Wanted your opinion...

[apple429]

Hello, the other day my boss came up to me and challenged me to create a new cover photo for our Facebook page that would show our new design and it's release date. I just wanted your opinion and possibly some other ideas that I could have done or use for the future. I only had 2 hours to take pictures and create the image in photoshop, so I think I did pretty good.
Here is what was going through my mind:
~I needed to really highlight the product itself (in this case was the pistol grip called the "RIOT")
~so with the name RIOT I wanted something dramatic, while still being sublet as to not take away from the grip
~I decided I wanted to lightning as the background, this effect would make simple to highlight the grips with light beams, and look fairly natural
~I wanted symmetry throughout the image
~the people "rioting" I wanted to be a little highlighted, so I took pictures of myself with a few light accents to give some dimension

So, what do you think??
I have been practicing photography for a couple years now, but I have just recently gotten into product photography and design. So I would really appreciate any critiques you have!
Thanks,
Taylor

 

[Designer]

Looks good.

 

[Braineack]

where are all the militarized police?

 

[Wizard1500]

I like the concept, and you highlighted the grips nicely....the only thing I would do differently is both 1911's would have either stainless or black/blued slides....and, both triggers and hammers would be skeletonized the same....but then, I prefer symmetry.....overall.....I like it......

 

[tirediron]

The lighting seems a little 'off' to me. If the grips are the product, then you need to feather the light a little more and get it off of the slide. If you want to show the whole weapon, then you need some light on the barrel area. I also think that your lights on the grip were too far back; you've lost some detail in the texture. Perhaps a CPOL to help kill the glare might have helped.

The "rioting" people really aren't working for me. They look more like young people at a punk-rock concert. I like the lightning, 'though I would consider removing the bit that extends past the grip on the weapon image left.

WHY are the weapons at full cock?

 

[KmH]

+1 to what John said. For me the lighting isn't working if the product is the guns and not just the grips.

 

[apple429]

Braineak~ That was my first idea, but I could not figure out how to make that in a timely manner (I only had 2 hours). So I went with the "rioteers" instead.

Wizard1500~ Thanks! That's a good idea. I guess I just liked both 1911's so much I couldn't pick just one!

tirediron~ Thanks for the opinions/ideas! The grips are the product. As for the rioting people, I really wanted to create a militarized police look (like Braineak mentioned), but I couldn't figure out how to make that in a timely manner. And I like the idea of removing the lightning that extends past the grip. And the 1911's are at full cock because for the die hard 1911 addicts there is only one way to carry a 1911, "Cocked and Locked" So I was just trying to get the attention of the 1911 addicts.