Ready To Ruminate, C&C needed

[fjrabon]

so I've been trying to get this image that conveys a sense of someone about to do some really deep reading/thinking. For some reason I can't seem to get it to 'feel' like I want exactly. Like sort of a moody, yet refined, yet dusty type atmosphere? Basically like a professor's study type feel.


DSC_0015 by franklinrabon, on Flickr

I wanted the books to subtly convey ideas and feeling, hence the sort of busy background. I also wanted a feeling of clutter to come across, to get the sort of feel of a professor's study/mind with all the thoughts flowing around.

The alcohol is to convey the sort of slightly dark/moody side to the feeling, as is the partially in the picture cigar.

35mm shot at f/8 1 sec exposure ISO 200, with very light flash, reflected off a piece of yellow legal paper from the bottom right. There's also a desk lamp very obviously above and to the left of the image.

 

[LaFoto]

Not sure if paperback will ever be able to bring about this refined atmosphere you're trying to achieve.
Though I feel you've got quite close already.
I like the light.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

It feels too bright, and there are too many books in my opinion.
In my mind,mthe mood you are looking for is darker, and richer. Old, rich, fabrics, warm woods, leather, soft warm light...antique glassware, decanter....

Instead of bright light, modern tile, a bottle that is more akin to product photography...

The cigar holder doesn't read well. I think the perspective should be that of the character, looking down upon his/her ritualistic preparations,mas if to make sure it's ll ready before sitting down.

Your perspective is nearly eye level with the table, which makes me wonder who the viewer is. A child perhaps.
I think this perspective is too flat and lacks depth as well.

 

[fjrabon]

Thanks for the response bitter. Yeah, I guess this looks too much like a scotch ad to really get the feel I'm after.

 

[fjrabon]

here are a couple more tries:


DSC_0020 by franklinrabon, on Flickr


DSC_0042 by franklinrabon, on Flickr

Looking at these, I may have gone too far in extremes with bitter's suggestions, as far as lighting goes, but what do you guys think?

 

[cgipson1]

I guess I don't associate booze and tobacco as being part of "deep" reading... or serious study. The selection of books is also all over the place, totally unrelated to each other... so that is also not conducive to to the "deep" reading / study motif, IMO! Just my take.... If they were all Philosophy books, that might be different.

Of course, the majority of unread heathen might be impressed.... lol!

 

[fjrabon]

I guess I don't associate booze and tobacco as being part of "deep" reading... or serious study. The selection of books is also all over the place, totally unrelated to each other... so that is also not conducive to to the "deep" reading / study motif, IMO! Just my take.... If they were all Philosophy books, that might be different.

Of course, the majority of unread heathen might be impressed.... lol!

I've walked into a professor friend's office before when he was in the middle of reading for a paper and the range of texts would boggle the mind. One minute he'd be quoting something from Goethe, next he'd be finding something he read in a book on music theory, the next he'd be quoting melville, haha. But yeah, I get what you're saying.

and yeah, a lot of academics write or do work over a couple glasses of scotch or wine, especially the more brooding sort.

 

[cgipson1]

I guess I don't associate booze and tobacco as being part of "deep" reading... or serious study. The selection of books is also all over the place, totally unrelated to each other... so that is also not conducive to to the "deep" reading / study motif, IMO! Just my take.... If they were all Philosophy books, that might be different.

Of course, the majority of unread heathen might be impressed.... lol!

I've walked into a professor friend's office before when he was in the middle of reading for a paper and the range of texts would boggle the mind. One minute he'd be quoting something from Goethe, next he'd be finding something he read in a book on music theory, the next he'd be quoting melville, haha. But yeah, I get what you're saying.

and yeah, a lot of academics write or do work over a couple glasses of scotch or wine, especially the more brooding sort.

You do have a point!

 

[Jaemie]

Try "Professor On A Bender" instead. Empty bottle, ashtray overflowing with Camel stubs, books strewn about randomly, stray high heel lying on floor...

 

[fjrabon]

I guess I don't associate booze and tobacco as being part of "deep" reading... or serious study. The selection of books is also all over the place, totally unrelated to each other... so that is also not conducive to to the "deep" reading / study motif, IMO! Just my take.... If they were all Philosophy books, that might be different.

Of course, the majority of unread heathen might be impressed.... lol!

I've walked into a professor friend's office before when he was in the middle of reading for a paper and the range of texts would boggle the mind. One minute he'd be quoting something from Goethe, next he'd be finding something he read in a book on music theory, the next he'd be quoting melville, haha. But yeah, I get what you're saying.

and yeah, a lot of academics write or do work over a couple glasses of scotch or wine, especially the more brooding sort.

You do have a point!

ha, thanks. But yeah, regardless of any points about that, I think you were mostly right, there was just too much in the first one. What did you think of the second round?

 

[fjrabon]

also, here's mostly the same photo as #2 from the second go round of tries, but in color instead of the light sepia B/W


DSC_0041 by franklinrabon, on Flickr

 

[cgipson1]

I like the last one best! Not as busy.. and it looks like the Prof just got up for a minute, and will be right back...

 

[fjrabon]

I like the last one best! Not as busy.. and it looks like the Prof just got up for a minute, and will be right back...

what do you think about the DOF? I couldn't decide between a full DOF so that most everything is relatively sharp, or a shallower DOF so that the one page of the book is only really sharp.

Thanks for all the feedback.

 

[cgipson1]

I like it as is.. see no need for less DOF... that is a "sharp" book.. not one a OOF person would read, right? lol

 

[The_Traveler]

Ever since I saw these last night I've been thinking about what would characterize an image like this for me.
What I came up with was something dark and mysterious with the appropriate books etc in the background but some sort of light piercing through to illuminate something.

oil paint on a layer with opacity to taste
Dust is done with render>cloud on a lower layer.