still life project

[jenny6165]

hi guys, im planning my shoot for the still life project im workin on at college. I do my final shoot a week on monday,
anyway, i have to use a transparent/translucent, a textured and a reflective object.
below are some ideas for composition, not lighting as i dont have the facilites here and the actual shooting will be using medium format cameras in a studio.
Any ideas and thoughts would be great, be critical as i really want to try get myself a good mark.

Personally i think the background is too distracting, i will use a plain background in the actual shooting but cudnt figure out how to hold up the towel so i scrunched up several :shock:

 

[2Stupid2Duck]

A bit ordered for me. Knock the top of the after-shave over. I think I prefer portrait - and I think leach some of the colour but not as much as pic 4. - for what it's worth mate.

 

[jenny6165]

thanks for the advice, as u can tell ive never done still life b4 and i wanna get it perfect by next monday, so any advice is much appreciated as im really stuck on this!

 

[2Stupid2Duck]

No prob mate. oh.. if it were mine, I would apply a gausian(sp) blur to the towels to hide the stacking effect.

Don't panic Jenny - you have the nub of a great shot here.

 

[MDowdey]

i would try and get some nonreflective white paper and use that as a background...also, if you can, bounce your flash off something instead of shining right to the subject.


great start!!!



md

 

[jenny6165]

what would u change composition wise. should i leave the mirror in the photo or take it out?
I wont have access to different lighting techniques until im actually in the studio, unfortunetly, and i was absent when everyone else was practising with the lights.

 

[Andrea K]

IMO i would take the mirror out, it makes the subject really difficult to locate, just makes it confusing to me (my $.02)

 

[mentos_007]

hmm I prefer portrait an dmaybe add there some drops of water.. it might be interesting

 

[jenny6165]

theres drops of water on all but the last one, but u cant really see them cos of the mirror :shock:
also, when i do the actual shooting we'll be shooting on a square format 6x6.
shud i position the objects differently?

 

[Karalee]

Both the blue towels and the mirror bring too much to the images, makes your shots too busy. As MD suggested try getting some white non reflective white paper to use as a background and to set your subjects on.

If you have a desk lamp or something you would be better to use that as lighting rather than on board flash, cos your current lighting isnt very flattering.

Bring the angle of your camera down so your more looking straight on at your subjects rather than looking down at them, it will make a world of difference.

HTH

 

[photong]

i would try and get some nonreflective white paper and use that as a background...also, if you can, bounce your flash off something instead of shining right to the subject.

I think thats the main problem.

hmm I prefer portrait an dmaybe add there some drops of water.. it might be interesting

I agree. Isn't there a mixture that works better than water? Something like glycerine and water? In school people had the stuff in spray bottles to use on food. One assignment it was brushed on chocolate *shrugs* Although that one didn't work very well for them, the lights kept melting the chocolate lmao.

I like the mirror, but for this it's too much. Try using the towels, and a white BG. And maybe not fill the whoe background up with the toels? Just have one...one the side...? to move the horizon line up? IMO.

 

[Rhubarb]

I don't know if you have to shoot colour but maybe try some b&w as well.

 

[Vmann]

i like the mirror I would keep that. I would shot this at a really low shot just barely able to get the reflection. Then I think I would position the items so the brush and bottle overlap/brush behind bottle just a hair. I prefer all the items clean. I mean thats why we shave right (clean appereance). Also maybe a tighter crop the items are the focus not the glass and towels.