Kiwi

Eric&SusanEric&Susan Registered Users Posts: 1,280 Major grins
edited March 18, 2006 in The Dgrin Challenges
Just a couple of ideas I'm working on. Let me know what I can do to improve on them. Taken 3-12-06

59624173-M.jpg


59624177-M.jpg



Feel free to be honest:wink

Eric
"My dad taught me everything I know, unfortunately he didn't teach me everything he knows" Dale Earnhardt Jr

It's better to be hated for who you are than to be loved for who you're not.

http://photosbyeric.smugmug.com

Comments

  • OvisOvis Registered Users Posts: 15 Big grins
    edited March 12, 2006
    Love the translucent lighting. I like number 1 the best. Was the spillout on the lighting in the second intentional?
  • Eric&SusanEric&Susan Registered Users Posts: 1,280 Major grins
    edited March 12, 2006
    Thanksthumb.gif

    No the light is more noticible on that one because the bottom was lighter colored than the first. For both I put a flashlight behind them shining towards the kiwi.

    Eric
    "My dad taught me everything I know, unfortunately he didn't teach me everything he knows" Dale Earnhardt Jr

    It's better to be hated for who you are than to be loved for who you're not.

    http://photosbyeric.smugmug.com
  • FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
    edited March 12, 2006
    Actually, I like #2 better. I love the wonderful glow of the seed area and I think the idea is a good one.

    My problem with #1 is that the edges of the fruit seem to fade into the black background making the photo look murky. The exposure doesn't seem quite right to me in either shot. A little post seems in order to brighten the edges without blowing out the seed area.

    From a composition point of view, I think the shot needs more drama for the challenge. This might be a case where having the slice centered in a square format would work better. There seems to be no reason for the slice to be off to the side (unless you think it might be about to roll away!!)Maybe as an alternative to centering the slice, you could try shooting multiple overlapping slices. Just a thought. It is a beautiful fruit, though, isn't it!!

    Virginia
    _______________________________________________
    "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus

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  • wxwaxwxwax Registered Users Posts: 15,471 Major grins
    edited March 12, 2006
    The colors on #2 work very well together. But the light spill ruins the effect. If you can get a mauve background with a bright green kiwi and nothing else, you'll have a striking image. Not so sure about the shadow in front of the kiwi, either.
    Sid.
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  • mr peasmr peas Registered Users Posts: 1,369 Major grins
    edited March 12, 2006
    The more vivid colors, the better. Did you use L.E.D.s? ;) So the 2nd one would be my pick. Improvements, here's an idea, do a totally dark shot, with only the kiwi being illuminated. then, with the help of a slave flash or small light, place it behind the kiwi, while the light in the kiwi is on, blast the light from behind to make it look as if the kiwi is totally glowing from the back. Then you can play with colored filters on the lamp/flash in the back. May I suggest, bright green? Like I said before, the more vivid colors, the better it will come out. Try it out if you can! thumb.gif
  • Eric&SusanEric&Susan Registered Users Posts: 1,280 Major grins
    edited March 12, 2006
    wxwax wrote:
    The colors on #2 work very well together. But the light spill ruins the effect. If you can get a mauve background with a bright green kiwi and nothing else, you'll have a striking image. Not so sure about the shadow in front of the kiwi, either.

    Tried your suggestions along with Virgina's about being centered and came up with this:

    59646242-M.jpg

    Kinda fast edit I cloned a little to close to the kiwi but is this more to your liking?

    Eric
    "My dad taught me everything I know, unfortunately he didn't teach me everything he knows" Dale Earnhardt Jr

    It's better to be hated for who you are than to be loved for who you're not.

    http://photosbyeric.smugmug.com
  • robinsphotosrobinsphotos Registered Users Posts: 30 Big grins
    edited March 12, 2006
    I like the #1. The glowing of the kiwi. I think #2 is just a bit too bright.
  • DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited March 12, 2006
    Eric&Susan wrote:
    59646242-Ti.jpg


    I like losing the spill light, not sure the center crop adds anything. I like the colors in this one and prefer it to #1.
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  • OvisOvis Registered Users Posts: 15 Big grins
    edited March 12, 2006
    Not a fan of the new crop. I think you were spot on with the original composition.
  • ultravoxultravox Registered Users Posts: 776 Major grins
    edited March 13, 2006
    Nice.
    #1 is my choice. Go for it...thumb.gif
    Cristian.
    [SIZE=-1]It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice. - John Lennon.[/SIZE]
  • dkoyanagidkoyanagi Registered Users Posts: 656 Major grins
    edited March 13, 2006
    I like the backlight idea. I'm not sure the centered crop works though. I like your original crop better. You might want to try experimenting with a tighter crop or maybe a macro shot, so all you see is the fruit with no background. Or you might try a different color for the background.
    Dan
    www.dkoyanagi.com
    www.flickr.com/photos/dkoyanagi/
  • mr peasmr peas Registered Users Posts: 1,369 Major grins
    edited March 13, 2006
    Try black bg, flash/lamp behind the kiwi, place a blueish filter in front of it. Let it glow and flow!
  • MesaManMesaMan Registered Users Posts: 54 Big grins
    edited March 13, 2006
    The first post shot as is now is the winner dude. Very creative and shot well.
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  • FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
    edited March 13, 2006
    I agree that the crop didn't work. Still prefer #2 and love the glow around the seeds in both.

    Virginia
    _______________________________________________
    "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus

    Email
  • gfxartistgfxartist Registered Users Posts: 135 Major grins
    edited March 13, 2006
    Personally I like #2 in your original post but I feel like the background is competing for my attention. I love the bright color, but how about trying a lime green background? You'll still get the vivid color but it wouldn't be as distracting and would allow you to focus more on the beautifully lit fruit. I love the fruit but keep wanting to look at the background color instead of the main attraction.
    ~Laurie~

    Canon: 5d Mk III, 5d Mk II, 50d, 50/1.2, 85/1.2, 35/1.4, 70-200/2.8 II, 17-40/4, 24-70/2.8, 100 2.8 macro
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  • cabbeycabbey Registered Users Posts: 1,053 Major grins
    edited March 13, 2006
    I like the second shot more than the first, the more even back lighting seems to give the fruit a nice healthy look. And the removal of the spill light was a good touch, but the new crop that came with it doesn't do much for me, the original crop was more appealing... ballanced the green and purple.
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  • Eric&SusanEric&Susan Registered Users Posts: 1,280 Major grins
    edited March 13, 2006
    Ok a reworked 2nd shot:

    59811454-M.jpg


    Better? Good enough to enter?

    eric
    "My dad taught me everything I know, unfortunately he didn't teach me everything he knows" Dale Earnhardt Jr

    It's better to be hated for who you are than to be loved for who you're not.

    http://photosbyeric.smugmug.com
  • cabbeycabbey Registered Users Posts: 1,053 Major grins
    edited March 13, 2006
    Eric&Susan wrote:
    Ok a reworked 2nd shot:

    59811454-Th.jpg


    Better? Good enough to enter?

    eric

    Sweetness.thumb.gif
    SmugMug Sorcerer - Engineering Team Champion for Commerce, Finance, Security, and Data Support
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  • FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
    edited March 14, 2006
    Nice. The photograph has an elegant symplicity that I like.

    Virginia
    _______________________________________________
    "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus

    Email
  • vangoghvangogh Registered Users Posts: 353 Major grins
    edited March 14, 2006
    Eric&Susan wrote:
    Tried your suggestions along with Virgina's about being centered and came up with this:

    59646242-M.jpg

    Kinda fast edit I cloned a little to close to the kiwi but is this more to your liking?

    Eric
    I like this now the light spill has gone, but preferred the previous crop with it on the third, not centred. It looked very "graphic"
    Nicola
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  • CookieSCookieS Registered Users Posts: 854 Major grins
    edited March 14, 2006
    So far this entry is my favorite , Nice job.
  • turnipturnip Registered Users Posts: 43 Big grins
    edited March 14, 2006
    Eric&Susan wrote:
    Ok a reworked 2nd shot:

    59811454-M.jpg


    Better? Good enough to enter?

    eric

    we have a winner. the rest of us can only hope for 2nd place. ;) good job man, i'm totally drawn in by the center of that kiwi. i would actually like to see nothing but the center with only an edge of the green meat. but man, when i saw this image, the phrase "well, this challenge is officially over" popped into my head.

    good job.
  • DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited March 14, 2006
    I think you need to work a bit more on your patch job for the spill light. You have some messiness at the edge of the kiwi that betrays your work.
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  • Eric&SusanEric&Susan Registered Users Posts: 1,280 Major grins
    edited March 18, 2006
    DavidTO wrote:
    I think you need to work a bit more on your patch job for the spill light. You have some messiness at the edge of the kiwi that betrays your work.

    Thanks, I reworked it and put the new one into the challenge thread.

    Eric
    "My dad taught me everything I know, unfortunately he didn't teach me everything he knows" Dale Earnhardt Jr

    It's better to be hated for who you are than to be loved for who you're not.

    http://photosbyeric.smugmug.com
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