Fountain still life

[minicoop1985]

What do you guys think? How did I do with this? What can I do better next time? Done on 120 TMax 400 in D76.

Fountain Still Life by longm1985, on Flickr

 

[Designer]

The portion of fountain that is in the frame is nicely done, but why crop the subject like that while leaving so much space above it?

 

[luisro]

Good idea have it on B&W. Personally, I would have shot a little down to get more fountain(that is the subject on your pic, and less trees.

 

[astroNikon]

On your Hasselblad. kewl.
I wish that tree gap area just above it wasn't so bright
and I'm curious what the lower half of the fountain looks like
what shutter speed?

 

[minicoop1985]

I think it was 1/200 at f8? I don't remember exactly. Anyway, there's an electrical box/connection that would have showed up lower on, so that's why I picked what I did to crop out. Looking at it, I could have done it a little differently. Raised the camera, got a little closer, moved over a bit to get rid of that hotspot, now that I think about it. That would cover everything you guys have mentioned other than the crop.

I gota say, sharpness wise, that's pretty damned impressive for a 65 year old lens. If only I had something that could do that on my Canon.

 

[astroNikon]

I love the sharpness on it. great detail.

I've found many times I go out do a shoot, I review the photos then I go out Again to the same place and redo it. I'm getting better though at framing things in my mind to do things the first time. I now understand why those movie directors use their hands to "crop" a photo and look around. I started doing that and it really helps.

fyi, I think the photo is very slightly tilted to the left. or maybe the 2 angled trees are just throwing me off.
(fyi2, I'm hoping to get a night shot, light painting of a car this weekend .. we'll see).

 

[minicoop1985]

If you're doing some light painting, make sure to be even and that you have a good enough light-need more than just a little flashlight. Maybe even try light painting something small to try it out-just crank down your aperture (f22 or 32), ISO 200, shutter 20-30 seconds, and light away.

As for the trees, I think that's it. I took a LONG time to make sure this was even and as level as I could get it, but those trees are leaning in real life so they're not a good measure of what's level. I think one's dying, and will probably make its way into my dad's shop.

 

[timor]

I think it was 1/200 at f8? I don't remember exactly. Anyway, there's an electrical box/connection that would have showed up lower on, so that's why I picked what I did to crop out. Looking at it, I could have done it a little differently. Raised the camera, got a little closer, moved over a bit to get rid of that hotspot, now that I think about it. That would cover everything you guys have mentioned other than the crop.

I gota say, sharpness wise, that's pretty damned impressive for a 65 year old lens. If only I had something that could do that on my Canon.

Off course you could do few things differently. For one you could use a green filter to make the BG lighter. Right now the BG has the same values as main subject. Why the lens after 65 years should loose the sharpness ? If that Hassy then lens is a Schneider of Zeiss, can you think of any better maker ? You can get even sharper image, if you will use something better to develop it, than D76. D76 was never meant for T-grain.

 

[minicoop1985]

Actually, it's a Kodak Ektar lens, made before Hasselblad partnered with Zeiss. It's not that it would LOSE sharpness, it's just that it's THAT sharp and was made 65 years ago, before the advent of a LOT of today's optical technology. And that it's a Kodak, a name now synonymous with film and incredibly cheap, crappy EasyShare digital point and shoots.

You're right about the developer. I WANT Tri-X, but the only thing I can find locally is TMax and D76, though I might try to source some TMax developer to see what I can do. I'd be much happier with that, I think, but I still REALLY want Tri-X.

I... edited a film image. Shame on me, but I think this is an improvement.

Fountain Still Life by longm1985, on Flickr