Lighted Wine bottle still life

[theswedishwitch]

This is my first critique post. Currently I have been practicing with still life (composition) and lighting. I am trying to learn how to make my images look better so any critiques are greatly welcomed. I originally took this shot for a photography assignment named: Curves.

[yairh20]

a little to busy for my taste, try cleaning the counter(?) and softening the light.

[Nats]

I'm learning to, and agree it's a bit crowded.
But I like the way the theme of curves repeats in the objects and the spiral shapes
of the pasta inside the jar.
Maybe a longer exposer and higher f stop!?

[theswedishwitch]

Thank you very much for the critiques. Now that both yarih and Nats say it's crowded, I can now see that.

Yarih, since you mentioned the counter (it has a marble design) do you think it would look less busy if I took the shot on a solid color background?

Nats...that is exactly why I put the pasta jar in image...thanks for noticing....
I'm still learning about exposure and f stops...I have a lot more reading to do about them. I'm trying to grasp how they work together.

Thank you both very much for your comments...

[Nats]

Thank you very much for the critiques. Now that both yarih and Nats say it's crowded, I can now see that.

Yarih, since you mentioned the counter (it has a marble design) do you think it would look less busy if I took the shot on a solid color background?

Nats...that is exactly why I put the pasta jar in image...thanks for noticing....
I'm still learning about exposure and f stops...I have a lot more reading to do about them. I'm trying to grasp how they work together.

Thank you both very much for your comments...

LOL, knowing the right exposer for your shot is an art. It takes tons of practice.
I have understood the principles since my Dad taught them to me years ago.
We took mostly B&W 35mm film so we could develop and print at home in his
darkroom. He never had equipment for color.
I grew up with cameras, photography magazines, and my family teasing my Dad
for taking so loooooong to snap the photo because he was fiddling with the light
meter!!
Trouble with me is, knowing the principles is way different from knowing when
and under which circumstance to use them. I still take crappy photos because I
just dont take enough of them to remember. I had to train myself to think, "how
do I want this picture to look" before snapping, and study everything that I plan to
be in the frame, not just the main subject.

Hey, with digital, it's great!! I can make all the mistakes I want (err, well, dont
want!!) and it costs nothing

Since you are studying, may I make a few recommendations?

Here are the best free photography schools on the internet (for digital):

http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/

http://www.digital-photography-tips.net/index.html

Also, if you are like me, and like to learn by having someone SHOW you, I
very highly recommend a DVD video titled; "Digital SLR Photography" by Mark
Duehmig and produced by "ShowMeHow Videos". :thumbsup:

Happy Snapping!

[theswedishwitch]

Nats....wow...thanks for all the info. I am a participant at digital-photography-school but I have not heard of digital-photography-tips....will be checking them out today. I am a "show me how" kind of girl...so the dvd would probably be a great thing for me to buy.
My dad did the same thing with the light meter...we would all sit there waiting and waiting. I understand exposure, fstop, aperture but I'm trying to figure out, like you said,
when you use what settings. I used to shoot all in auto mode...but now I feel like I'm cheating if I do that....but I still do rely on it if it is a shot I know I don't want to mess up..lol.

Thank you for all the info Nats...

[Nats]

Nats....wow...thanks for all the info. I am a participant at digital-photography-school but I have not heard of digital-photography-tips....will be checking them out today. I am a "show me how" kind of girl...so the dvd would probably be a great thing for me to buy.
My dad did the same thing with the light meter...we would all sit there waiting and waiting. I understand exposure, fstop, aperture but I'm trying to figure out, like you said,
when you use what settings. I used to shoot all in auto mode...but now I feel like I'm cheating if I do that....but I still do rely on it if it is a shot I know I don't want to mess up..lol.

Thank you for all the info Nats...

Your welcome

Here is another great website. Look to the left of the main page, and click where
it says "tutorials". It has TONS of info with subjects listed alphabetically.

http://luminous-landscape.com/

BTW, what model of camera do you own?

[theswedishwitch]

Right now I am shooting with my SONY DSCH1 which, yes, is a point and shoot.... But...I have had the money, since July, to go get a dslr...problem is I have been going back and forth as to what to get, what glass to buy. I used to shoot with a Canon film camera and always had good results. Each time I finally decide on the Canon 50D I read a review or something that changes my mind and I'm back at the start again. I want something that I will be happy with for a long time...and something that is quiet. When I checked out the 50D it seemed to be a bit loud.

[Nats]

Right now I am shooting with my SONY DSCH1 which, yes, is a point and shoot.... But...I have had the money, since July, to go get a dslr...problem is I have been going back and forth as to what to get, what glass to buy. I used to shoot with a Canon film camera and always had good results. Each time I finally decide on the Canon 50D I read a review or something that changes my mind and I'm back at the start again. I want something that I will be happy with for a long time...and something that is quiet. When I checked out the 50D it seemed to be a bit loud.

I have a 50D. Only had it for about 3 weeks though, still learning it (and will be for
quite some time).
So far, I'm very impressed with it.

What do you mean by loud? You mean the shutter release and stuff?
I havent noticed that it's any louder than the XSi I had!?
If you checked it out in a store, maybe they just had bad acoustics!

It's a very solid and well built camera

[theswedishwitch]

Hi Nats....I'm glad to have run into someone that already uses the 50D....

Yes, I thought in the store the shutter release was loud...maybe it was the acoustics. I never had an xsi so I have nothing to compare it too. How are you finding the picture quality and detail? Is there a noticable difference from the xsi? Hope you don't mind me asking questions as the xsi was one of my choices too. If I get the xsi I can get more lenses with the saved $$.

[DrRoebuck]

I understand exposure, fstop, aperture but I'm trying to figure out, like you said, when you use what settings.

One of the easier practices to pick up is to always expose for the highlights. In other words, expose for the brightest part of an image so that part doesn't get blown out. The rest will fall into place (or can be fixed later). The only real drawback to this is that if you have a scene with high dynamic range (lots of shadows and highlights) you will lose shadow detail. But if you know that ahead of time, you can plan accordingly (e.g. shoot from a different angle or shoot at a different time of day).

[theswedishwitch]

One of the easier practices to pick up is to always expose for the highlights. In other words, expose for the brightest part of an image so that part doesn't get blown out. The rest will fall into place (or can be fixed later). The only real drawback to this is that if you have a scene with high dynamic range (lots of shadows and highlights) you will lose shadow detail. But if you know that ahead of time, you can plan accordingly (e.g. shoot from a different angle or shoot at a different time of day).

Thanks for the advice DrRoebuck. I have had trouble with the exactly what your saying. I was shooting forest (dark) with sky (light) above. If I exposed for the sky, all of the trees lost detail and if I exposed for the forest the sky was all blown out. I guess thats why there's HDR. I do not recall what time of day it was...but I will try your suggestion to shoot at different times and will see what happens.

[Nats]

Hi Nats....I'm glad to have run into someone that already uses the 50D....

Yes, I thought in the store the shutter release was loud...maybe it was the acoustics. I never had an xsi so I have nothing to compare it too. How are you finding the picture quality and detail? Is there a noticeable difference from the xsi? Hope you don't mind me asking questions as the xsi was one of my choices too. If I get the xsi I can get more lenses with the saved $$.

Oh, sorry for the late reply!
In terms of image quality, I do not see much difference between the XSi and
the 50D. What I have noticed is that I can shoot in low light with higher ISO
and get a cleaner (less noise) shot with the 50D. Maybe it has something to do
with the few extra mega pixels!
The huge difference between them is, the 50D is so much more solid and robust
of a design. The XSI almost seems like a toy by comparison. This is a important
feature for me. I can feel the difference when I change lenses, and how well they
lock in place nice and solid.
I was having trouble handling the 50D comfortably when taking horizontal shots,
but I got the double battery pack grip, and find that very comfortable now.
Of course, it adds considerable size and weight to the camera, but I like that, the
weight give it a more tactile feel for me. For just a few hundred extra bucks, I think
the 50D is the better choice.