Is our students learning?

[Mira]

Am I doing better retaining sun / shadows / and losing blow outs?

[Celebration]

1. I'm not so good at evaluating still lifes

But I have to say I LOVE the shadows of that wire basket--especially in the second one. The third one doesn't appeal to me quite as much because too many oranges are in the dark. Also the arrangement looks more like it is two rows of oranges. I really like the first and second ones a lot.

[Mira]

2. Thanks, obviously I'm still struggling.

I want it all, and don't yet know how to get it.
I'm working on it, and with friends like you hanging with me...I can smell the success in the air.

:rofl:

[Celebration]

4. I think you are doing great!!

I love the way you keep trying to improve your technique.

I like looking at still lives, but I am not much of a fan of actually setting them up and photographing them. I'm pretty sure everyone here has figured that out. Heh heh. So, I don't really see any reason to try to improve my technique, when I don't really care. That's kind of the reason I went with the "magic" theme in the contest. At least that was a lot of fun to set up, and it was a good excuse to light some incense! If it had been a bit warmer, I would have set up the incense outside, and had a pretty background, not in focus. Decay will be a challenge for me, but could be really interesting. I just threw out a rotten tomato. Maybe I should have saved it and tried to make it look good somehow?

[HappyCynic]

3. First one is my fave

I like the first one the best. To me, the lit portion of the third one draws my eye to the top and the oranges aren't enough of a draw to bring me back down. The second one works much better but my eyes are still drawn to the bottom a little too much. I really enjoy the deep vibrancy of the oranges in the first one and the touch of light on the rightmost one. Of course, I find I like dark photos more than most so that could be influencing my preference.

[Saphire]

5. I like the first one. My eyes are more drawn to the basket, and the

oranges second.

[JeffR]

6. What really does it for me with these are the compositions

which add something kinetic to the photos. Though the idea of a kinetic still like seems nonsensical. :silly:

To me, the real star here is the basket and how it carves up the sunshine. The reflected light and the colors the fruit are picking up from each other in the second one are also mighty satisfying. Short of diffusing the light a little, I don't see how you could have surpassed these. Very good work.

[Mira]

8. Thanks - you know by now that it's all in the composition,

or the way to perceive a situation, when it comes to my photographs. If I had technical knowledge I might be a real contender.

I don't have any expertise in the taking of the photo, just in how to take advantage of a scene.
But I'm limping along picking up hints and reveling in being accepted by my betters who know how their cameras really work.

:hug:

[JeffR]

9. It's just this sort of project that really helps the technical side

when you're confronted with taming light, shade and color under controlled conditions. And it's not just a sterile exercise. It's already produced images of real beauty. Keep at this, and I'll keep applauding.

On a final note, no matter how much science underlies photography, it's an art. Taking advantage of a scene. Sounds like an artist to me.

[CC]

7. Everyone else already said what needed

saying including the basket. Let me put that on my list of things to acquire should I ever be near your abode. :evilgrin:

For me 1 is the most vibrant, 3 is probably closest to reality color-wise and two has the neatest POV. In all the basket overwhelms the oranges because it is such a cool basket with the best shadows.

Now my question, are you after about POV and set up or more wanting to learn how to use the light available? Separating what you are wanting to do might make it easier to get to where you want on both.


Oh the things you could do with that basket, light and shadow.

Just a crop from the second photo with slight color adjustments and in black and white....





Hope it is ok and you forgive me for messing with it. Now to try and think if I have anything with an open weave to play with.

[Mira]

10. I was not going to remove this post (LOL) until you showed up.

You are so kind, and you can have that basket, if you come and get it.
I bought it at Target, with an accent egu, of course. About 15 bucks.

It has brought me more visual pleasure than I can describe, so I had to show it. My kitchen is in the direct West, and the setting sun streams on my table in the middle of it, and some of these things just arrest me as I walk past.

I love the crops you did, of course.

What I really was after is retaining the light, the shadow, and not have the oranges blown out.
I got a white cardboard out of my workshop and waved it about a bit, but that killed the shadows.
So I stacked the oranges in the "shady" areas.

What I don't know about light would fill a library.
But I do know that I love it.

My plan is to learn about how to take pictures. I have a CD about how my camera works, and will make time to study that.
I wish I had done it already, because I have a short trip coming to Costa Rica where I have close friends who will put me up. I have been there once before and the visuals never end for a person who is always carrying her camera.

After today it's a good damn thing I'm going, I can prepare a lair filled with velcro for Rush, who threatened to move there if Health Care passes and is implemented.
Good thing they have universal care for all their people, that should help keep him there as his body decays unbeautifully.
Good riddance about Rush, flush a movement, Limbaugh.

Back to my not knowing what I'm doing. I know it's obvious, but I also know I have a few other things going for me that make my stuff not dull as a rule.

So, hang with me, the best is yet to come.

:fistbump:

[CC]

11. I would never do that

(take the basket) but I would look for something similar. The advantage or upside is all in your making me see things in a different light.:) Not the same without that part. Now the bird feeder I will steal the idea and get someone to make me one. ..."some of these things just arrest me as I walk past." keep sharing these things please.

I wondered on the what you were trying to learn because your sign/graphic design experience should have the object placement all figured out. So what is left is just learning what and how to use your equipment (camera & light in this case) to do what you see in your mind. That is learning the mechanics of the camera and how it handles light (your other tool) to get what you want. You are on the right track there and well on your way. Maybe start with one object as the subject. That just makes it easier to keep track of what is going on. Try it with and with out a plain white sheet over the window. Try it at what the camera chooses for settings then bracket up and down. None of your stuff (or anyone else for that matter) has ever been dull. Having talked (aka pestered) to a few pros over time they have to do that over and over too so it is an on going process. BTW if you didn't say you didn't know what you were doing no way would we know that. I think you know more than you realize or give yourself credit for. I am good at doing that myself and am trying to learn not to short myself. Lots of help on that comes from this group. (Along with tech and seeing help.)I also read a lot of photo books. A lot of it is repetitious but it also reinforces the basics. Without it I would never know how to say anything about photography on here including the sheet thing. It even helps me with how to question (pester) any pros I come across.

Costa Rica, wow. You will come back with beautiful photos to share with us all and I can't wait. Relax and enjoy your time there, including the taking pictures part. Much as I would love to see Limpballs go away I would never wish him on Costa Rica. Maybe Somalia like someone on MSNBC suggested.:evilgrin:

Hopefully this makes sense, the phone has only interrupted 4 times and at least an hour and a half has passed since I started replying. I decided to leave it disjointed instead of not posting at all. Now it is time to walk the dogs and feed them. Part of why I have been so silent is I never seem to get a thought down without interruptions.


Will leave you with a site of a guy I met and pestered. I need to find out if he had one of his camera converted to infrared only and where if he did. http://ezippe.deluxe.livebooksedu.com/

[Mira]

12. i am returning from smashing my camera

against the birdfeeder you like so much.
:sarcasm: I don't mean it.

I read all your interesting and fun feedback.
Then I went to Mr. Zippe's portfolio.
Looked at the landscapes, then the still lifes, then I was reduced to hanging it all up.

WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW

More later
there is more to see

[CC]

13. lolololol I know the feeling.

Instead of seething with envy I have decided to look, appreciate and then set my goals to one day attain something near what they do. There are a few people on this board I do that with too.