Overexposed?

[SabrinaO]

The shallow DOF in the first one looks artificial to me. It looks like it has been added in PP rather than created in the shot. What settings were you using?

The shot with the banner and tree is very visually cluttered to me, and I cannot tell what I am supposed to be focusing on. Editing it helped a little with the overall feel, but it still seems to be about the tree to me. I would look for a space with fewer leaves on the ground and not as many competing colors (the brown leaves are what is killing it, IMO)

Wrong. It's not artificial...lol. Shooting at 1.8 will do that. I heard that some lenses have prettier bokehs than others though...
Again though... i don't really care about the clutter or the brown leaves. These are just shots of my props. These are not going on my wall, nor was i trying to create works of art.

 

[SabrinaO]

If these are promo shots for a tea party, I'd opt for a shot of tequila.

Exposure issues have been exhaustively discussed, so I'll touch on some other problems. Bitter already mentioned the nervous background blur. It really is poor and I think it is exacerbated because of the harsh sunlight that's hitting it.

Why the tilt in #1? The stacked cups do not stack well and look haphazardly positioned. Having multiple colored cups without its matching colored saucer looks shoddy compare to the white tea pot. The banner flags add nothing, even if they are coordinating colors to the multiple colored cups.

Why is the vase the prominent subject in #2? Why is the tea cup amputated? Why is the bottom of the vase cut off? Aren't you promoting a tea party? I would have placed the vase behind the main subjects. Again, the banner flags add nothing.

The only suggestion I can offer for #3 is to find another location and a different PoV. I would try to find a solid daker background, 6' to 12' in the distance.

Honestly, if you're trying to shoot props for a tea party, I would consider shooting them indoors under controlled lighting without all the busy-ness of distracting backgrounds. If you want to shoot a scence of what a possible tea party setup would look like, then it would behoove you to shoot the entire scene, not bits and pieces.

Lastly, consider throttling back the attitude. It seems people are trying to give solid advice. Although some of the advice segued to other aspects of the images, the intent seems to be in good faith.

I didn't notice the tilt..thanks! About the teacups... that was the point. This is like an alice in wonderland/whimsical type theme, not a stuffy and proper tea-party. So thanks.. I'm glad the cups look haphazard
I'm not gonna reshoot because i'm satisfied with these results. I just wanted to see if these were overexposed. I didn't expect these to be picked apart for ridiculous things like the brown leaves or the bokeh because again.. these are just shots of my props. But I will be aware next time of cutting things off, and lighting conditions.
Lastly... i don't have an attitude at all. Its just when someone tells you your photos are "rejects" i don't think anyone would take that lightly.

 

[Derrel]

The pics look light, bright, and airy...they look like they were shot outdoors using natural, dappled sunlight. Ohh-Myyy-Gawwwwdddd--they look like they were shot on-location....outdoors someplace, where there are trees and chit!!!! They give off the appearance of having been made under bright,outdoor, spring-time like weather conditions!!! They give off a bright-light type of feeling... OMG!!!! Tone them down, adjust the levels, adjust the color balance, adjust the chit out of them, and in general just totally bomb them back to the Stone Age, so they look like they were shot with dull overcast, or zero-ratio lighting. Bring them down so they're good and dull,and so it looks like they were shot about a half hour before sunset. That'll get people off your back, fer sure. Know what I'm sayin'???

 

[j28]

Wrong. It's not artificial...lol. Shooting at 1.8 will do that. I heard that some lenses have prettier bokehs than others though...
Again though... i don't really care about the clutter or the brown leaves. These are just shots of my props. These are not going on my wall, nor was i trying to create works of art.

It looks artificial and choppy. I typically love bokeh and a very shallow DOF, but this looks very off.

Personally, if I am taking the time to do promo shots to show potential clients my set up I want those to be top notch. These are what potential clients will judge your skills based on. If you are advertising as a tea party service these are fine. If you are advertising as a tea party portrait experience I would pass you by based on these shots. They portray a photographer with little attention to detail who is content for mediocre when there is the potential for more. I'm not trying to be harsh, just realistic.

 

[kundalini]

I don't think you are clocking on Sabrina. Your photos are sub-par for promotional use IMO. Have you even bothered checking out Flickr or Google for Alice in Wonderland images? You are well off the mark.

 

[AUG19]

In the flag pic it looks to me like one with a 7 or 9 blade ID, used wide open. From Sabrina's sig I'd guess the 1.8/35.

I dunno what lens you used, but I don't care for the quality of the background blur. It's nauseating.

 

[manaheim]

Folks, folks... please... stop.

Clearly we are in the presence of a master and really would do better to stop trying to comment on how the photo should be adjusted and really should just bask in the glory of massively over-exposed images full of clutter and teapots falling off the table.

Me, personally... my mind has been opened like never before.

Please, OP, continue to fill me with your knowledge.

*quickly sits, rests chin in hand, and stares lovingly at OP*

 

[SabrinaO]

Folks, folks... please... stop.

Clearly we are in the presence of a master and really would do better to stop trying to comment on how the photo should be adjusted and really should just bask in the glory of massively over-exposed images full of clutter and teapots falling off the table.

Me, personally... my mind has been opened like never before.

Please, OP, continue to fill me with your knowledge.

*quickly sits, rests chin in hand, and stares lovingly at OP*

LAME.

Nice try at funny. Actually no... not really.

 

[SabrinaO]

The pics look light, bright, and airy...they look like they were shot outdoors using natural, dappled sunlight. Ohh-Myyy-Gawwwwdddd--they look like they were shot on-location....outdoors someplace, where there are trees and chit!!!! They give off the appearance of having been made under bright,outdoor, spring-time like weather conditions!!! They give off a bright-light type of feeling... OMG!!!! Tone them down, adjust the levels, adjust the color balance, adjust the chit out of them, and in general just totally bomb them back to the Stone Age, so they look like they were shot with dull overcast, or zero-ratio lighting. Bring them down so they're good and dull,and so it looks like they were shot about a half hour before sunset. That'll get people off your back, fer sure. Know what I'm sayin'???

Lol Derrel. :-]

 

[SabrinaO]

In the flag pic it looks to me like one with a 7 or 9 blade ID, used wide open. From Sabrina's sig I'd guess the 1.8/35.

I dunno what lens you used, but I don't care for the quality of the background blur. It's nauseating.

7 or 9 blade... Is that the aperture? If so... No wonder why not all bokehs are created equal. I'm guessing more blades = better/smooth bokeh?

 

[AUG19]

The specular highlights in your picture are rounded so i assumed it was a 9. Googling your 35 tells me it's likely 7. The bright edges and centers of the discs made me think the lens was used almost fully open. Stopping down the aperture would improve the look. Given enough seperation between the flags (or tea set) and the background, it will still be blurred.

 

[manaheim]

Folks, folks... please... stop.

Clearly we are in the presence of a master and really would do better to stop trying to comment on how the photo should be adjusted and really should just bask in the glory of massively over-exposed images full of clutter and teapots falling off the table.

Me, personally... my mind has been opened like never before.

Please, OP, continue to fill me with your knowledge.

*quickly sits, rests chin in hand, and stares lovingly at OP*

LAME.

Nice try at funny. Actually no... not really.

No, it's really more your responses that are funny. Hysterical, in fact.

Mine was more going for sarcasm. I see you missed that.

You've spent a lot of time here asserting to people how silly they are for suggesting this or that... even going as far as to say that no photo is perfect right out of the camera. You're clearly inexperienced and have absolutely no idea how much you don't know, and you're wielding that ignorance with a ham-fistedness that borders on the spectacular.

 

[SabrinaO]

The specular highlights in your picture are rounded so i assumed it was a 9. Googling your 35 tells me it's likely 7. The bright edges and centers of the discs made me think the lens was used almost fully open. Stopping down the aperture would improve the look. Given enough seperation between the flags (or tea set) and the background, it will still be blurred.

So maybe if I shot at 2.8 higher it would give me better bokeh?

 

[SabrinaO]

Folks, folks... please... stop.

Clearly we are in the presence of a master and really would do better to stop trying to comment on how the photo should be adjusted and really should just bask in the glory of massively over-exposed images full of clutter and teapots falling off the table.

Me, personally... my mind has been opened like never before.

Please, OP, continue to fill me with your knowledge.

*quickly sits, rests chin in hand, and stares lovingly at OP*

LAME.

Nice try at funny. Actually no... not really.

No, it's really more your responses that are funny. Hysterical, in fact.

Mine was more going for sarcasm. I see you missed that.

You've spent a lot of time here asserting to people how silly they are for suggesting this or that... even going as far as to say that no photo is perfect right out of the camera. You're clearly inexperienced and have absolutely no idea how much you don't know, and you're wielding that ignorance with a ham-fistedness that borders on the spectacular.

CLEARLY you were trying your hand at wit... and you wanted all the "folks" to comment and laugh. I know how it goes on this forum. With sarcasm comes humor. I got the sarcasm. The humor... not so much. Again, it was lame. Try again next time, or better yet... don't try so hard.

Inexperienced? lol..not at all. Im just not going to tolerate people (you) who are in some imaginary contest on who-can-give-the-wittiest-comment. It's just pathetic. I am open to CONSTRUCTIVE criticism because I want to improve my craft... not argue with trolls.

 

[manaheim]

CLEARLY you were trying your hand at wit... and you wanted all the "folks" to comment and laugh. I know how it goes on this forum. With sarcasm comes humor. I got the sarcasm. The humor... not so much. Again, it was lame. Try again next time, or better yet... don't try so hard.

Inexperienced? lol..not at all. Im just not going to tolerate people (you) who are in some imaginary contest on who-can-give-the-wittiest-comment. It's just pathetic. I am open to CONSTRUCTIVE criticism because I want to improve my craft... not argue with trolls.

Well, I guess in addition to ignorance, we will add arrogance to your list of traits.

You don't know me, and you don't know who I am or what I do. Asserting what I'm "clearly" doing here just re-emphasizes my earlier points about your approach.

Whatever. Good luck. You're not going to learn a lot or gain many friends with this posture, but... again... whatever.