Newspaper Request

[CLKunst]

I received a request for a photo from a local paper today, of a Washington Area Music Award, we call them Wammies. I have photographed this event for the last four years and luckily have a friend in the area who has earned a few. I asked him if I could pose up one of his most recent awards. I don't do a lot of "product style" shots so I would love to hear any reactions out there.

Comments and critiques welcome. Suggestions cheerfully explored.

[AgingEyes]

I think I would try some other background and lighting. I'm quite sure mine will not be a white background. May be a darker background (black velvet for example ) with some side-lighting, from an angle from the top, like a spot light on a stage with the award as the star of the show. I'm sure there's a lot of ideas out there. A direct shot like this shows the award but doesn't look exactly interesting Play around with the light and different colors of it, the shadow, the reflections, perspective etc. You know, the usual stuff.

[gahspidy]

A black bg might bring this out better, but I have no problem with it's presentation here. I do feel the lighting is creating a couple of flares on Wammie making it difficult to read the words "The" and "awards". I would try with a different light set.

[MB1]

Needs Flames!

[Tyson L. Sparks]

Looks like a product shot, it lacks POP Bang and boom. But, does it need it?

[Overbeyond]

You all know my "knowledge" of this type of stuff but I'm guessing that getting rid of glare on this will be very difficult (assuming this is a cd stuck on to the other part). It is almost part of the make up but the position of the glare could be changed I think in order to avoid interfering with the writing. Hope I'm making sense here. Some things have inherent glare or burn out and the old cd is one of them.

[CLKunst]

Thanks for weighing in on this one folks. Unfortunately I didn't have a lot of time to try all the angles. I got the request at 1 pm yesterday and had to turn it around by 3 for deadline. So I had to dash out, grab the award throw down a sheet and pop off a few shots, then whiz back home, edit and send it over. They did request an isolated shot which usually means white background so they can clip it out easily, remember this is for a newspaper, and insert it into whatever else they are putting together for the article. Generally the point is to be as straightforward as possible. I did about 30 shots on this unit and all have flare from the light (I used the sun as I had to shoot it at my friend's business and had no room for a set.) but his had less than the rest. Pretty slap dash job really, but at least it looks clean.

Needs Flames!

HA! I agree. MB, you're a funny man.

Looks like a product shot, it lacks POP Bang and boom. But, does it need it?

Thanks for checking in Tyson. I think you're right. Hope you're doing well on your TOD. Stay safe.

Some things have inherent glare or burn out and the old cd is one of them.

Yes Tom, it's just a CD glued to a plastic backing. I figured this was the shot with the least amount of flare but all of them had some.

Gary and Aging Eyes - I almost took a darker background with me but thought that might give the photo editor a fit since it's on dark plastic to begin with. If they'd given me more time I probably would have asked to take the award home, set up the studio and gotten to play around with this one for better everything.

[gahspidy]

It will be just fine then. Good Job under those conditions!