshoot--these are not going to be my final choices, but I needed to get something going.


#1 Flower or Seeds


2. Flower or seeds



This little Portulaca (Moss Rose) is the only thing I have blooming right now. The seeds in the first one are actually Nasturtium seeds because I didn't think the portulaca seeds would show up well. For the second one, I went ahead & used the correct seeds.

So what do you think? Is the idea better with the hand dropping the seeds or with the seeds coming out of the seed packet? Any suggestions for improving the concept will be appreciated. Even though this is a very rough first draft, I'm proud that I figured out how to combine the pieces. Of course, if I had four hands I could shoot it all as one frame! :wink

Thanks in advance,
Sherry

SeascapeS

Well, my 2 cents; I like the hand holding the seeds (#2) but the angle of the arm seems awkward. I also like the seed packet but would like to see a bit more of the packet showing. If you are re-shooting, I think the hand holding the flower also need a thumb and the flowers could be facing the front. I like the simplicity of the back ground and the lighting is great!

slpollett

Thank you, Sandi.

Yes, I do want my little flower facing the camera. The wind was blowing so hard here that it was quite difficult to get the flower to stand up when I turned it my way. The wind is also part of the reason why I used the bigger seeds in the first shot. I didn't think about showing the thumb on the lower hand. I was just trying to keep the little plant from falling over!

I took the shot of the small seeds & seed packet inside. (All shots against a white background obviously.) I have several images with more of the seed packet showing, but I still need to reshoot--maybe this time with the hand holding the seed packet...I dunno.

Thank you so much for the comments. I do appreciate your time.

Sherry

SeascapeS

I always miss positioning hands correctly and am becoming very aware of it lately, which is why I pointed it out to you. I took some great shots of my daughter recently but totally screwed up her arms and hands. They looked huge in scale and ruined the pictures.

travelways

I agree with Sandy, but I'd like to say that I personally don't see too much of the idea of "flowers or seeds" here...

DcMoody23

photo-bug wrote: »

I agree with Sandy, but I'd like to say that I personally don't see too much of the idea of "flowers or seeds" here...

Well if you're a creationist, you could believe that your God made the first flower, and that your God did so without seeds, so it'd have to come before seeds. Right?
I don't mean to involve religion, just trying to offer a solution.
Same idea as chicken and the egg in my opinion.

rbustraen

I like the idea of the flower and seeds and agree that maybe a bit more seed packet is needed. How about the flower on something and the hand with the packet. Great idea!

kdotaylor

I really like your idea....more creative than Chicken and Egg, but along the same lines. I think, though, that there's too much white space; and I'd like to see more of the seed package or the hand or the flower.

travelways

DcMoody23 wrote: »

Well if you're a creationist, you could believe that your God made the first flower, and that your God did so without seeds, so it'd have to come before seeds. Right?
I don't mean to involve religion, just trying to offer a solution.
Same idea as chicken and the egg in my opinion.

I perfectly understand the seeds/flower idea. Only that (in my opinion) the image doesn't say this.

- For me, the grains pouring over the flower can only be plant food - not seeds, because nobody pours
seeds after the flower has grown up - if you see what I mean... - The human brain goes first for the logic,
unless something else (some unusual graphic elements, like a light or some unusual colors, or... who knows what)
warns the viewer that the logical will not happen.

Maybe you could make the flower growing out of the seed box..., or maybe you can make a circle (or a triangle, or just a string) of images, showing: one flower -> one seed (box) -> one flower, etc....

- Just my personal thoughts.

slpollett

Thanks everyone for the comments. I do appreciate them all.

What I'd really like to do with this concept is have the seeds pouring out of either the hand or the seed packet & have 'something' going on with the seeds on the way to the plant. I'd really like to show a progression from seed to seedling to green plant to green plant with a bud to the final product with something besides a plain white background. First, I don't think I can get the progression during the contest period and second, I am really not creative enough to figure out any special effects for the seed drop. I'm an accountant for pete's sake--I am too literal and just cannot think in the abstract!!! (lol)

The little grains really are the seeds for this particular plant in the image. They are tiny little black dots and I agree that they don't photograph well. My first photo showed seeds for a different flower, which show up nicer but bug me because I know they don't go to the flower.

Would it be better to have seeds in one hand and the flower in the other with the hands just cupped together? Do I even need the darned seeds at all?

Or maybe I'll just scrap this altogether since it doesn't seem to be working.

I dunno...sometimes I think these challenges totally zap the fun out of photography for me.

Thanks again for the comments. I do appreciate everyone's time.

Sherry

angevin1

slpollett wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the comments. I do appreciate them all.

What I'd really like to do with this concept is have the seeds pouring out of either the hand or the seed packet & have 'something' going on with the seeds on the way to the plant. I'd really like to show a progression from seed to seedling to green plant to green plant with a bud to the final product with something besides a plain white background. First, I don't think I can get the progression during the contest period and second, I am really not creative enough to figure out any special effects for the seed drop. I'm an accountant for pete's sake--I am too literal and just cannot think in the abstract!!! (lol)

The little grains really are the seeds for this particular plant in the image. They are tiny little black dots and I agree that they don't photograph well. My first photo showed seeds for a different flower, which show up nicer but bug me because I know they don't go to the flower.

Would it be better to have seeds in one hand and the flower in the other with the hands just cupped together? Do I even need the darned seeds at all?

Or maybe I'll just scrap this altogether since it doesn't seem to be working.

I dunno...sometimes I think these challenges totally zap the fun out of photography for me.

Thanks again for the comments. I do appreciate everyone's time.

Sherry

This looks to be working to me! Give it time and fun and it'll come to you.

I like the first one with just the hands delivering the flowers and seeds. I personally wouldn't get to literal in this, since it is a concept...you could just as easily use water or light and this flower idea too, all of these incl. o2 are required....give it time...Apr.15th is over and done!

lkbart

I also like the 2 hands in the photo but agree that the position of the seed hand looks a little awkward. I also prefer the smaller seeds (& it would be nice if the flower would cooperate & face the camera!). What about making the hand with the flower the one on top, and making the seeds from the lower hand "falling up"? That would be unexpected (& may not look worth a hoot, but might be worth a try). Maybe even add a little sunbeam or sunburst at the top? I know it gets frustrating when you have a concept but can't get the shot to look the way you see it in your head. Good luck - you've got a great start - lighting, focus & concept, just play a little bit more. I know sometimes I get stuck being too literal also, but discussing ideas can usually get some creativity going. As a bookkeeper, I understand the the lack of creativity when dealing with numbers - that is unless you want the IRS barking at your door!!

travelways

What about taking some photos of your work for something like "accounting or money"?