Black and White - Take 2

Juano

Thanks for all the comments, here is another version with different light and processing.

black mamba

I'm a bit conflicted on this one. I really like the composition and balance of the various elements....and bless that old friend and reliable sphere. I'm just not sure the soft focus is right as used here. My eyes just demand more clarity and sharpness. I know that you, as well as I, appreciate that the technique of intentional blurring or soft focus work can be a great tool. I do like it....just conflicted. Purely personal....I'm sure others will feel differently

Take care.

Juano

Thanks for the comment Tom. For me, having the focus on the inverted image, forces the viewer to consider a different perspective. A different reality.

I always appreciate your point of view.

Richard

I also have mixed feelings. The basic idea is appealing--the inversion of the scene in the sphere works well. But there are a couple of things about the glass that are bothering me. The main thing is that I think the overall composition would be better if we could see the line of the whole glass--the top and right edge are missing on my monitor. Less important but still a little distracting: I don't understand the bright circular spot in the glass--is it an artifact of a flash? A reflection of something on the glass? Something really obvious that I'm just missing? It's probably something that only a photographer would notice, so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

kurzvorzwoelf

For me, it's a visually quite pleasing shot. As opposed to Richard, I think that the disappearing lines of the glas is one of the images main features, as it fades in (or out) in the background and leaves some room for thoughts in the otherwise void white.

Usually, I don't like sphere shots but this works very well for me, mainly du to the harsh contrast high key scenery. I just wish the cube on the bottom would not be cut off.

Nice and creative idea, Cristobal!

Juano

@Richard said:
I also have mixed feelings. The basic idea is appealing--the inversion of the scene in the sphere works well. But there are a couple of things about the glass that are bothering me. The main thing is that I think the overall composition would be better if we could see the line of the whole glass--the top and right edge are missing on my monitor. Less important but still a little distracting: I don't understand the bright circular spot in the glass--is it an artifact of a flash? A reflection of something on the glass? Something really obvious that I'm just missing? It's probably something that only a photographer would notice, so I wouldn't worry about it too much.
@kurzvorzwoelf said:
For me, it's a visually quite pleasing shot. As opposed to Richard, I think that the disappearing lines of the glas is one of the images main features, as it fades in (or out) in the background and leaves some room for thoughts in the otherwise void white.

Usually, I don't like sphere shots but this works very well for me, mainly du to the harsh contrast high key scenery. I just wish the cube on the bottom would not be cut off.

Nice and creative idea, Cristobal!

Thanks Richard and K, the reflection is the lamp I was using, I hadn't noticed it until you pointed it out. I suppose if I had the lamp higher the reflection would be on the glass and not the wine itself. I might attempt to reshoot one of these days just to see what difference it makes. With regards to the edge of the glass, I tried lowering the exposure but then the rest of the image didn't work...

In any case if I decide to reshoot it will be with another bottle, that one is gone!

Stumblebum

Very cool and mysterious image!

Juano

@Stumblebum said:
Very cool and mysterious image!

Thanks Taz

pathfinder

Richard, I can definitely see the entire top and upper right side of the glass on my monitor - they are faint, and just a bit darker than the surrounding highlights, but I CAN see them clearly on my monitor.

I do think they could be a bit darker so that I did not have to go looking for them actively, but they are present in the image. The lower portion on the righted of the glass does disappear - the upper pixels of the edge of the right corner reads 250,250,250 in surrounding highlight tones of 253,253, 253, and parts of the descending edge of the glass are 249, 249, 249 in a sea of 253,253,253. But near the wine surface I cannot see the trace of darkness of the glass itself. These are subtle differences and may not be seen of many monitors, and won't be apparent in most prints, either, unless very carefully done. I doubt this glass rim would be visible in most magazine printed ads.

Interesting image, well constructed.

I suspect the background highlight tones were carefully chosen. Most printers won't let a viewer discern the step difference between 253, 253, 253 tones and 255, 255, 255 tones, or no ink at all. I don't think my Canon Pro-1000 will.

Richard

@pathfinder said:
Richard, I can definitely see the entire top and upper right side of the glass on my monitor - they are faint, and just a bit darker than the surrounding highlights, but I CAN see them clearly on my monitor.

You probably have better eyes and certainly have a better monitor than I do, Jim. I was able to see all of it only by enlarging the image in PS, and even at that it was so faint that it still didn't contribute to the composition as much as I would have liked. But yeah, it's all there, I suppose.

pathfinder

Visible on a very good monitor, but probably not in a print, so more contrast needed, as you suggested, Richard.

Juano

Point taken. It’s great to have a dgrin discussion again!

Juano

Point taken. It’s great to have a dgrin discussion again!I uploaded a second version on the first posting.

Richard

@Juano said:
Point taken. It’s great to have a dgrin discussion again!I uploaded a second version on the first posting.

Better, I think.

black mamba

Nice adjustment. This version is much more in tune with your stated goal.

Juano

@Richard said:

@Juano said:
Point taken. It’s great to have a dgrin discussion again!I uploaded a second version on the first posting.

Better, I think.

@black mamba said:
Nice adjustment. This version is much more in tune with your stated goal.

Thanks guys. It was a good exercise.

redleash

Interesting idea. I barely see the glass in the bottom image but it is enough of an outline that it works. I like the second image better because it is not as harsh. I would like to see it with the entire cube in the image. It seems like the sphere is about to fall off the cube and out of the picture. Then again, if the entire bottle was consumed then maybe that explains why the sphere is about to fall.

Nicely done, Cristobal.

Lauren

Juano

The reason I cropped the cube is that I had to prop it on a box to get the right height. After K's and your comment I tried just to include it all.

WernerG

I like this. the dark table forms a good base