This time just one shot....C&C please.

[JAC526]

Hi guys,

Here's the unedited shot:

Here's the edited shot:

Let me know what you think.

I really appreciate the chance to learn...I've been shooting for two days now.

Joe

 

[Heitz]

post-production color seems great, but cutting off the top/bottom of bottle is distracting.

 

[JAC526]

I took the shot in my office with the window open...I had too much lens. Needed a wider angle (or needed to back up) to get the whole bottle.

The only problem was the window came into play at the top of the shot. But I definitely see where your coming from.

Thanks.

 

[JAC526]

I'm not sure if any of you are familiar with Basil Hayden's? But if you like Bourbon, give it a shot. It's light and peppery.

 

[KmH]

Why not shoot the original in the vertical format since it's tall and narrow, rather than crop and throw away 1/2 the pixels?

 

[pixilstudio]

i think if you arranged the set with the light on the other side would have been better

 

[JAC526]

Why not shoot the original in the vertical format since, it's tall and narrow, rather than crop and throw away 1/2 the pixels?

I definitely should have shot it vertical...however, I was standing in my home office shooting out the window.

If I shot it vertical the window frame would have been in play...but I guess I could have cropped it out....I'll have to try that tomorrow.

Thanks.

 

[JAC526]

i think if you arranged the set with the light on the other side would have been better

Lighting is something I know nothing about.

When you say on the other side you mean coming from the left?

Thanks.

 

[tevo]

Should have left the bottle in focus imo, since the background is out of focus due to the DoF...

 

[noodles]

good saturation on the flower... and yea, bottle should be in focus.

 

[JAC526]

Do you think this is better....

Thanks again.

 

[bazooka]

The framing of the subjects and focus is better but now they're backlit and the composition is side-by-side, shoulder-to-shoulder if you will.... not particularly exciting.

 

[Jace]

If you have the raw file, maybe add a little fill light? Also, not sure how this would work on the window sill, but maybe take the flowers out of the vase and try to arrange them somehow along the bottom of the bottle?

 

[OscarMike]

As the casual observer, I find the long neck of the bottle draws my eye away from the flower and I end up looking into the soft background. The first picture sends a better message to me, which is, "it's soft and smells good. Come on drink some". I do far more reading here then I do talking (note the post count), so I'll regurgitate what others have said. Lighting is everything. I think some bounce flash or off camera flash to match the ambient light could help

 

[bennielou]

Much better on the last shot.

For the CC-and these are minor:

1. It's a bit warm (red). The first is more true to the color. Notice also that each photo has a different white balance. I see them getting progressively more red.
2. focus on the first two is better than the last IMO. I liked the dof you chose in those. The third, because you tried to make everything sharp is somehow less interesting to me. But I'm a Dof nut so don't pay too much attention to me.
3. I think you oversharpened a tab bit on the last one. Maybe it's just the upload.

Anyhoo, I'd love to combine the white balance of the first, with the DOF of the second, with the composition of the third. Hope that makes sense.

Overall, very nice shots. Shooting in front of windows and balancing light can be tricky and I think you did very well with that.