# Still life



## JohnMF (Jun 24, 2007)

was a bit bored tonight so took a couple of simple still life shots to pass the time. My first post in the B&W forum too :thumbup:







slight sepia on this, does that still count as B&W?


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## Meysha (Jun 24, 2007)

hehehehe - ya that counts as black and white.

Awesome textures in this photo. Not only have you got the grainy table, and the flaky garlic and onions - but the photo itself is grainy too which I think is awesome here.

Something bothers me about the blurry onion. I keep looking at it although I 'want' to keep looking at the garlic. Maybe it's the way the onion is pointing that draws my attention up there. Either way, for a still life it's interesting.


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## JohnMF (Jun 24, 2007)

thanks meysha

I like a bit of grain in a photograph every now and again, too many ultra sharp photos these days. i wanted something rustic to match the flaky veg 

I know what you mean about the onion in the background. I think the depth of field might have been a bit to shallow, it's made it a bit distracting because it blurred, maybe if i'd turned it inwards to face the camera it would have worked better


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## PhotoPhoenix (Jun 25, 2007)

a nicer exposure would do this photo better justice..


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## Meysha (Jun 25, 2007)

Would you be able to explain what you mean by 'nicer exposure' please? 

Thanks.


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## Chris of Arabia (Jun 25, 2007)

The exposure looks fine on my monitor here - there seem to be a good range of tones across the image. Nice result there for me.


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## PhotoPhoenix (Jun 25, 2007)

maybe it's not the exposure but to me the image looks flat.. more contrast would help perhaps. i think the lighting is what may be making it flat. hmph. maybe it's just me. the lighting looks like normal above lighting. i bet light hitting it from the side only to create better form and dimension would jazz this up. yeap, that's it.


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## JohnMF (Jun 25, 2007)

thanks, wil bare it all in mind next time


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## mysteryscribe (Jun 25, 2007)

he might have meant a little more contrast.  I took it down and added some contrast it looks much different better or not is up to you.


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## JohnMF (Jun 25, 2007)

Maybe it's my monitor, as it already looks quite dark on my screen. If i boost the contrast more it starts clipping the shadows.

BTW feel free to edit this one if it helps

thanks


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## Chris of Arabia (Jun 25, 2007)

Tried the same myself. Even using autocontrast, gives it a pleasing lift. A touch more sepia is nice too.


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## mysteryscribe (Jun 25, 2007)

better or not is up to you.  Just a different look.


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## abraxas (Jun 25, 2007)

I like the original and the edit, but I think cropping off about  1/3 of the onion in the back would solve the problem.


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## JohnMF (Jun 25, 2007)

i can barely notice the difference with the edited 'Scribes, it's very subtle. Is this a contrast boost that you did?


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## mysteryscribe (Jun 25, 2007)

yes that and only that but to me at least it makes the objects a little more seperated from the background. Like I said it's up to you to decide if it's better or not. I thought that is what he meant be a different exposure. .... If you look at the table in the shadow of the onion on the left you will see a difference in detail I think in the slightly higher contrast model.  Anyway just a slight bump in contrast is all I did to it.

I have no real opinion about it to be honest. I do a lot of funky still life so this subject matter is not something Im comfortable with. It is a nice composition in my opinion other than that I don't really have an opinion.


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## nomade (Jun 26, 2007)

Onions and garlic is a classic shot, what I would look for in such frames would be more texture, probably that's why it's not particularly attractive to me. A good effort none the less...


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## sage95 (Jun 27, 2007)

I like it. I love the graininess. I thought that the composition was nice. The onion does not bother me like some have commented. I normally do not like still life but something about this I like.


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## JohnMF (Jun 27, 2007)

thanks for the comments. I will be eating this still life tomorrow


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