1.in what area is critique to be sought?
This is my first attempt at displaying a photo for critique at CS.
I would like feedback on a few things:
a. composition
- I am trying out the technique of taking small objects in a controlled lighting environment, so I have placed the subject in the centre of the photo. Should I have considered the rule of 3rds? And should I have placed the subject at eye-level in relation to the subject's front? How would I improve the focus on the object - some parts seem to be OOF.
b. lighting
- I used 2 x 40watt tungsten spotlights on the left and right of the subject, which was in a light tent (using tracing paper as the walls. It still produced some light shadow under the subject. Should I be concerned about this shadow (is it better to eliminate all shadows altogether?). Should I have used stronger light sources? The photo looks greyed out.
c. post processing
- i cropped the photo to 80% of original canvas size, and used the bightness/contrast control to make the photo lighter. What further pp techniques should I use to improve the photo?
2.what one hopes to achieve with the piece of work?
I would like to learn to be able to take good quality photos of small objects in a light tent setting - for cataloguing my hobbies collections. I would like to also improve skills in taking small objects and close ups.
3.under what circumstance is the picture taken? (physical conditions/emotions)
I constructed a small light tent using a cardboard box and tracing paper, and used 2 x 40watt tungsten spotlights from the sides, and a 40 watt warm daylight from the top (dining room lamp) for the lighting.
Manual setting 75mm, 1/80 sec, f5.3, manual focus, using a 18-200mm zoom. White balance set to tungsten. Handheld. No flash.
4.what the critique seeker personally thinks of the picture
I took many shots of various items. This one seems the better of the lot.
I feel that the lighting is still not sufficient; focus could be better, perhaps a different background than white would bring out a more vibrant picture.