Challenge:Ducky (Advanced Editing IV*) Camera:Panasonic DMC-FZ20 Location: My bathroom in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Date: Oct 10, 2006 Aperture: 4.6 ISO: 200 Shutter: 1/25 Galleries:Humorous Date Uploaded: Oct 10, 2006
This was taken at about 11am on 11 October 2006. My time zone is GMT +8hours in Malaysia. I hope this still qualifies.
I see this scene every morning from a higher POV ie standing up. I composed this from a lower POV - almost at child's height - and played with DOF to achieve a blurring of the other elements - the 2nd duckie and the toothbruch holder. The intention was to make these other elements more subtle. Does it work?
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Thank you to all who have so kindly taken the time to comment on this pic. I really appreciate your comments, especially so because this is my very first submission (and a last minute entry :)). I am encouraged by your helpful words of advice and will certainly be more active in future challenges.
I think this one would hav been better if the Have A Nice Day/Pay thing was more in focus and if the duck was turned just a bit more to the side hiding the hole in its beack and showing less of the molded seam.
While the ducky is in front and (off) center there is too many elements in the background that serve to distract the eye from the main focus. The background it too busy (stuff inside the message container, toothbrush, plant, towel, soap dispenser, faucet, another ducky, etc..). Sometimes simplifying the composition down to a few key elements goes a long way in creating a strong composition. The colors and patterns on this unique ducky are interesting to look at. The duck is your main subject so you want to keep the eye's attention focused primarily on it with just a few other elements to help boost interest. The title of your piece has the Ducky imparting the message of "Have a Nice Day". The title and the ceramic container with that message tells me that it was meant to be a supporting element in your composition. However you have it regulated as one of the background elements that it gets lost in the busy background. I think that it would improve the composition greatly if you moved the container with the message up alongside the duck. A solid color or simple backdrop with as few objects or elements as possible would help keep the attention tightly focused on your main subject(s). Lastly your lighting is very good in the photo. The main subject is wonderfully illuminated and the color is bright & bold. There are no harsh shadows, no off cast tinges that color the duck or surrounding with an off tint, and no hard glare on any reflective surfaces.
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