Still Life

Seadawg · Mar 1, 2015

I have been wanting to get into still life photography and since its raining I felt like it was a good time to start practicing.
This is a porcelain doll that my mom has had for several years and really the only cool thing I could find right off.
I only have one flash and it was on camera when shot. I didn't have anything I could use to make a more interesting back drop. So please critique the heck out of this and tell me what I could have done better.

Thanks,

CJ

IMG_6890 by choward_01, on Flickr

dxqcanada · Mar 1, 2015

Take the flash off camera. Using the light (and shadows) as an aspect of the image can do a lot for still life.

Background is very important to still life ... it has to "add" something to it, even if it is just a solid colour flat plane.
This to me just looks like a snapshot of a doll's face ... but since you are just starting I will not hack too much on you.

The book, Light, Science, and Magic was my text book in College ... it taught us a lot about making a great still life image.

Seadawg · Mar 1, 2015

Thank you.

TamiAz · Mar 1, 2015

I agree with Dennis. Try working with natural light.. Try placing the doll near a window and try taking pictures using different light (back light, side light, front light). The internet is a great resource to help with ideas. Try googling doll still life and see if anything gives you ideas. Flickr would be another place to look for inspiration.

fjrabon · Mar 1, 2015

agree with what the others said, I also think you either crop the image tighter, or you leave the hat and the doll's side completely in the frame. Just barely cut off like you have it here seems a bit disjointed.

Designer · Mar 1, 2015

If you can't actually fire the flash remotely, aim it at a large white thing. Something like white foamcore, posterboard, or white wall somewhat behind you and to one side. That is the main light. The fill can be done with another large white thing on the other side. For the backdrop, use a wall, a curtain, a sheet or blanket. Just kind of drape it over the back of a chair or something. Then pose that doll better.

Seadawg · Mar 1, 2015

Thank you all for the feed back, will take it all in consideration the next time i try this. As far as posing the doll, it is stationary so it would have to be me that moves around. But i do understand what you are saying. Thanks again..

bribrius · Mar 1, 2015

i actually like this pretty much as it is.. i think i would dial back that flash just a hair if you have a manual setting, or take a step or two back (same thing long as it doesn't screw your lens dof and perspective but i do kind of wish the rest of her hat was more in focus anyway)

123rfanna · Mar 1, 2015

Agreed with the comments! Needs some naturalness about it, looks overexposed at this point. Perhaps a tighter crop on the right would be good

دموع يكتبها القدر · Mar 2, 2015

هاي اني جديده معكم

bribrius · Mar 2, 2015

123rfanna said:
Agreed with the comments! Needs some naturalness about it, looks overexposed at this point. Perhaps a tighter crop on the right would be good

you are the second person that said that and i can't fathom why. After the first person said i physically put my hand over the right side of the photo to envision how it would look (not good i have a touch screen messed everything all up) but then the SECOND time i envisioned it covering the right side of the screen with my hand covering but not actually touching the screen and i didn't quite see how that made it a improvement.