Prelude to Power (1st post)

RtS · May 4, 2005

Prelude to Power

This is my first post here...I trust you will be honest. Please view full screen to get the full effect, this is the reason I posted it so large. Thanks.

Chase · May 4, 2005

I really like it. Great composition, nice and sharp, excellent exposure! The one thing that bothers me is the block in the background. It is a little too distracting to me.

Welcome to the forum!

RtS · May 4, 2005

Thanks for the opinions. I have debated about the block also, but ultimately I decided to leave the shot alone so it was "as shot". I used a shallow DoF so your eyes follow the line of pistons into the shot and stop on the center one, then the block becomes a backdrop (in theory). Thanks again.

Chase · May 4, 2005

It works, and I like it as is....just think I'd prefer it without. Really nice shot though. Can you share some details on it? How was it lit, equipment used, etc?

RtS · May 4, 2005

My D70 was sitting on a roll of paper towels. No flash. f/4.5 Lights were out in the garage and my friend was holding a flourescent flood light so just a little light was shining on the subject. We were litterally right in the middle of an engine build (buddy and I), so resources and time were slim. I was just fortunate enough to get time to stop to set the lighting up.

As a sidenote, this motor is going in a Procharger car - a full weight 97 Cobra that should make 1000 rwhp with stock heads and stock cams!

craig · May 5, 2005

Well done! Nice shapes. I second the motion of the background being a little distracting. Maybe a tighter crop?

mentos_007 · May 5, 2005

that is really really nice shot! I like it because it is very clean, and... I like metallic subjects shots

RtS · May 5, 2005

mentos_007 said:
that is really really nice shot! I like it because it is very clean, and... I like metallic subjects shots

stay tuned for more metallic shots...I have lots of metallic hobbies!!

Thanks for all of the critiques. I may have to try a tighter crop to see what it looks like.

Fadi · May 5, 2005

RtS said:
As a sidenote, this motor is going in a Procharger car - a full weight 97 Cobra that should make 1000 rwhp with stock heads and stock cams!

Love the shot. I like the block there because it give the picture a story. I think. Maybe not a story, but it works for me.

Xmetal · May 5, 2005

Awesome shot mate!

Are they forged pistons and rods or just normal ones? Sounds like the Cobra is going to be an animal!

RtS · May 6, 2005

Rods are Manley H-beams, pistons are JE. They definitely won't be the weak link. Thanks again guys, this is a great site.

KevinR · May 6, 2005

Here goes my 2 cents. I think if the focus was on the first 2 pistons rather then toward the middle, the block would not be as distracting because it would hold the eyes toward the front and the block would be less sharp.

Big Mike · May 6, 2005

I like the composition and especially the lighting. Nice work.

I don't like the short, selective DOF. I get what you are tying to do with it...but it's just not working for me. The small section that is actually in focus...is just not all that interesting on it's own. I think that more DOF would allow the viewer to see more detail in the other pistons & block...and let our eyes rove around the photo in a more fluid manor.

Did that make any sense?