Shutterstock Photographer Forum :: View topic

gromit · Joined: 12 Mar 2012 Posts: 56

Hopefully, this'll be the last round before I submit.

gromit · Joined: 12 Mar 2012 Posts: 56

next...

gromit · Joined: 12 Mar 2012 Posts: 56

and again... I'm a little concerned about the lighting here - I had to get it very directional to bring out the shallow details in the fossil plate. Is there a better way?

gromit · Joined: 12 Mar 2012 Posts: 56

more more...

jeffbanke · Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 12:15 am

Iam afrain you have a focus problem, none are really sharp.
Piggy bank the DOF is too shallow also,

gromit · Joined: 12 Mar 2012 Posts: 56

Thanks, Jeff.

I thought I had my focus issues licked, and I feel like I'm getting closer, but I've got a little more work to do there I suppose.

The piggy bank was shot at F11, so I guess I just need to get a longer lens and back up some.

Composition and lighting okay?

markrhiggins · Joined: 28 Jan 2008 Posts: 2006 Location: Australia

Not sure of your settings but. Generally all are soft .

Pepper + soft. Been done to death. How can you make your different? Even smoke coming off is covered well.

Cloudshadows. The lighting is not great. It is flat and looks soft. Why would it sell?? Is it a significant location? Great composition? Sorry but sort of snappish.

Fossil. They need to be obvious in thumbnails. I have some that sell well. Lighting is difficult and for some dinosaur footprints I wet the indent to give separation.

For the pig - been done so much. Why not add money wings or various currencies being stuffed in. Try to give it a chance. Try to diffuse the blown highlights before shooting. Even a hammer smashing it will enhance cv (but cost you for another piggy bank).

Some lenses perform well at f16 , some start to suffer from softness. In part it depends on blade design (including thickness) and optics. For table top stuff f16 is good if your lens is ok with it (often prime macros).

hhltdave5 · Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 6:27 am

I would agree with what has been said so far and to add that it looks like you way over processed the pepper. The stem is nearing nuclear looking. Also regarding the stem I can see that the end is brown and dried. One of the most important things about photographing food is that the food look as pristine as possible. Knowing how to buy the right food items is vital.

rinder99 · Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 12:08 pm

Longer lens and backing up will not solve the problem.Glad you posted them But sorry. None work.Focus and Lighting.You've been here 6 months my friend. Time to get to work.

cpaulfell · Joined: 07 Dec 2011 Posts: 2440

markrhiggins · Joined: 28 Jan 2008 Posts: 2006 Location: Australia

"You are hiding the EXIF data in your photos. Please post EXIF data."

Agree . Sometimes it is so simple to see why the shot s soft ,eg too slow a shutterspeed. Noise - high iso. Or soft Iphone shot? Hiding the data makes us tiptoe around the technical issues and second guess you. How can you get good feedback if you do not tell us what you did with what gear?

gromit · Joined: 12 Mar 2012 Posts: 56

Thanks, all.

There was no intent to hide anything - I guess I need to check my LR export options and make sure it's not stripping off the EXIF data.

rinder99 · Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 8:23 pm

Save as doesn't strip the data. Save for web does. Don't ask me why.

gromit · Joined: 12 Mar 2012 Posts: 56

Lightroom has a Metadata option on export; it allows you to select "Copyright Only," "Copyright & Contact Info Only," "All Except Camera & Camera Raw Info," and "All." Mine was set to "Copyright Only." I'm changing that now.

All images were captured with a Canon 40D and 50mm/1.8 lens.