Challenge:Darkness (Basic Editing III) Camera:Olympus C-2100UZ Location: bedroom of house Date: Jun 10, 2005 Aperture: f2.8 ISO: 200 Shutter: 0.4sec Date Uploaded: Jun 10, 2005
The idea of this image is perfect for the challenge. Including a candle and two wine glasses is good and having the waiting person softer focused in the background is good. Not showing their face works very well. That implies that it could be anyone waiting, including the viewer. The way you have framed the scene is very good.
There is a lot of weakness in the quality of the photograph that prevent the viewer from realizing the full potential this image has to offer.
First and foremost is focus. This is a killer! Poor focus will hurt the score of this image more than anything else. If it were done purposefully this way it will not work for most viewers. The glasses should be in sharp focus to convey the idea we are waiting for something good that the person waiting has specially prepared. It loosk like the camera is focused on the front of the table with a very shallow depth of field (DOF). The DOF may be fine but just centered in the wrong place.
The candle should be placed differently with respect to the glass. Perhaps it should be placed directly between the glasses or off to one side. In this position it distracts the viewer by being partially obscured. The candle flame is overexposed and that acts as a major distraction.
The image would work better if the amount of liquid in the glasses were different. If someone is waiting they will either drink nothing or drink from only one glass. If someone is waiting for someone then either both glasses should be full or only one glass should be less than full, but NOT both and they should definitely not both be empty by exactly the same amount.
This is an image with great potential. You will do a lot better with this next time I am sure.
Good concept. The glasses & their contents seem a bit out of focus. I have tryed this lighting effect of a candle through a glass of wine & i can appreciate the difficulty involved.
I really can't work out where the point of focus is - the candle's light really blows out the glass, which being in the centre of the photo is very unfortunate.The composition doesn't emphasise the darkness. Putting the candle and glass on the right of the picture, and focussing on the background might have worked better. 4
Why would somebody wait with almost empty glasses? :) As your composition doesn't contain any movement, you might try to use a tripod. It prevents the motion blur. You'll end up with sharper images. 6.