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On The Edge
3rd PlaceOn The Edge
DUCATISTA


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Kitchenware (Advanced Editing V)
Camera: Pentax K100D
Lens: Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF
Location: At home in Malmo, Sweden
Date: Apr 21, 2007
Aperture: 8.0
ISO: 200
Shutter: 1/6 sec
Date Uploaded: Apr 22, 2007

 For this setup I used clay to stabilize the knife (hidden behind the knife) and two sticks through the apple, fixed in the clay, the apple balancing on the edge.

Lighting: My 'studiolighting' :-)) consisting of a 500W lamp used for home decorating, bouncing off a white umbrella.

Processing: Convert from raw, 1 layer of selective color, 2 layers of Hue/Saturation to desaturate the knife and saturate the apple, 1 layer of Curves, 2 layers of levels, 1 layer of Brightness/Contrast, 2 steps replace color (I wanted a GREEN apple :-), remove some dust spots on the black background, smart sharpen, crop, border, save for web.

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Thanks for all votes and comments and constructive critique, I really appreciate it!! As a newbie I'm here on DPC to learn and all comments are wellcome! :-)

Thanks to Carola for letting me use her knife...

Statistics
Place: 3 out of 149
Avg (all users): 6.6789
Avg (commenters): 7.5789
Avg (participants): 6.3788
Avg (non-participants): 6.8387
Views since voting: 6629
Views during voting: 394
Votes: 190
Comments: 36
Favorites: 8 (view)

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AuthorThread
 05/05/2007 05:23:39 PM
Really nice photo...a very belated congratulations to you on your yellow ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/04/2007 10:29:34 AM
Nice job Congrats on the award. My bannana slasher only got a 5.3 :( Yours is better though.

  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/04/2007 02:25:13 AM
WOW, T! Another ribbon?!? I'm just checking in to dpc now quickly after a pretty long absence. You are doing so well. Congrats and keep it up!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/04/2007 02:02:04 AM
Originally posted by karmat:
CRITIQUE CLUB CRITIQUE
by karmat

It is truly difficult to "critique" a ribbon winner without sounding like I am just searching for things to complain about.

So, I'll tell you what I think works in this shot, and what was appealing, and what I *personally* think could be "improved" upon.

Technically, you have nailed it. The lighting on this is consistent and even. This allows for details to show throughout the shot. It also makes for a very clean, well focused shot. The slight shadowing on the apple also gives just a touch of depth, otherwise the shot might appear to be a bit flat. The focus is good and the water on the apple gives it a nice touch.

Compositionally, to me, it is static. To have the knife straight through the shot, gives it kind of a "ho-hum" feeling. Granted, the knife is in the lower third of the picture, and that gives it a sense of strength, and the apple is just off of center, so that helps to counter the "static" feeling, but it doesn't add any real interest to the shot.

I think technically, you have done a very good job, and the voters rewarded you handsomely for that. Congratulations! This would be an excellent stock type shot as well.

karmat


Thanks karmat for your critique, I really appreciate it! That's why I'm here on DPC; to learn and to improve. I have never ever taken picures like this before (just 'holiday pictures' :) and I'm very much a beginner in Photoshop, so have a lot to learn!!
 05/03/2007 06:15:01 PM
CRITIQUE CLUB CRITIQUE
by karmat

It is truly difficult to "critique" a ribbon winner without sounding like I am just searching for things to complain about.

So, I'll tell you what I think works in this shot, and what was appealing, and what I *personally* think could be "improved" upon.

Technically, you have nailed it. The lighting on this is consistent and even. This allows for details to show throughout the shot. It also makes for a very clean, well focused shot. The slight shadowing on the apple also gives just a touch of depth, otherwise the shot might appear to be a bit flat. The focus is good and the water on the apple gives it a nice touch.

Compositionally, to me, it is static. To have the knife straight through the shot, gives it kind of a "ho-hum" feeling. Granted, the knife is in the lower third of the picture, and that gives it a sense of strength, and the apple is just off of center, so that helps to counter the "static" feeling, but it doesn't add any real interest to the shot.

I think technically, you have done a very good job, and the voters rewarded you handsomely for that. Congratulations! This would be an excellent stock type shot as well.

karmat
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/03/2007 03:34:22 AM
Originally posted by splidge:
Congratulations on your joint third finish, hopefully your ribbon is in the post...

Is that a Global knife by any chance? :)

splidge


Yes it's a Global knife :-) I don't have one my self (yet...), I borrowed it from a friend for the challenge.
 05/03/2007 03:32:04 AM
Originally posted by Artyste:
Might want to go in at 200 - 300% and clean up your edge editing in the future. (Not that it'd be noticeable on *most* monitors I think, but it's clearly visible on mine.) Some strange effects around the edges of the apple and top of the knife (and some on the handle).

Just for future reference anyway. Just pointing out what I see.


Thanks! I'm really a beginner (and about to discover the techniques with Photoshop...) and appreciate all comments and critiques!
 05/03/2007 01:07:09 AM
Hurray for your joint ribbon...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/02/2007 05:15:39 PM
Might want to go in at 200 - 300% and clean up your edge editing in the future. (Not that it'd be noticeable on *most* monitors I think, but it's clearly visible on mine.) Some strange effects around the edges of the apple and top of the knife (and some on the handle).

Just for future reference anyway. Just pointing out what I see.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/02/2007 11:12:03 AM
Congratulations on your joint third finish, hopefully your ribbon is in the post...

Is that a Global knife by any chance? :)

splidge

Message edited by author 2007-05-02 11:12:33.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/02/2007 01:19:59 AM
Originally posted by ludde:
Hehe, sverige är på g nu ;) Grattis till 4:e platsen :)


Tack! Kul att se fler från 'Svedala' här. Lycka till på DPC!!
 04/30/2007 11:52:40 PM
Most impressive visual accent and stylish good use of desat to bring home the point. Congratulations on your top Five finish.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/30/2007 11:35:14 AM
Great shot. I had this picked to be #1
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/30/2007 06:10:24 AM
Hehe, sverige är på g nu ;) Grattis till 4:e platsen :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/30/2007 03:27:28 AM
I love this shot, everything about it! Huge congrats on 4th place.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
04/29/2007 11:25:49 PM
i start these kinda of critiques out by saying.. in MY opinion.. the apple is overprocessed and totally ruined a BRILLIANT shot! still gets a 6
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/29/2007 10:15:53 PM
this is my top ten....simple
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/29/2007 04:55:38 PM
Nice simple composition and the color on the apple really stands out. Nicely done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/29/2007 10:47:06 AM
Nice spare and interesting shot, but - yes how ironic to say this - perhaps a bit oversharpened. :) There seems just too pronounced an edge around the apple for it to be natural. Maybe it's my monitor - one of the better shots though, I gave it an 8.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/29/2007 06:57:23 AM
Nice nice nice...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/28/2007 09:20:50 PM
Simply Amazing!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/27/2007 03:09:49 PM
Nice composition and good choice for selective desat. Apple is just a hair soft around the edges, but still very nice. 7
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/25/2007 06:01:16 PM
wow how much did you saturate the apple?

Might have worked even more with a complementary background e.g. purple
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/24/2007 06:51:38 PM
You stole Magritte's apple and now it looks like you're torturing it.

4 for luscious apple
+ 0 for meaning
+ 1 for passable but not exciting composition
= 5

Normally I wouldn't bother you but I think this might ribbon so I wanted to get my ribbon ribbing in now! ;P
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/24/2007 03:35:13 PM
Intersting take. Love the color of the apple. Seems to be a bit fuzzy overall, however. Good job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/24/2007 02:24:46 PM
Brilliant. Top 10!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/24/2007 12:55:55 PM
well balanced and lit
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/23/2007 09:15:45 PM
Love the textures and patterns plus the nice contrasting background.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/23/2007 07:28:32 PM
oooh. nice. The one thing I see is the right edge of the apple seems blurred . Nice, effective shot though!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/23/2007 06:38:42 PM
Nice image, and one of the few that had food in it that was more about the kitchenware than the food.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/23/2007 01:40:58 PM
Excellent photo. The color and the water drops make it really pop out at the viewer.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/23/2007 11:55:22 AM
really nice composition and lighting. the two things that bother me are the black halos around the knife and apple (probably from unsharp mask) and the fact that the apple is the only thing with any color, which makes it look composited or fake somehow to me... i wish the knife had a bit of color in it -- especially a hint of green to show that the apple really is sitting on it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/23/2007 09:17:19 AM
Excellent clarity and crispness on this image - the lighting is really solid and the composition is very nice - almost wish the apple was a little more to the left
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/23/2007 09:06:58 AM
Nice composition and use of minimul color. 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/23/2007 03:45:01 AM
well composed. green looks too unnatural. slight glow around the knife distracts.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/23/2007 12:06:19 AM
LOVE the colors!! very nice, 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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