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A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange
gloda


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Movie Titles (Basic Editing III)
Camera: Canon PowerShot G2
Location: My bedroom, Bascharage, G-D of Luxembourg
Date: Jan 10, 2005
Aperture: F/2,5
ISO: 50
Shutter: 1/13 sec.
Galleries: Humorous, Food and Drink
Date Uploaded: Jan 10, 2005

Idea:
I checked the top movies on imdb.com for those that might work for this challenge. I found about a hundred, narrowed them down to 50, then 20, then ten (amongst which were 'Dirty Dancer', 'Flashdance', 'Before Sunset', The Silence of the Lambs'). This is the one where I would least depend on weather conditions and other influences. I also tried 'Eyes Wide Shut' but I couldn't get it the way I wanted it. Thus, my choice fell on 'Clockwork Orange', a movie which I have not seen yet, so I don't know whether my picture might have a link to it other than the title. It doesn't seem so, judging from the plot outline.

Setup:
First, I took an old alarm red clock I got years ago, which I never used and which didn't work that well. It was quite hard to take it apart, it took me half an hour and seven different tools to do so.
The day before I had asked my mother to buy some oranges. I chose an ugly one to test the setup and then chose the best for the actual picture.
I cut off about a quarter of the orange to show it's inside. Then the alarm clock's metallic feet were driven into the orange, it was pierced by the metal stick with the clock's hands and the bells were brutally pushed on the orange to stick more or less to it. Four toothpicks gave it a more stable basis (one of them can still be seen behind the left leg).
I put the orange on a white curved sheet of paper, which was placed on a chair because of the tripod's height.
Then I placed some leftovers (aka gears and screws) around the orange. I used an eyedropper to get water drops everywhere. The whole thing should look like a fresh orange.
My strong desk lamp was on the camera's (tripod's) right side and pointed towards the ceiling. I used another, larger sheet of paper to diffuse the light and get softer shadows (thanks to my sister Denise for holding the sheet :).

Post Processing:
HSL to make the yellow orange and the red alarm clock bells more orange and to push the saturation a little,
slight curves correction to make the background brighter,
resize to 638x571, add 1px black border on each side,
USM (0,50/100/1).

Comments:
This shot was fun, but it took a lot of work as well. The good thing is, it turned out exactly the way I wanted it to. The only thing I'd like to do is to clone away a hair under the left bell.
PS: The pointers glow in the dark =)

Statistics
Place: 15 out of 328
Avg (all users): 6.4191
Avg (commenters): 7.8500
Avg (participants): 6.1507
Avg (non-participants): 6.6150
Views since voting: 4547
Views during voting: 532
Votes: 346
Comments: 32
Favorites: 4 (view)


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AuthorThread
03/04/2005 01:39:53 AM
hey this is SUBBREALISM!! do something like that!!!!!!!!
01/21/2005 01:34:37 PM
Caroline says that's is very neat and cool!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/19/2005 10:18:14 AM
One of my top three choices for ribbons in this challenge. It is exceptionally well done. Composition, color, lighting and shadow are all excellent. Great job. A nice setup for this shot.

Message edited by author 2005-01-20 10:03:45.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/19/2005 02:29:31 AM
well done mate!A stroke of GENIUS! ;)
01/19/2005 12:23:34 AM
Congratulations on your 15th finish with this oustanding clock orange composition.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
01/18/2005 11:17:20 PM
A 9 from me. This was the best entry from the "oranges" in the challenge. Good job.
01/18/2005 07:09:02 PM
maybe some bloody red liquid dripping from the orange center would have improved the impact and do justice to the movies contents
nevertheless a great idea and nice execution
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/18/2005 05:52:28 PM
GREAT!!!! I love it that you get to throw some humor in this challenge. Great picture with imagination!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/18/2005 05:51:47 PM
The best of the clockwork oranges.
01/18/2005 03:53:52 PM
Excellent despite there being several of the same title. Great lighting! 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/18/2005 02:19:36 PM
Cool idea, excellent execution. bravo!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/18/2005 12:21:34 PM
obviously great mind think alike!
;)
I really like it, good luck!
01/17/2005 12:18:03 PM
Probably the most creative of the "Clockwork Orange" entries.. great work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/17/2005 11:26:58 AM
Great work. Fun, colorful and humorous!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/15/2005 11:20:42 PM
Veru nice take with good color and clarity. A creative rendition.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/15/2005 02:35:38 AM
I think thats awesome!
01/14/2005 11:08:07 AM
Nice lighting, striking color
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/13/2005 10:26:42 PM
Best of the lot. Well designed and well lit.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/13/2005 06:14:19 PM
well done.
01/13/2005 02:05:30 AM
Nice idea well bolted together
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/12/2005 07:18:57 PM
Best of all the clockwork oranges. Would have been cool if you could have added some motion blur to the bells so it looked as though it was ringing.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/12/2005 06:52:21 PM
hahaha! now that's a good one! a whole clock minus it's casing... totally cool :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/12/2005 04:13:06 PM
very clever and funny, nicely photographed
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/12/2005 02:43:48 PM
Hey that was my idea! Oh well you did a better job than me;-).
01/12/2005 12:54:42 PM
Very well setup with good orange tones.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/12/2005 10:46:03 AM
this is nice! I had the same Idea when I thought about the challenge but did not take part.
01/12/2005 09:50:50 AM
well chosen parts and the water drops add alot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/12/2005 07:16:39 AM
wouldnt be surpriced if this would win!
very neat pic
01/12/2005 06:18:27 AM
This is a great shot, well thought out, and put together, i am voting this a 10 and would like to see a ribbon for this shot.well done
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/12/2005 04:51:36 AM
one of the better CWO shots. Not sure if the parts add or take away from the image though.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/12/2005 03:46:37 AM
very original :( till now, i've seen 3 clockwork oranges :)
01/12/2005 03:26:24 AM
For me, this was my favorite of the many 'Clockwork Orange' entries. Very nicely arranged, great lighting, and the finishing touch was definately the water droplets. I hope you do well in the challenge
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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