carousel . still life - Group1

[Clawed]

Here are a couple of shots for high-key & low-key study. I am really beginning to like the high-key style more than it's opposite. The images just have a surreal, dream-like quality. I am finding it is definitely underappreciated.

I think where I failed in the first image is that it's too blown out. I know it's acceptable to have blown areas in this type of image, but there is a difference between high-key and 'not knowing how to control highlights worth a damn.' Oh well, let me know what you think.

 

[linpelk]

Picture #1 is darling. I agree with you about the overly blown out background. I don't know enough about "high key" images to know what would be acceptable, but I think it would have been nicer with a little fill flash. The picture feels a little slanted and those bottom fingers have been clipped a bit, but overall I love her expression. It's a really cute picture.

Picture #2 seems to fit the "low key" description, but I'm not sure that it speaks to me. I don't know about having the side of the object cut off (what is that by the way??) I like the lights in the background, I like your DOF, and I even like the tilt.

 

[Skedaddle]

I agree with what linpelk said about the first photo and I agree that it might have been nice to see the entire object in the second photo. However, I do like the second photo alot. It is very interesting.

 

[Clawed]

Linda, I agree 100%. What I would have done in 1, given another chance, is meter for the background, set my camera to overexpose the background by a couple of stops, then use fill to overexpose the subject as well (that way, the entire image would have the midtones lie on the highlight side and place the shadows where the midtones would be). However, does anyone know how I can do this? I am pretty sure I could get away with using the Speedlite at ex.comp. 0.00 since the background is so bright, but if I needed to dial it down, the Speedlites compensation would override the camera's. I am not too experienced with using my flash unit yet, so all I can do is guess.