Going on with classical still life

Benjo255

No longer a newbie, moving up!
Joined
Dec 16, 2014
Messages
662
Reaction score
345
Location
Legnano (ITALY)
Can others edit my Photos
Photos OK to edit
Since I'm hosting a dog and I cannot leave her alone (excessive barking) I'm going on in still life.
This is a classical still life, can you please give me your feedback?
I processed the raw in two version, I would also love to know which one do you prefer and why.
thank you in anticipation!

1.
PaneUovaPepperDEF.jpg


2.
PaneUovaPepperDEFVivid.jpg
 
Technically it's a good image, 'though I'd prefer to see the blue cloth wrinkle-free. I prefer the first image as the second appears to have too much yellow for my taste. Artistically, I'm not so sure; I think what bothers me is the lack of cohesion/relation between the elements. The bread, cheese & cutting board work, but the eggs? Not so much, IMO, nor does the stalk and pile of ?? in front of the bread.
 
It's a fairly flat composition, with no vertical elements, and frankly, these items don't seem to belong together. You've got cheese on a board (no knife) baked bread (broken) raw eggs (no bowl) and some dried chilis (too many for most dishes). So what is being made here?
 
It's a fairly flat composition, with no vertical elements, and frankly, these items don't seem to belong together. You've got cheese on a board (no knife) baked bread (broken) raw eggs (no bowl) and some dried chilis (too many for most dishes). So what is being made here?
Hey... Designer! Get outta my head! :lol:
 
Sorry Ben, I'm just not getting this. There's no theme or anything tying it together. To me it's just food on a blue cloth. I don't want to be hard on you, but I just don't get it. Maybe others will.
 
The lighting and color are best in the first image, but as has been stated, composition is lacking. A plate with the bread, the cutting board with the cheese and as Designer mentioned a knife and possibly a glass or bottle of wine would have worked better than the eggs and chili.
 
To give you an idea of a cohesive scene, here's a shot I did [light painted still life]

 
Compliments reward the ego, critiques help to grow, so...thank you everybody.
Yes, the composition is definitively not cohesive, I'll keep on trying.
Happy that from the technical point of view the photograph is ok. That was my first try with light painting.
While I was composing the set I thought "well, I hope they get togather as in image, 'cause I don't relaly know what could I ever cook with these ingredients". Ok, I'm going to try again, may be later, with something else (may be not food at all).
Still thank you everybody. For me it's easy to see weak points in others' picture, always difficult to see them in mine, so thank you again to everybody.
 
There are lots of excellent still life paintings by old European masters from van Dyke and Cezanne to Snyders and Chardin, especially Dutch and Flemish were, I think unsurpassed. Just have a close look at their paintings, the composition , the light are flawless there. A lot to learn from.
 
Just have a close look at their paintings, the composition , the light are flawless there. A lot to learn from.
I am. I've always shooted street photography. These are really my first steps into still life. Thank you!
 
For me, a still life needs context. Even though the items are arranged just so, and thus are "fake" and manipulated, it looks like they're not, like you've captured an organic moment in time. Lighting and composition are so important.

I'm less bothered by the actual items in the picture than others have mentioned, but instead am feeling dissatisfied with the artifical light and setting for those objects. I feel like there needs to be a kitchen around them.
 
instead am feeling dissatisfied with the artifical light

That was a lesson for me about light painting. That was made with mobile phone led torch, so light is cold and wide spread, which is not the ideal for light painting. Thank you for comment!
 
Lighting doesn't have to be elaborate. Last winter I was playing with some single light still lifes. All I was using was a 75w Incedencent bulb in a $5 reflector and a mirror from the bathroom vanity. I wanted to see what I could do with a bare minimum
Peppers_zpsc0cd40f4.jpg
 
Rick...you got amazing results! I'll go on and try!
 

Most reactions

Back
Top