ABC bubble-gumby
justineComment: Hello from the Critique Club -
ABC Bubble gum is an excellent photo. Meets the challenge? Sure does. Evokes emotion? Sure does. Everyone has chewed gum and probably most of us have save a piece for later. This image should dredge up child hood memories for us all. For me, I wondered if these new Dubble Bubbles have comics in them like the old Bazooka Gumm does? And I'm trying to remember the name of the guy with the turtleneck who looks a bit like Waldo. Was it Jughead? See, a good photo should create a rapport with the viewer and this one does. Ahh to be young.
Technical stuff - White balance is right on. Focus, with the shortish DOF, is lovely. Lighting is excellent.
Your composition is simple and concise. Everything in the picture contributes, nothing is extraneous. The subject is centered, but not too orderly there is a tilt, and end shot, I think I like the little fshtail on that back piece the best. All these angles create some movement, as if these pieces of gum had just been dropped doen, and not carefully place. In other words, you succeded in precisely setting up the scene so that it doesn't look set up.
The colors are nice, true to life. The limited colors are very effective. Just the red, yellow, pink and blue of the product. Again, nothing extra. Simple is good. The shadows are great. Again my favorite is the way that the fishtail shape in blue on the right is mirrored by the fishtail shadow on the left. And the straight on wrapper twist on the left is matched on the right with a straight line shadow. The gums are extra sharp, the shadows are extra soft, nice.
Now the BUTS : But how can all these carefully done parts not add up to a great picture? I don't know. Something is lacking here. In DPC lingo, there isn't any WOW. It's not that chewed gum is disgusting. It might be that perfectly white background- If the background had been brighter, say yellow, or blue, would there have been more zing? Could it be too centered? Is the chewed gum too shiney? I don't have an answer for you. When I break it down, everything is perfect. When I put it together it doesn't quite excell.
And the disclaimer: Please remember that this is just my opinion and that I am no where near an expert.
PS - I have to add that I loved your hot dog picture and I love the song "who Let the Dogs Out".
Message edited by author 2003-02-14 14:00:34. 
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