This has been my hardest photo to date, after breaking a lot of eggs and trying different concepts, I think that this is the one with greatest meaning. Lighting was done with a big 40W bulb on the right and a little MagLite in my mouth. With one hand I pressed the remote shutter and with the other hand I turned the light off after 3 secs, leaving the fire on for the remaining 17 secs of the shot. Thanks again to my wife... this was really messy and a lot of things were moved in our tiny kitchen.
Statistics
Place: 19 out of 204 Avg (all users): 6.1333 Avg (commenters): 7.7778 Avg (participants): 5.5889 Avg (non-participants): 6.3846 Views since voting: 1756 Views during voting: 452 Votes: 285 Comments: 23 Favorites: 1 (view)
::: Critique Club ::: This is goin to be fun. It's a while since I've had a still life to critque and I'm particularly glad it was this one
First Impression - the most important one: The first impression is of a really professional illustration piece. This has the feel of a high quality magazine's editorial support image. The colours and compositrion are simple and strong. It makes you want to investigate the image to see what is going on.
Composition: Composition is great with both sets of eggs on thirds intersections. The three major elements floating in the black really balances the image well. This is a top 20 image and so all the bits and pieces have worked well and been well received.
Subject: Ignoring the challenge for a second, this is a strong image. The elements, the balanced feel of it, the light hitting the panhandle and the colours all combine in its attraction. It's interesting what the take has been on the personification aspect of this submission. I think you saw it as the eggs in shells looking down on the demise of their fellows. Your comments don't mention the "face" of the egg eyes and gasring smile - did you see or intend that I wonder? Yet the commenters did and because of the subliminal suggestion by the challenge title, it becaomes a strong part of the submission.
Technical (Colour and light): I believe these elements of the image are very strong. The perfect lighting of the shelled eggs, the clarity of the cooking eggs and the colour and texture of the burning gas are all technically very strong indeed. That you were able to achieve this potentially extremely difficult balance with such a simple setup is a credit to your dogged stubborness and skill :)
To get a Ribbon?: I really buck at suggesting changing a really good image just for the sake of ribboning. In this case, I can't see how you could do that anyway. The composition is good, the colours are interesting, it is funny and as a package it works. So it comes down to the emotive vote and that's largely outside of your ability to control.
Summary: A great image which does everything it set out to do and is without any technical flaws. So who needs a ribbon anyway? :)
Congratulations on your top 20 finish. A very nice composition with the white and yellow of the eggs along with the blue frame against the dark background.
LOL "You're next!" Very good idea and very well composed. The blue and yellow add just the right amount of color. Could have used a 4th egg (near end) for tonal weight balance in the UL corner, but it still works as is.
Very original! I really love this! The lights and shadow really play out the emotion here. How in the heck did you stand those eggs up? I hope you didn't have to do too many shots or your whole family was eating eggs for weeks! :) Good luck!
Really good shot nothing i could say negative about it I voted 9 at the start but I like it alot so going to 10. The eggs on the side waiting in fear are great will beat my shot hands down.
This is one that is made by the title. I think the "subject" is the 3 eggs watching it horror and the accidental face (with the flame being a smile) not being on purpose. Am I wrong? 7
Okay, I'm giving you a ten. Mostly because you amused me. The image is good. I would have preferred everything shifted to the left - eggs close to border, the cropped out part of the pan not cropped out, but that is just my opinion and since I can't see what that would look like, not sure it would improve it anyway. I hate the way sunny side up eggs stare...
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