| Photograph Information |
Photographer's Comments |
Challenge: Free Study 2007-05 (Advanced Editing V)
Camera: Nikon D50
Lens: Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED
Location: Cochrane, Alberta
Date: May 6, 2007
Aperture: f/2
ISO: 200
Shutter: 1/250
Galleries: Macro, Food and Drink
Date Uploaded: May 8, 2007
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In my photography class at SAIT my most recent assignment was to photograph food. My fiancee used to be manager at MacKay's in Cochrane so we went out there. I was pretty pleased with the results.
Here is their story:
In 1946, James and Christina MacKay purchased the General Store in Cochrane. In 1948, the MacKay's began making their own ice cream to attract tourists and customers from nearby Calgary. Homemade taste and quality was guaranteed by producing only small batches at a time and using the richest, freshest ingredients available. By trial and error, James MacKay discovered and invented new and original flavours. As the variety of the flavours expanded, so did the popularity of the store. Customers began coming from all over the world and sales increased rapidly. On a record-breaking day, 4500 cones were sold, most of which were doubles.
In 1983, Rhona and Robyn MacKay took over the family business. Maintaining a focus on quality, the sisters have continued to expand the company and develop its reputation for providing premium homemade ice cream. Expanding the wholesale side of the business has been a company priority for the last few years and will continue to be in the future. MacKay's ice cream is currently available in outlets throughout Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.
The reputation of MacKay's Ice Cream is built on the tradition of creating premium, gourmet ice cream. The ice cream continues to be produced in small batches, which helps to maintain the MacKay quality and old-fashioned flavour.
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Shooting Data:
Nikon D50
2007/05/06 10:44:59.7
Compressed RAW (12-bit)
Image Size: Large (3008 x 2000)
Lens: 50mm F/1.8 D
Focal Length: 50mm
Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
Metering Mode: Multi-Pattern
1/250 sec - F/2
Exposure Comp.: 0 EV
Sensitivity: ISO 200
Optimize Image: Normal
White Balance: Preset
AF Mode: AF-S
Flash Sync Mode: Front Curtain
Auto Flash Mode: i-TTL
Auto Flash Comp: -3.0 EV
Color Mode: Mode IIIa (sRGB)
Tone Comp.: Auto
Hue Adjustment: 0°
Saturation: Normal
Sharpening: Auto
Image Comment:
Long Exposure NR: Off
Bounce |
| Author | Thread |
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06/09/2007 01:23:23 PM |
Greetings from the Critique Club
I like the overall mood of this photo. The brown color of the props gives a nostalgic feel and contrasts nicely with the pastel colors of the ice cream. I like the composition (even if many DPC voters will find it too "busy"). The elements are obviously related, and each helps tell part of the story. The cone is well placed to have a lot of dynamic diagonal lines which all lead to the ice cream. The carton both adds context and helps direct the eye to the subject. The preponderance of nearly horizontal and vertical lines combines with the landscape format to give a feeling of stability, which is crucial since you're celebrating an establishment that's been around a long time. But there are plenty of diagonal lines to add excitement and interest.
The lighting here doesn't work very well; it's kind of jumbled and confusing. Although there are some clear shadows, there are also lots of faint jumbled ones that aren't flattering to the photo. And I'm guessing there is a combination of flash and fluorescent lighting, mostly because getting the ice cream colors correct has given the white bowl a bluish cast. You can try to fix it with the sponge tool in this particular case, but in general that's very difficult; it's best to avoid mixed lighting.
This photo is over-exposed, which has burned out important highlight detail in the subject. Other commenters have mentioned the lack of focus on even the front scoops. The focus is great; it's the over-exposure that's responsible for the lack of detail. Tools like curves or shadows/highlights can fix the tonal range, but there's no way to get back that detail.
I agree with several of the other comments that depth of field should have been larger here to get the last scoop in focus. But as I mentioned, I do like everything but the ice cream slightly out of focus as you have done here. |
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 Photographer found comment helpful. |
Comments Made During the Challenge  |
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06/07/2007 04:45:03 PM |
| chocolate mint chip, pistachio, and blueberry? Looks yummy 8 |
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06/05/2007 11:59:57 PM |
| It all seems pretty soft focus. Maybe it's because the strawberry/cherry is soft focus, but the other two seem that way also. Maybe a bit smaller aperture. Otherwise, nicely composed picture. |
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06/04/2007 10:02:05 PM |
| Focus could be improved, but even if, ... I don't find the subject interesting enough to linger. |
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06/04/2007 12:44:49 PM |
Okay, you have a good start there but I think that the lighting is off a bit because it's hitting the bowl and causing it to be blown out in the left bottom. Lighting on the ice cream is good but too much on the bowl. Also the background is too bright as well, with the advanced editing rules you should take advantage of the burn and doge tool and burn your background to really make the ice cream come alive.
As far as the DOF (depth of focus) it looks as if the camera or you have focused on the ice cream (which is good) but it's slightly off some. |
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06/03/2007 08:29:58 PM |
| looks yummy - i thinik this woudl ahve been better without all the items - it has just too much stuff going on - I think the ice creame, the green barrel and maybe the container would probably have been enough. The other thing is that the focus is a little too shallow on the ice cream -too little of the image is in focus |
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06/01/2007 11:05:17 PM |
| Nice idea but I think having this all in focus would have enhanced it. At least having all of the ice in cream in focus would have been great. |
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06/01/2007 06:14:18 PM |
the overall colour scheme doesn't really work for me here 5
Jack |
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06/01/2007 05:37:21 PM |
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06/01/2007 01:21:52 AM |
| smaller aperture please - not sure what's in focus, it all feels soft to me (no pun intended) |
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| Photographer found comment helpful. |
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