Still life

[JohnMF]

was a bit bored tonight so took a couple of simple still life shots to pass the time. My first post in the B&W forum too :thumbup:

slight sepia on this, does that still count as B&W?

 

[Meysha]

hehehehe - ya that counts as black and white.

Awesome textures in this photo. Not only have you got the grainy table, and the flaky garlic and onions - but the photo itself is grainy too which I think is awesome here.

Something bothers me about the blurry onion. I keep looking at it although I 'want' to keep looking at the garlic. Maybe it's the way the onion is pointing that draws my attention up there. Either way, for a still life it's interesting.

 

[JohnMF]

thanks meysha

I like a bit of grain in a photograph every now and again, too many ultra sharp photos these days. i wanted something rustic to match the flaky veg

I know what you mean about the onion in the background. I think the depth of field might have been a bit to shallow, it's made it a bit distracting because it blurred, maybe if i'd turned it inwards to face the camera it would have worked better

 

[PhotoPhoenix]

a nicer exposure would do this photo better justice..

 

[Meysha]

Would you be able to explain what you mean by 'nicer exposure' please?

Thanks.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

The exposure looks fine on my monitor here - there seem to be a good range of tones across the image. Nice result there for me.

 

[PhotoPhoenix]

maybe it's not the exposure but to me the image looks flat.. more contrast would help perhaps. i think the lighting is what may be making it flat. hmph. maybe it's just me. the lighting looks like normal above lighting. i bet light hitting it from the side only to create better form and dimension would jazz this up. yeap, that's it.

 

[JohnMF]

thanks, wil bare it all in mind next time

 

[mysteryscribe]

he might have meant a little more contrast. I took it down and added some contrast it looks much different better or not is up to you.

 

[JohnMF]

Maybe it's my monitor, as it already looks quite dark on my screen. If i boost the contrast more it starts clipping the shadows.

BTW feel free to edit this one if it helps

thanks

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Tried the same myself. Even using autocontrast, gives it a pleasing lift. A touch more sepia is nice too.

 

[mysteryscribe]

better or not is up to you. Just a different look.

 

[abraxas]

I like the original and the edit, but I think cropping off about 1/3 of the onion in the back would solve the problem.

 

[JohnMF]

i can barely notice the difference with the edited 'Scribes, it's very subtle. Is this a contrast boost that you did?

 

[mysteryscribe]

yes that and only that but to me at least it makes the objects a little more seperated from the background. Like I said it's up to you to decide if it's better or not. I thought that is what he meant be a different exposure. .... If you look at the table in the shadow of the onion on the left you will see a difference in detail I think in the slightly higher contrast model. Anyway just a slight bump in contrast is all I did to it.

I have no real opinion about it to be honest. I do a lot of funky still life so this subject matter is not something Im comfortable with. It is a nice composition in my opinion other than that I don't really have an opinion.