Coffee in the Morning
by newtune3

Comment by jjbeguin:
Hi from the Monday morning Critique Club

Good attempt at creating a classic still life. The overall effect, though, is a little static and does not quite vehicle for me an atmosphere of scents and aromas.

Composition: This is debatable and certainly not an absolute rule but main subjects placed dead center in an open environment rarely enhance a composition.
Another rule of thumb of “classic” photography could apply here: If the space surrounding you main subject is not adequately contextual to your message or intent, zoom in.
There is also some puzzling verticality problems, seems like the picture is a bit tilted + the surface where your props stand was uneven.

Content: To bring your viewer to get a smell of your coffee beans and brew, this is what I would suggest: Use an angle higher up for your camera so we can see the inside of the cup and bean jar (open lid of course).
If shot against a dark background, use hot liquids so some suggestive steam shows in your composition. I would even make the steam be the main subject of the picture.

Hope this helps, all the best, JJ

Coffee in the Morning
by newtune3

Comment by micklepickle:
good idea...needs to be straightened- 5

Coffee in the Morning
by newtune3

Comment by belle:
Nice shot. After the challenge is over, I would see if there is any way to avoid some of the glare on the cannister so that the beans are clearer.

Coffee in the Morning
by newtune3

Comment by banmorn:
a little off level, other wise fine.....ah how many coffee shots are there.....almost as many popcorn shots....oy....better get moving.

Coffee in the Morning
by newtune3

Comment by Dave Gordon:
Nice composition. I think it could do with more muted reflections.

Coffee in the Morning
by newtune3

Comment by pcody:
A very good attempt. You angled your lights down so the shadows don't show much, your didn't get any real bad highlights on the metal or glass, you used a decent background cover. All of this shows that you are interesting in doing more than an adequate job. Now, work on your composition a little and you should do really well.
If I was taking this, I would move the items away from the background. With a lifestyle picture, it would be ok to see the wall as long as it's not something really dirty or cracked or something. I'd put the coffee and the pot to one side and the cup with a saucer on the other and the spoon on the saucer. You want it to look natural, but perfect. Try it with to camera angled down on the scene also.

Dances to the beat of a different drummer.
by newtune3

Comment by Manikz:
Greetings from the Critique Club

composition
Overall I think this is a nice composition. If I could change anything I would get a bit closer, and try to fill up the frame with those beautiful feathers.

color
Wonderful job here. The colors turned out very bright and bold.

contrast
Again, if you were just a bit closer to the subject I think that it would help... I especially like the way the colors contrast where they meet his head, the feathers on the wand that is in his left hand, and where the white ribbon overlaps his teal pants.

focus
This apect of the shot is great. I love how the feathers are blurred, and the face/body is frozen. I wish the trees were not in such sharp focus though.

depth of field
Would have been nice to see a bit shallower depth of field so that the trees were not in focus, and more attention would have been drawn to the subject.

lighting
Nice job.

any other element of the photo that stands out or is lacking in some way
Overall this photo is wonderful. It kept me entertained for a long time, and really captured the motion of his dance quite well. Thank you for sharing it with us, I hope this helps. ~Rob

Coffee in the Morning
by newtune3

Comment by vrphotos:
Nice shot, I think more contrast, and low side lighting would have helped, as would having the backdrop further back, and a sheet or something in front of the camera to block all those reflection in the pot. Nice arrangement.

Coffee in the Morning
by newtune3

Comment by ogdenm:
There seems to be some distortion and I'd argue that the base is not level.

Coffee in the Morning
by newtune3

Comment by joannadiva:
Nice still life.
Great all purpose light not to harsh yet everything is clear
Looks tilted and I would have preferred a tighter crop also could have fixed the tilting.