First request for critique ever!!

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

10/30/2004 11:37:36 PM · #1

This is the first time that I ever posted a photo on this site. It is also my first attempt at a high key picture. The photographers on this site are so amazing, I hope that with lots of practice and maybe some help from you all, someday I may be half as good.

Please let me know what you think of this photo and how it could be improved.

Jacko

Canon EOS-20D

10/30/2004 11:43:29 PM · #2

I really like the high key feel of this shot; it makes the detail in the rings jump out. I'd like to see a tighter crop ... The negative space on the right and top don't seem help the photo. Maybe remove the blue on the bottom rim also. I think there is good potential here. Thanks for sharing.

aggiedanelover

Nikon D70

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

10/30/2004 11:50:19 PM · #3

I like it as well. The lighting and the arrangement are really eye-catching.

Mandy

10/31/2004 12:08:50 AM · #4

Thank you Jacko and Mandy for your critiques and for not making me sweat for too long.

My first instinct was to center the rings but then I went and second quessed myself thinking that moving it off center would be a little more interesting.

The lighting was pretty primative. A 500 watt halogen work light, a piece of printer paper proped up between a trunk and the side of my bed. Also a litte fill flash to kill the shadows.

Thanks agian for taking the time to look at my picture and writing your critiques.

11/01/2004 09:37:38 AM · #5

Please, if anyone else has anything to add, I'd love to hear it.

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

11/01/2004 10:15:25 PM · #6

Ok then, here is the same pic after the suggestions from Jacko. Let me know what you think.

Thanks

hardwaybets

Apple iPhone 11 Pro

11/01/2004 10:17:20 PM · #7

I think the second attempt is far better although I suspect you made very minor modifications. The shadows on the dark end (near the rings) are better than in the first image IMHO.

fotodude

Nikon D70

11/01/2004 10:25:14 PM · #8

i really like the 2nd shot and think you cleaned it up just right.

but IMHO i think that the ring on top is nice and strong and the one on the bottom might benefit from just a tad of burning on the eages of the (for lake of a better word) "weving".

thats all keep up the good work and stop being so hummble your good

_brando_

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

11/02/2004 12:04:59 AM · #9

Hardwaybets and fotodude,

Thank you very much for taking the time to look at my photo and giving me your feedback. I really appreciate that. I'll give your suggestions a shot tomorrow.

Thanks again everyone!

ChrisW123

Canon EOS-1000D Rebel XS

11/02/2004 12:26:23 AM · #10

I'd remove all of the blue that is inside the ring on the left. But leave the blue above that. Then tone down (but leave) the blue at the bottom of the ring on the left.

The detail and exposure in the black areas is great.

11/02/2004 11:20:26 PM · #11

Chris,

Thanks you very much for your feedback, definitly gonna add that to my list of things to do for that image. BTW, I love the shot of the Stratocaster!!

saintnicholas_25

Sony DSC-P73

11/02/2004 11:57:39 PM · #12

The photos too bright - its hard to look at (maybe its just my monitor)
the bottom left is what i consider to be the blinding spot - I got no real suggestions on how to fix that problem, either I have to buy a new monitor or you have to tone it down a bit.

Message edited by author 2004-11-03 00:00:46.

11/03/2004 10:40:14 PM · #13

saintnicholas,

The images was taken to be high key, I hope you dont have to buy a new monitor if you dont have to. Thanks for taking the time to look at the image. I really do appreciate it.

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

11/03/2004 10:44:31 PM · #14

I think it's overexposed. It can be high key without losing too much detail. It's possible that it has been pushed in the processing a little too much to achieve the high key element, but you haven't mentioned anything about your technique here.

SDW

Canon EOS-60D

11/03/2004 10:51:16 PM · #15

I think you have a good High Key photo here [maybe slightly over exposed]. I have not started working with high key photography so I don�t know much about it. But from what my eyes see, you have done a great job. The detail of the dark areas captures my attention and retains it. I do agree that the cropped version with the blue toned down is better than the first.

11/03/2004 11:08:52 PM · #16

//www.pbase.com/jmsetzler/image/35922127

Here's a quick and dirty attempt at the same thing....

11/03/2004 11:18:38 PM · #17

jmsetzler,

There is not much processing to tell here. For the first version all I did was a slight crop and resize for posting. Other than that the picture is straight from the camera. The second picture, all that was done was a little re-cropping and I burned out a small blue spot that was visable on top of the bottom ring. I mentioned the lighting and set up in an earlier post. Thanks for checking out my image and taking the time give me your feedback.

SDW65,

This was my first attempt at high key. I wasn't sure what kind of results to expect given the primitive setup that I used. But hey, It's the experimentation that makes this a fun hobby for me. Thanks for your input.

11/03/2004 11:30:29 PM · #18

jmsetzler,

Did you just shoot that now? Great shot and good example for me to shoot for. I will retry this tomorrow and post the results if you all don't mind seeing the shot over again. BTW, cool rings!!

Message edited by author 2004-11-03 23:31:00.

saintnicholas_25

Sony DSC-P73

11/03/2004 11:37:40 PM · #19

Originally posted by Lupe:

yeh plz show us the new version when done - jmsetzer one is alot nicer on the eyes and on the screen, so I guess I can stick with my current monitor for now :p

11/03/2004 11:37:54 PM · #20

Originally posted by Lupe:

Yes.. i shot that to see if i could duplicate what you were looking for...

11/03/2004 11:54:34 PM · #21

saintnicholas,

Glad to hear that you don't have to spend the money on a new monitor. But now that you have a few extra bucks, could I interest you in a slightly overexposed print of two rings...hahaha!

I'll post the new shots tomorrow. Thanks again everyone for your input.

11/04/2004 04:44:59 PM · #22

//www.pbase.com/jmsetzler/image/35943032

Here's a second try that is a little more refined than the first one. I also post processed this one a little by removing the original color and applying some curve toning.

Here are the steps I used to create this photo:

1. I setup my 'studio' by putting the rings on a piece of white mat board. I suspended another piece of white mat board above the rings (about 18" or so).

2. I put my flash (Canon 550ex) on its little stand and set it beside the rings and pointed it up at the suspended mat board to bounce the flash. I set the flash to manual mode and full power.

3. I set my Sekonic L-358 meter in flash mode. I told the meter I wanted to shoot at 1/200" and ISO 100. I fired the flash manually so the meter could read the light. The meter responded by telling me that I needed to shoot at f/36 for a correct exposure.

4. I put my camera in manual mode and set the shutter to 1/200" and chose an aperture of f/29. I chose f/29 because it is 2/3 stop over f/36. I did this because I knew the white surface needed that extra exposure to maintain white rather than underexposing slightly.

Some notes about this meter and technique:

The Sekonic L-358 is a relatively inexpensive meter. It performs well for ambient and reflective light metering, as well as flash metering. When I put the meter in flash mode, it allows me to choose the shutter speed I want to use and then it responds with an appropriate aperture after I fire the flash. Since it responded with f/36 using a shutter speed of 1/200", I could have used these other settings based on that to get the same level of exposure:

1/100" - f/51 (not available with the lens I was using)
1/125" - f/45
1/160" - f/40
1/200" - f/36
1/250" - f/32
1/320" - f/29
1/400" - f/25
1/500" - f/22
1/640" - f/20
1/800" - f/18
1/1000" - f/16

Since I told the meter I wanted to shoot at 1/200", it returned the aperture setting of f/36. If I had chosen any of these other shutter speeds, the associated aperture should have been returned by the meter if everything is working properly :)

11/04/2004 11:01:44 PM · #23

jmsetzler,

Wow, I really appreciate the time you spent doing all this! The second picture is exactly what I was looking for. Great shot!

I made a second attempt tonight but I am just not satisfied with the results. The exposures were good but, I get a blue cast over the white paper that I used for a background. I know that the color cast is from the halogen light but hoped that using my on camera flash would wipe it out. It's not happening. Changing the white balance didn't help to much either. Using PS just made it look like I processed the heck out of it. I quess that I'm just having one of those days, so it is probably best to just start over fresh tomorrow. Maybe a real flash unit would help as well.

Thanks again for all the info tonight!!