Another from the winery

I am very proud of this image, but want to know other peoples opinions!
Attachment 86228

Adamo - I think it is mostly a practice shot. Not real bad, but I think you can do better. Consider the metal pole and how it's taking over the image. The subject grapes are a bit dark and are not sharp enough to be the subject. I think you used too shallow depth of field on this one, or that you instead focused on the green leaf on the top (I don't think you want that to be the subject under any circumstance). Finally, the brown background isn't super attractive.

How I would reshoot this is get closer so that the grapes take up about half the frame, use a mid aperture setting - about f8.0 to f16.0 depending how close you are - and think about how to light it. I'm thinking supplemental lighting, perhaps shooting a flash backwards against a reflector that distributes the light evenly over the grapes.

Another possibility is an HDR.

Give it a whirl -- and drink some wine when you're done (just shoot a bottle south to me, down in Chula Vista).

G

Thanks G-

The more I looked at it, the more I didn't like it. That pole was killing me, and I agree, too much brown. Here is another one I took that day. I tried to touch it up a bit and hide that pole. I think it's much better, but still needs some work, let me know what you think. I will keep trying. I feel like all my shots are practice shots at this stage.

I have tried some HDR with bracketed shots I took that same day and I think I will stick to learning composition, light and other basics, because they looked horrible.

Thanks again for the advice.

(And your welcome to come drink wine up here anytime)

Much improved Imho. The grapes are sharper though they seem a tad beat up (perhaps they're ready for harvest). The leaves at the top are a little dead too. I would crop a little off the left and still get a lot closer to the grapes. I also think the color could be warmer also. If you can't shoot at sunrise or sunset, try a warming filter or effect.

Agreed on the basics. HDR is an advanced technique that can wait. What you will find though is that it's a lot easier than it looks providing you have the right software.

Are these concord grapes? I miss those things :D

G

Okay, so is this too much?

To me, the last one is the worst. Sorry :)

There's already a lot of different elements in your shot. Your process made it look messy IMO now that the details of the background are even more noticeable.

So yes, too much! :D

I agree with GB1 on the first shot. The depth of field seemed messy and less intentional.

I like the second one, gives some more background, could have been an awesome environmental portrait aswell if you had someone nearby who looks after the vineyard! I'm just imagining the rest of the scene, but if there was rows of these to the right... By moving to the left and using the angle to separat the main subject from the plants behind it more, (Assuming there is a row or more of plants behind it) bringing in the plants to the right could bring in more depth and possibly scale to the image.

Another option that might have been interesting depending on how close the plant behind it was would be to use a long lens. VERY shallow depth of field keeping only the plant in focus, while the others being out of focus to the point of bring unrecognizable.

The third as it has been said, feels like too much. Perhaps selectively apply changes in small doses so you can see the effect and know when it seems over done. I have had a tendency to over edit shots. Hehe.