I like number 2 and 1, mostly cuz I haven't seen a composition like that entered in the challenges....I like original and different (or as original in photography as we can be, cuz we all know it has been done before...ha ha)
Like the improvements on the egg shot too....Much BETTA!!
Good luck in whichever you choose, your gonna need it, I know, I hate decisions, I am still debating on a few shots of my own.
Peace,
Donna
You're only as good as your next photo....
One day, I started writing, not knowing that I had chained myself for life to a noble but merciless master. When God hands you a gift, he also hands you a whip; and the whip is intended solely for self-flagellation...I'm here alone in my dark madness, all by myself with my deck of cards --- and, of course, the whip God gave me." Truman Capote
I really like your changes in #1 - seems cleaner as far as the subject and easier for me to see the interesting angle you shot this picture at.
I think you could go with either it or your egg shot now. The egg shot would probably be considered more artistic though...? Just a guess as I am not that artistic myself (computer geek).
I really like your changes in #1 - seems cleaner as far as the subject and easier for me to see the interesting angle you shot this picture at.
I think you could go with either it or your egg shot now. The egg shot would probably be considered more artistic though...? Just a guess as I am not that artistic myself (computer geek).
Thanks... I'm very confused. Not sure which shot to use, the egg or the cards????
... I don't know! Aaron Nelson keeps telling me to go with my gut but I'm not quite sure what my gut is telling me. One minute I'm feeling the egg, next minute I'm really liking the cards. Maybe I can combine the two???
I like the simplicity of the egg shot. I like the contrast of the shadow and highlights... I also like how the curves of the egg compliment that of the bowl.
But I like the card shot for all different reasons. I like the bright colors of the chips and the green felt. I aslo like the stark contrast of the black symbols on the white background of the cards. I also like that the bokeh in the image too.
... I don't know! Aaron Nelson keeps telling me to go with my gut but I'm not quite sure what my gut is telling me. One minute I'm feeling the egg, next minute I'm really liking the cards. Maybe I can combine the two???
I like the simplicity of the egg shot. I like the contrast of the shadow and highlights... I also like how the curves of the egg compliment that of the bowl.
But I like the card shot for all different reasons. I like the bright colors of the chips and the green felt. I aslo like the stark contrast of the black symbols on the white background of the cards. I also like that the bokeh in the image too.
... yes, it helps a lot. Honestly, I'm a poker buff so I know that is why the card shot appeals to me. But I also know that the egg shot is more soulful and artistic, which would appeal to a much wider audience.
And now that you mention the chickens, it's a no brainer!
BTW, I am having a ton of fun with this challenge. In the end, I learned a few new things and I came out with a few cool shots. After all, that is the reason I participated in the first place.
My vote, as a guy no less, is the egg. I like poker, and beer, and football, but I think the egg shot has more depth to it, artistically.
The poker shot is technically excellent - great color, composition, and exposure. But there's not much there to keep me interested as a viewer...the image reveals everything about itself too quickly, and I'm on to the next one.
The egg shot, however, invites you in to stay a while. The curves draw your eye up and around the image, and as a viewer I'm spending much more time absorbing the subtleties of light and shadow, different surface textures, etc. And I have to say that the egg photo stuck in my mind, whereas the poker shot, though very good, [didn't].
That's my best "art school" attempt at analyzing why I like the egg the best!
i like the poker B&W best, but.........everyone likes a good ol'egg
Aaron... I think your messing with me now. First it's the cards... then the egg... now it's the B&W cards???
I currently have the egg entered. I will probably keep it. I posted it again just above to see if there is any last minute C&C that I can incorporate to make it better.
I currently have the egg entered. I will probably keep it. I posted it again just above to see if there is any last minute C&C that I can incorporate to make it better.
Love this shot! I think it's fine as is, but if you have time you might try shooting a few more versions of the same composition, now that you've decided, in case it can be improved.
I love the lighting and angle, but I'd like to see it with the egg a little sharper. It almost looks like the focal point is along the edge of the bowl, not the egg. A soft diffuser (?) over the light source may also help keep the highlights on the egg from blowing out, for more texture. These are minor concerns on an overall excellent composition, and others may not agree.
Aaron... I think your messing with me now. First it's the cards... then the egg... now it's the B&W cards???
I currently have the egg entered. I will probably keep it. I posted it again just above to see if there is any last minute C&C that I can incorporate to make it better.
no messing man,
my opinion is: enter egg, then print and hang b&w cards image on your wall....:D
I love the lighting and angle, but I'd like to see it with the egg a little sharper. It almost looks like the focal point is along the edge of the bowl, not the egg. A soft diffuser (?) over the light source may also help keep the highlights on the egg from blowing out, for more texture. These are minor concerns on an overall excellent composition, and others may not agree.
I agree with those who like the single egg is best.
As to the latest, I also agree that the blurry red chips in the left hand corner of photos are very distracting. It immediately pulled my eye away from the hand of cards.
I've enjoyed your ideas and wish you lots of luck in the challenge!!
Virginia
_______________________________________________ "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus
Reshoot of Egg Solo
OK... so I took some new shots of the egg solo, with a bit more DOF and also softer light source. Here's a comparison of the old and new.
Please tell me which you prefer:
Original
New
And... here is a new shot I took that I really am happy with the way it turned out. I actually to a whole series of billiard inspired shots. However, this is the only shot that came out really well SOOC. The others I had to post process a bit to really make them pop so they are not eligible for the challenge.
Potential new entry
BTW, I broke one of my wife's lamps shooting these latest shots. Hopefully she won't notice for a few days that way I can blame one of our dogs.
I most certainly, 100% like the lighting in the 1st egg shot over the 2nd, as well as the angle. Only thing I would want to improve on the 1st shot, personally, is focal point. I would like to see the egg's texture and detail vs a sliver of detail on the bowl, which I think someone else had mentioned earlier. The #2 egg shot is kinda boring for me, not a whole lot of depth, or value, or texture. It looks very flat, where as the first one looks like you could reach into the bowl, and the lighting is amazing. I'd say reshoot the first one EXACTLY, just with a different focal point.
The billiard one is nice, and I like how the 8 ball is poking it's head out, it's just a little to...straight on for me I think.
I most certainly, 100% like the lighting in the 1st egg shot over the 2nd, as well as the angle. Only thing I would want to improve on the 1st shot, personally, is focal point. I would like to see the egg's texture and detail vs a sliver of detail on the bowl, which I think someone else had mentioned earlier. The #2 egg shot is kinda boring for me, not a whole lot of depth, or value, or texture. It looks very flat, where as the first one looks like you could reach into the bowl, and the lighting is amazing. I'd say reshoot the first one EXACTLY, just with a different focal point.
The first shot is perfect, except the focal point. And despite what I said about lighting before, I think that reshooting with the egg in focus will bring out the detail I'm missing in the highlights. The angle and composition are superb as is.
As stated before, I like your egg shot, but find that your highlights are blown out, which takes away from the texture of the egg, which in my opinion would give it that kick it needs to stand out for your composition.
Love the billard shot, just not the reflections in the balls.
Nice work Cubano. I have enjoyed your thread!!
Remember, decisions are hard, and everyone will always have a different view of what you see in your minds eye, because as the old saying goes....Your poison is always someone else's treasure....:D
Good luck in whichever you choose.
Donna P.
You're only as good as your next photo....
One day, I started writing, not knowing that I had chained myself for life to a noble but merciless master. When God hands you a gift, he also hands you a whip; and the whip is intended solely for self-flagellation...I'm here alone in my dark madness, all by myself with my deck of cards --- and, of course, the whip God gave me." Truman Capote
I too like the first egg shot better. I used a flashlight for lighting. I tried it with a different setup on the second one and it just didn't work as well. I will see if I can replicate the shot tonight.
These aren't for the challenge since I did some PP work on them but what to you think... I remove the reflection from the balls and also made a cropped version.
I think I nailed the Egg now!
Here it is guys... I got the perspective as close as I could to the original. The lighting is identicle, if not a little more dramatic and best of all, I got the egg in very sharp focus. I did use a different egg. Went through the whole bunch to find the one with the most texture.
Comments
Like the improvements on the egg shot too....Much BETTA!!
Good luck in whichever you choose, your gonna need it, I know, I hate decisions, I am still debating on a few shots of my own.
Peace,
Donna
I think you could go with either it or your egg shot now. The egg shot would probably be considered more artistic though...? Just a guess as I am not that artistic myself (computer geek).
Thanks... I'm very confused. Not sure which shot to use, the egg or the cards????
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I like the simplicity of the egg shot. I like the contrast of the shadow and highlights... I also like how the curves of the egg compliment that of the bowl.
But I like the card shot for all different reasons. I like the bright colors of the chips and the green felt. I aslo like the stark contrast of the black symbols on the white background of the cards. I also like that the bokeh in the image too.
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Hey, look how much fun you are having
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if greensquared were to walk into your gallery, which shot do you suppose she would choose to purchase?
she is a farm type gal with real chickens....hint hint...
half the voting is done by women, do you think any of them care about poker?
go with a wise choice....
does this help?
And now that you mention the chickens, it's a no brainer!
BTW, I am having a ton of fun with this challenge. In the end, I learned a few new things and I came out with a few cool shots. After all, that is the reason I participated in the first place.
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My vote, as a guy no less, is the egg. I like poker, and beer, and football, but I think the egg shot has more depth to it, artistically.
The poker shot is technically excellent - great color, composition, and exposure. But there's not much there to keep me interested as a viewer...the image reveals everything about itself too quickly, and I'm on to the next one.
The egg shot, however, invites you in to stay a while. The curves draw your eye up and around the image, and as a viewer I'm spending much more time absorbing the subtleties of light and shadow, different surface textures, etc. And I have to say that the egg photo stuck in my mind, whereas the poker shot, though very good, [didn't].
That's my best "art school" attempt at analyzing why I like the egg the best!
Benjer
Here it is again so you don't have to flip back to the other page:
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Aaron... I think your messing with me now. First it's the cards... then the egg... now it's the B&W cards???
I currently have the egg entered. I will probably keep it. I posted it again just above to see if there is any last minute C&C that I can incorporate to make it better.
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Love this shot!
I love the lighting and angle, but I'd like to see it with the egg a little sharper. It almost looks like the focal point is along the edge of the bowl, not the egg. A soft diffuser (?) over the light source may also help keep the highlights on the egg from blowing out, for more texture. These are minor concerns on an overall excellent composition, and others may not agree.
no messing man,
my opinion is: enter egg, then print and hang b&w cards image on your wall....:D
As to the latest, I also agree that the blurry red chips in the left hand corner of photos are very distracting. It immediately pulled my eye away from the hand of cards.
I've enjoyed your ideas and wish you lots of luck in the challenge!!
Virginia
"A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus
Email
OK... so I took some new shots of the egg solo, with a bit more DOF and also softer light source. Here's a comparison of the old and new.
Please tell me which you prefer:
Original
New
And... here is a new shot I took that I really am happy with the way it turned out. I actually to a whole series of billiard inspired shots. However, this is the only shot that came out really well SOOC. The others I had to post process a bit to really make them pop so they are not eligible for the challenge.
Potential new entry
BTW, I broke one of my wife's lamps shooting these latest shots. Hopefully she won't notice for a few days that way I can blame one of our dogs.
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The billiard one is nice, and I like how the 8 ball is poking it's head out, it's just a little to...straight on for me I think.
OneTwoFiftieth | Portland, Oregon | Modern Portraiture
My Equipment:
Bodies: Canon 50D, Canon EOS 1
Lenses: Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5, Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS, Canon 50mm f/1.4, Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro, Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8
Lighting: Canon 580EXII, Canon 420 EX, 12" Reflector, Pocket Wizard Plus II (3), AB800 (3), Large Softbox
Stability: Manfrotto 190CXPRO3 Tripod, Manfrotto 488RC4 Ball Head, Manfrotto 679B Monopod
The first shot is perfect, except the focal point. And despite what I said about lighting before, I think that reshooting with the egg in focus will bring out the detail I'm missing in the highlights. The angle and composition are superb as is.
Love the billard shot, just not the reflections in the balls.
Nice work Cubano. I have enjoyed your thread!!
Remember, decisions are hard, and everyone will always have a different view of what you see in your minds eye, because as the old saying goes....Your poison is always someone else's treasure....:D
Good luck in whichever you choose.
Donna P.
Thanks.
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#1
#2
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But go with the first egg shot with new focal point for the challenge.
OneTwoFiftieth | Portland, Oregon | Modern Portraiture
My Equipment:
Bodies: Canon 50D, Canon EOS 1
Lenses: Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5, Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS, Canon 50mm f/1.4, Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro, Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8
Lighting: Canon 580EXII, Canon 420 EX, 12" Reflector, Pocket Wizard Plus II (3), AB800 (3), Large Softbox
Stability: Manfrotto 190CXPRO3 Tripod, Manfrotto 488RC4 Ball Head, Manfrotto 679B Monopod
Here it is guys... I got the perspective as close as I could to the original. The lighting is identicle, if not a little more dramatic and best of all, I got the egg in very sharp focus. I did use a different egg. Went through the whole bunch to find the one with the most texture.
So what do you think?
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OneTwoFiftieth | Portland, Oregon | Modern Portraiture
My Equipment:
Bodies: Canon 50D, Canon EOS 1
Lenses: Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5, Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS, Canon 50mm f/1.4, Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro, Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8
Lighting: Canon 580EXII, Canon 420 EX, 12" Reflector, Pocket Wizard Plus II (3), AB800 (3), Large Softbox
Stability: Manfrotto 190CXPRO3 Tripod, Manfrotto 488RC4 Ball Head, Manfrotto 679B Monopod