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I like what you saw here and the subject is worthy. the framing is great for me. I feel though that the lighting/exposure hurts this for me. The bright reflection on the table and upper portion of the phone is distracting from the mood I feel needs to go with this scene. You had no control over the lighting here, but I'm thinking that a few stops less exposure would bring a deeper mood to this and help reduce the blown out portions. I think having some areas of the scene darker from reduced exposure would be ok, and in fact help strengthen the ambience. I still feel this is a good shot, but in my opinion a reduced exposure might have made this more effective, for me.
The reflection I can do nothing about, bright light pointed directly on shiny steel. But your exposure point has me intrigued. I will rework this and see what I can do. Shot RAW so I'll have some flexibility.
You seem to be taking a film approach to using digital. In film, you expose for the dark areas and the rest will fall into place in terms of detail retained in the brighter areas. In digital, it is just the opposite approach. You expose for the bright areas, because in digital there is more room to retain detail in the dark areas. The result of your film approach is blown out highlights when working digital.
You seem to be taking a film approach to using digital. In film, you expose for the dark areas and the rest will fall into place in terms of detail retained in the brighter areas. In digital, it is just the opposite approach. You expose for the bright areas, because in digital there is more room to retain detail in the dark areas. The result of your film approach is blown out highlights when working digital.
Ronnoco
Unless you are shooting slides/transparencies..Then expose for the highlights..
Jurgen
Australia
Falang dung nyai
Please don't edit my images without my permission.
Unless you are shooting slides/transparencies..Then expose for the highlights..
Jurgen
Australia
True in general terms, but with some cameras, it depended on the film and the ASA. With Fuji slide film certainly, but with Kodachrome I most often had to shoot for the darker areas.
Sebastian, I suppose that my perception of your picture is similar to Gary's one. I really like your composition here, there is a Stanley Kubrick mood to it so to speak. Hovewer, the second thing that I have said to myself after seeing this is that it should have been spookier/moodier. My perception may be biased but I would see this scene somewhat underexposed and with a little more post processing to boost colors and textures.
Something more "dirty" if you see what I mean.
Firstly, it feels like a phone Maxwell Smart from the old "Get Smart" TV show would use. Secondly, I find myself looking at that pad of paper and thinking something clever should be written on it, to tell us more about the scene. Finally, I'm impressed by the effort. I was in a small town hotel not that long ago and looking for scenes a bit like this to shoot, but couldn't come up with anything as good as this. I think the colors and the parallel lines really help.
I like the second one better as well. I agree with Seb that this shot has a cinematic feel to it, although I immediately thought of Lynch, not Kubrick. Eh, either way, I'd call it a successful shot if you manage to invoke two of the masters...
As a critique, I would like to see either a slightly wider angle or a slightly slimmer aspect ratio. My eyes aren't quite as "forced" to the phone as I feel they should be. That may be only me, though. The aspect ratio you can do something about, but obviously not the wide angle lens. I hardly EVER advocate PS'ing out imperfections, but something that would be interesting to see would be cleaner red walls. They have some texture to them as they are, but I don't necessarily think that "works" in the cinematic way I'm seeing this shot. Again, probably just me.
Nice shot, thanks for sharing something out of the ordinary!
Peer through the scope with an amoral code...
-Naked Raygun
I think it is more effective, Sebastian. There is a weird, but intrigueing mood coming through now, and also, I seem to be drawn more to the phone now. I think it is because now the phone and the reflection on the table leading to it are the brightest ( and yet very contrasty) elements in the scene now. The phone is not competing with the bright walls and table. Definetely a mysterious feel to it now, and i think that is what this scene is about.
Very nice symmetry, and the red and black are a good color combination.
I think it's good, but wonder if another, steeper angle with the camera shooting from even higher would have been better? Different, anyways.
I guess I am more drawn to the darker photo. The deeper red is more mysterious
-GB
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I like how it's at eye level. It's as if we're approaching the phone, and that it will eerily ring as we approach. One thing I really like besides the points made is the optical illusion I perceive: My initial view shows a phone hanging on a wall, with a floating table below that. But as my eye travels to the edge of the table, I realize that the wall actually wraps in and suddenly it's almost a claustrophobic effect. I guess I'm always looking for the ominous!
Thank you everyone for sharing your perceptions and advice. I really like the quality of comments I've been getting from everyone lately, it really is appreciated.
I really liked the comp and colour saturation of the first one, but then I saw the second. I really like the warm mood. It makes me feel that I am in the lobby of an old red light district hotel.
I lile the second one as well. This is the type of shot I love... I love the deep reds and the simple subject. I feel like the lines are a little off verticle - but not by much at all. I'd put this on my wall.
How does one get a cibachrome print made form digital files? Is it even possible?
I'm not sure if it's even possible either... it be super cool if it was though. I was just saying that this image would look really good printed in that style.
Canon Rebel XT with grip
Kit lens
Contax 159MM with grip
Amazing what emotions a photo can evoke. Some say Kubrick, some say Lynch....all I know is if you pick up that phone, something very weird is going to happen.
Have to agree that I really liked the first one until I saw the second one. That second one is a definite printer! Absolutely love the color tones in it. Great Job!
Amazing what emotions a photo can evoke. Some say Kubrick, some say Lynch....all I know is if you pick up that phone, something very weird is going to happen.
That is probably my favorite critique EVER. I hear ya, that sort of feeling is what drew me to this.
Have to agree that I really liked the first one until I saw the second one. That second one is a definite printer! Absolutely love the color tones in it. Great Job!
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Originally Posted by Ronnoco
I hear ya, that sort of feeling is what drew me to this.
