My Stuffed Stuffby
dphillipsComment by karmat: CRITIQUE CLUB CRITIQUE
by karmat
Compositionally, I believe your set up is a bit too random to generate a lot of interest. I think if you had arranged the toys in a particular fashion, (smallest in front/largest behind, grouped by animals like ranks in an army) it would have addes more interest and given the eyes somewhere to rest and look. One idea I can think of is to sit one animal in the front, then use the aperture that you did to make the focus of the animals behind softer and blurry. Also, use a low enough angle that it gives the impression of legions and legions of animals behind.
Technically, the focus is good, and the colors are good. It would seem that you used a flash (though I'm not certain) because one of the little white dogs is a bit blown out in front. A small piece of tissue over the flash can help diffuse the light and make it softer.
There doesn't seem to have been a lof of post processing done to this, nor does it seem that there needed to be.
The dpc voter. I suspect you suffered from the "children, pets, fuzzy animals" syndrome. As you may know, small stuffed animals and figurines don't always do well here. That said, I think with this challenge (which you definitely met), you were spot on to enter a picture of your collection. I just think a different arrangement would have added interest and captivated the viewer more.
Best to you in future challenges.
karmat
PS -- Another compositional idea would be to arrange the animals so that none of the bed (?) or table surface was showing, then stand on a chair or something and shot directly down on them.
Photographer found comment helpful.