Critique welcome. Veteran 365er, 2011 vintage. Only posting occasionally and irregularly now.
I'm an abstract photography enthusiast but not exclusively so.
Born in the...
I think you seriously lost an opportunity here. Read this... http://www.photokonnexion.com/3977-2/
The hard light you used wasted the texture. If you had used a soft light from the right angle this would have looked all the more detailed and at the same time more sculpted. Have a think about it and think a re-shoot. I am sure this would be fabulous if done with more creativity.
No apology for being forthright - I think you can handle serious criticism.
@netkonnexion Yes, thoughtful critique always welcome and yours is always thoughtful. Thank you.
I was looking at what the light (it was early morning light sunlight through the window) was doing to change the apparent shape of the foam but I should have considered the other aspects you mentioned as well.
Maybe lost an opportunity but the piece of foam is still around and I can always repeat the exercise - and getting it wrong is a good way to learn, I'm sure you'll agree.
I'll find the foam, have another go and do my damndest to get it right. :-)
@dulciknit - The way to consider a large light source (soft light) is to think of no harsh sharp lines in the shadows. With a rounded subject you are nearly always better off going soft so that the light thins until the shadow is indecipherable. That gives the sculpting effect and is especially helpful with rounded, female, soft, indistinct, yin, and so on. It is the contrast to angular, male, hard, distinct, yang etc. For the latter use hard light ( http://www.photokonnexion.com/4019-2/). You used hard light for your other foam shot and that worked better because it is (slightly) more angular.
@dulciknit - OK, so not out of line. But, I try to remember that it is often the case that, no matter how experienced we are, we (everyone, person-kind) suffer from two faults...
1. We are proud of our work - criticism hurts (for all of us).
2. We are often blind to our mistakes - then criticisms sting because we feel we should have seen them (but 1 above prevents that and so on around the loop).
So, if you have similar or helpful thoughts on my images... I suffer from 1. and 2. above but still do criticise. I need it too.
Gadzooks. Life is hard sometimes. Tee hee.
Just re-read your comment above. Sunlight is a very hard light. The thing itself is huge, but because if is a long way away it is actually a small point-source as a light. So it creates harsh shadows. When there is an intervening cloud layer is puts a diffuser in front of the sun. Then the sky becomes one big diffuser and light comes at your subject from all angles. It is that which softens the light.
So, if you are using window light for an exercise like this then use diffused light. Your subject will not go flat, because the light will be diffused but directed by the window aperture - not by direct rays from the sun. So the light will come from one side (lovely) but be diffuse. On the other hand, the sun will provide only direct rays, straight at the subject.
Hope that helps.
Damon
Yep, adverse criticism smarts a bit but c'est la vie an' all that. I'm all for somehing that challenges me and gets me thinking. And I state at the head of my profile info. that I'm up for constructive criticism.
OK, I will reciprocate if I feel I see something that needs attention.
Thank you for all the obs. and info. re. light. I'll re-read and think on and then do as appropriate.
The hard light you used wasted the texture. If you had used a soft light from the right angle this would have looked all the more detailed and at the same time more sculpted. Have a think about it and think a re-shoot. I am sure this would be fabulous if done with more creativity.
No apology for being forthright - I think you can handle serious criticism.
I was looking at what the light (it was early morning light sunlight through the window) was doing to change the apparent shape of the foam but I should have considered the other aspects you mentioned as well.
Maybe lost an opportunity but the piece of foam is still around and I can always repeat the exercise - and getting it wrong is a good way to learn, I'm sure you'll agree.
I'll find the foam, have another go and do my damndest to get it right. :-)
1. We are proud of our work - criticism hurts (for all of us).
2. We are often blind to our mistakes - then criticisms sting because we feel we should have seen them (but 1 above prevents that and so on around the loop).
So, if you have similar or helpful thoughts on my images... I suffer from 1. and 2. above but still do criticise. I need it too.
Gadzooks. Life is hard sometimes. Tee hee.
So, if you are using window light for an exercise like this then use diffused light. Your subject will not go flat, because the light will be diffused but directed by the window aperture - not by direct rays from the sun. So the light will come from one side (lovely) but be diffuse. On the other hand, the sun will provide only direct rays, straight at the subject.
Hope that helps.
Damon
OK, I will reciprocate if I feel I see something that needs attention.
Thank you for all the obs. and info. re. light. I'll re-read and think on and then do as appropriate.