#79 - Stood Up

Quitarita · December 5, 2006

"I guess she's not showing up..."
Waiting for someone when you've made a special meal is no fun.

Would love to hear people's comments on this shot. I'm new to dgrin (and LOVE it) and new to photography so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Any advice on how to avoid strange reflections of the flames from appearing?

FYI - I've done super basic bw conversion and a tiny bit of cropping.

http://rosaura.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=114948763

Gracias,

jweatherson · December 5, 2006

VERY VERY cool idea! I like that

He really does look dissapointed.

Flyinggina · December 5, 2006

Yes

I like this shot. The message and the candlelight!

Virginia

Richard · December 5, 2006

This is a great idea, but if you could reshoot, there are a few things you might do to improve it. I would like to see more of the place setting of the missing person to make it clearer that nobody is there. Putting some red wine in his cup while leaving the other one empty would also help deliver the message. I would like to see his face in sharper focus. Regarding the reflections, you can sometimes get rid of them by altering your shooting angle slightly or repositioning the candles. Also, make sure you do not have any filters on your lens.

kmh · December 5, 2006

Nice shot -- great idea. -Kate

kjs · December 5, 2006

Love it! The brightness of the candles (which I think adds nicely to the mood) is a little distracting and draws my eye to it, instead of the man's face. But, not sure how to fix that. I like the picture in the background, too.... it makes you aware that he's waiting for his girl!

Kim

nalvarez · December 5, 2006

great original idea!

jsedlak · December 5, 2006

great shot! Gets "Waiting" across very well!

douglas · December 5, 2006

Well done, great entry!

davev · December 5, 2006

I like this idea also. The one candle flare is a little problemsome, and a bit more DOF would be nice.
I think I'd let the candles burn down a bit more also.

shoppix · December 6, 2006

Dinner Guest!
Great shot. I agree with a few other comments:
* pull back a bit to see more of the other dinner plate
* put some wine in his glass, and perhaps a full glass by the other place setting
* try cutting the wick on the candle to make it shorter, flame may be smaller then, I think?
* pulling/moving back, &/or zooming out, may also put less emphasis on the candle flames. If you're using a wide angle lens, this may be enlarging the flames in relation to other objects in the photo. Switch to more 'normal' lens.

Quitarita · December 6, 2006

I did a reshoot
Everyone's feedback has been great!!!!! Thank you so much!!!!
Here's another take:

What I did:
* Took off my lens filter - Thank you Richard!!! It worked much better!!!
* Pulled the camera back to show more of the place setting - Thank you everyone
* Added red wine in his glass (just a bit to show he's been drinking it) - Thanks Dave & shoppix
* Tried to de-emphasis the candles and burned them down some more - Thank you Kim & Dave
* Increase the DOF to better see the stuff on the table - Thanks Dave
* Had him put on a nicer shirt - is it too bright now?
* Put more lighting (candles...I don't have any lighting equipment...yet) behind and to the right of him.
* Moved some of the apples and replaced them with strawberries to better show the empty glass
* Made my husband be thankful he's not a full-time model.

I really like his expression in the first one (I agree, he looks very disappointed, James) but like what is happening on the table more in this one.

I don't know if I can do another reshoot but if I can't, which one do you like better. If I can, what do you think worked and what didn't work?

As always, any input would be greatly appreciated.

lr1811 · December 6, 2006

I like it
This is a good entry... goodluck!

kjs · December 6, 2006

VERY nice!! I love it! The second shot is much stronger than the first. All the details that you changed made a BIG difference, IMO! And, I think, his expressions in both pictures equally depict someone "waiting"... or feeling disappointed from being stood up. Poor guy!!!

Great job!!!

Kim

kmh · December 6, 2006

Wow -- great improvement! It is fun to see this board working. I like all of the changes you made. The angle, the glass being more visible, everything on the table sharper. I like his shirt better, and no, it doesn't look too bright to me (the other shirt was distracting in comparison). This is a more believable shot and compositionally better. I agree his expression is equally good in both shots. The only (minor) thing I see that could be changed is the glass/candle reflection in the background. Too bad you can't use PS to take that out!! Again, I think that's a pretty minor thing...Great job! -Kate

Flyinggina · December 6, 2006

I loved #1 and I really love #2. Wonderful composition, nice lighting, right on theme.

Virginia

Quitarita · December 6, 2006

I gotta say, I LOVE Love love dgrin!!!

This forum is great and I love everyone's input and I'm learning so much!!!!

Thank you Virginia, Kate, Kim & lr1811 - glad you like the reshoot!

Kate, yeah, I wish I could PS out the reflection but it'll have to stay.

Gracias!

Jeff Geoghan · December 7, 2006

I'd submit this one - as good or better themewise!

cabbey · December 7, 2006

great reshoot
excellent shot, and a lot of great feedback... all of which you capitalized on wonderfully.

evoryware · December 12, 2006

I love this second shot! Great redo.

Although, instead of taking pictures and standing him up, you should have sat down and ate with him. Then I may have a chance at winning the contest!

Quitarita · December 12, 2006

evoryware wrote:

I love this second shot! Great redo.
Although, instead of taking pictures and standing him up, you should have sat down and ate with him. Then I may have a chance at winning the contest!

!

I really really like your train shot too!!!

Thank you for the compliment! The reshot was really fun (at least for me) - he was miserable sitting and waiting for me to finish shotting. Maybe that's why his expression works for this challenge.

CanonDigital · December 13, 2006

Great shots, but I feel that the candles are too high and the flames are too bright, which are a little bit distracting. Perhaps using candle in a holder/bowl, something like the followings might give a better mood. Sorry for my lack of words. I don't know what those candles are called, so I just called them candle in a holder/bowl

Quitarita · December 14, 2006

CanonDigital wrote:

Great shots, but I feel that the candles are too high and the flames are too bright, which are a little bit distracting. Perhaps using candle in a holder/bowl, something like the followings might give a better mood. Sorry for my lack of words. I don't know what those candles are called, so I just called them candle in a holder/bowl

GREAT suggestion!!!! Yeah, I know the candles were too high and distracting and I tried my best to down play them on the 2nd shot (let them burn more so they where shorter). But this idea would have worked better.

It is too late for the challenge but for the next time I try something like this, I will definately use your suggestion. Thanks for the sample pictures, that helped get your idea quickly.

Much appreciated,

evoryware · December 14, 2006

Quitarita wrote:

The reshot was really fun (at least for me) - he was miserable sitting and waiting for me to finish shotting. Maybe that's why his expression works for this challenge.

I be he's not miserable now that the vote is over!

Quitarita · December 14, 2006

evoryware wrote:

I bet he's not miserable now that the vote is over!

Yeah, he's got superstar status now.

Although he was a superstar even before this.

#79 - Stood Up

Comments