NikonGear'23
Images => Critique => Topic started by: Jack Dahlgren on January 21, 2017, 04:51:33
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(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/583/31620421423_8069432517_b_d.jpg)
Nikon Df + 105PC F/2.8@3200 ISO
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One of the main assets of Stilll Lives is composition; and I have some problems with yours. From a technical point of view, you picture is under-exposed by at least one stop; as result shadows are lacking details. And the high ISO's haven't done much good to the overall picture. I trust you don't consider my comments as being offensive.
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There is perceptible underexposure that apparently serves no useful purpose. Perhaps not a full stop down, but brightening the image is easy if you reprocess the NEF.
The framing as such is OK.
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The framing as such is OK.
I would have added OK for me. End of story (for me).
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We always write from the perspective of an individual. Otherwise, there would be absolute truths :(
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"Tact is the art of making a point, without making an enemy. " Sir Issac Newton
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I am curious how anyone could claim that a scene like this is underexposed? Does anyone of you know what kind of light was present at the time of the exposure? To me, that is like saying that a night image is overexposed. Anyhow, I think that both the perspective and composition are kind of strange. If you wanted to show the tools used by a plumber you should at least try to show them. I would have choosen (maybe) to frame them from above to isolate them from each other. But thats me :)
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The composition is the biggest problem here. The strong vertical element offset middle in the picture, underlined by the procession of items along it for depth, demands attention. It makes it feel like a vertical picture, rendering the red/yellow tarp an un-needed eye sore and the bucket a peripheral clutter.
When you take still life pictures, take the time to consider the image as an array of geographic elements. Arrange the elements in a fashion that please or serve you *purely* in terms of geometry. Of course the lighting and other facets play a role, but without composition, still life pictures suffer heavily. A portrait with poor composition may be mediocre, but it still retains a level of effectiveness because the face is there. A picture of solely objects has no such thing to fall back on. Here lies the challenges of good still life photography!
Randy, thank you for the quote. That really spoke to me, I will remember it!
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"I am curious how anyone could claim that a scene like this is underexposed?"
The same way we experience the phenomenon of colour consistency during different light regimes, by comparing subconsciously visual impression to expectation.
A night scene in a photograph must be brighter than it really is, otherwise we cannot see much ...
I had no problem with the original scene and its given title.
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I'm not convinced Bjørn, but I guess the topic is subjective and boils down to personal taste :)
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No need to agree on every occasion ...
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It was free of any conscious arrangement and under some horrendous construction lights. I did learn from the discussion here, so thank you all.
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I should add that I meant using perspective to arrange the elements. Did not mean physically arranging them.