Sunday, November 25, 2012

... on learning. Always learning.

I've been taking lots of photos lately. I've made some more wall hangings out of my cast plaster seedpods, and I set one up to take some pics. It was mid-morning. There was strong but diffused light flooding in from one side of the house.
Using Photoshop, I get the seedpods themselves to look good, but even after adjusting the levels and contrast for an age, I can't get the background to become anything but mid grey without blowing out either the seedpods or the cables. I tell you, these white mobiles are a challenge to photograph. Every time I do I seem to come up against a different issue! I write up an Etsy listing for the wall hanging but these photos look way too heavy on the page.

Mid afternoon. I notice that the sun, now beaming in from the other side of the room, has lightened that white wall considerably. Pulling the white under-curtain over the glass doors acts as a big ol' diffuser and the wall is looking very promising indeed. I set to... again.
This time I'm able to get a much brighter result without anything blowing out, and it certainly makes the Etsy listing look more appealing... I think. I'm torn. I almost prefer the look of the first set, as those white seedpods really look lovely against that mid-grey. The second set is cleaner, somehow, but almost... less interesting?
I can't tell! What do you think?

5 comments:

Unknown said...

It's really hard to get a few great shots for Etsy ... My neighbours must think I am pretty weird as I am often climbing up on window sills etc. to get a good shot with the afternoon light! I think they all look good, maybe include both images.

Angelhellcat said...

I can see what you mean. Hard to pick the winner but I think the second lot have a more consistent tone in the background and are less 'moody'. Nice shots! I love the texture of those pods.

sophie said...

I love the last image best but they all do look beautiful!

kuber... said...

Thanks so much for your thoughts about these photos! REread - I too find myself hunched up in the windows, making a very odd sight for the neighbours I'm sure! For now I'm sticking with the second set - and have sold one already, which is very encouraging!

Isis said...

it's not exactly what you were asking but i just had a look at listing and i think the 3rd shot on your listing should be your main photo, it's much more inviting