first still life

[mykill]

First still life try... alot of them turned out really bad...but i liked these two the best....dont remember the settings but any comments will be much appreciated....

2

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/2339/img0324ev9.jpg

 

[Philip Weir]

Not bad for a first try. Looking at from a commercial point of view, I would not have as many items in the shot. The bottle and one glass would have been adequate with more emphasis on the bottle.
www.philipweirphotography.com

 

[xfloggingkylex]

photo 1
Exposure Time = 13"
F Number = F5.6

photo 2
Exposure Time = 1.6"
F Number = F2.6

 

[mysteryscribe]

I shoot a lot of still life which is not to say they are good ones, but I go along with phillip on the kiss principle. I was taught (though most of what I was taught is out of favor these days) to show the whole subject. And to have a point of view that is clearly distinguishable by the viewer. Never quite understood what that meant.

If I was using the same elements, I would put the whiskey bottle in the center one glass with whiskey on the left side and one glass with the drink and a flower sticking out of the glass on the right. Yes its the boring triangular composition, but it usually works for me.

I do like the lighting a lot though. This is meant to be something you can try just to see how it compares.

 

[newrmdmike]

shooting glass, crystals etc is an art, the color imo is BAD. i think this should be reshot. try blending multiple exposures and capturing the true color of the glass, not the color of the lights you had shining on the glass. i would say practice some more and find someone who photographs glass for a living and take a lesson from them i don't really like them, sorry.

 

[mysteryscribe]

I think it depends on whether you are selling glass or not.... Most non comercial still lifeshots are not really product shots at all. They are meant to tell a story without being obvious. Most of them are about compostion, mood and emotion.. Now that's just my opinion so take it for what it's worth.

The lighting to me is what I would expect to see late night in a home bar. The scene is a little cluttered but it also reminds me of a home bar type shot. Im sure it would strike others differently, but in that context I like the light. The thing I don't like is that to me its too tight.

It's just one person's opinion though. I certainly don't claim to be an expert at anything.

 

[mykill]

try blending multiple exposures and capturing the true color of the glass,

how can i do that ?

i am new to all the lighting and exposure and settings so sorry if this seems like a dumb question

and thanks for the input mystery and everyone else

 

[craig]

Glass as a first attempt in the world of still life is a bad idea. Technically I have found it time consuming and slightly frustrating.

Concerning your shot; Fill the glasses and bottle. I think empty looks unflattering. The light is all over the place. Try and light the product directionally and keep light from hitting the background. Then add a separate background light. Also helps if the product is as far away from the background as possible. Also keep in mind that if you are shooting tungsten there can absolutely be no daylight coming in.

 

[Flash Harry]

I have slightly altered one image, link is here, http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k256/Hazzo_2006/Untitled-1.jpg

if doing still life make sure the product is clean of dust etc before photographing and all other points as above, glass prefers lighting from below, also gold card behind whisky in bottle to saturate colour, keep it out of shot though.

 

[mykill]

thanks for the input and advice everyone...
much appreciated

 

[Alex_B]

if doing still life make sure the product is clean of dust etc before photographing [...]

I don't totally agree on that. It is certainly true if you go for product photography, or if you only want to show "beauty".
However, dust and dirt can add mood to an image alot .. similarly I would not clean up that dirty back alley before I capture it on film.

 

[mysteryscribe]

Good point alex..

How your shot looks depends more on why you are making it than is always evident to the viewer. If you are making a product shot, or that is your bent of mind that is how you will see it...

If you are making art, that is how you will see it.

If you are story telling that is how you will see it.

Got to be careful that what you see, it is what you really see. Don't get so hung up on the sky, that you miss the hole you are about to step in.... Now that made no sense at all.