OK, Now I'm Hooked but Need Advice!

[slpollett]

Well, I think I have to agree with Divamum that once you get started with these things it's hard to stop. Honestly, I hadn't planned to do anything with this challenge but something came to me. I'm just a rank amateur at best and I'm just not sure I quite have the skills to get what I want out of this shot, so I would appreciate any tips or advice that any of you experts want to pass my way.

I'll post the picture in both color and black & white. I 'think' I'm going somewhere with the idea, but I can't seem to get it where I want it. Of course, I don't think I'll know what I want until I get it if you know what I mean!

I'd like a bit of honest criticism here. I have plenty of time to reshoot this to get it right. How's the composition? Is it better in color or black & white? If black & white, how can I make the black & white conversion better? Are the fabric folds in the top corners too distracting? What about that reflection in the shiny trophy? I tried all kinds of 'tricks' for the reflection, but I never figured out how to get ME out of it and still get the picture. This particular reflection was the least offensive of what I've done so far.

Anyway, I'm thinking of "One Down...One to Go" as a title, but I've considered something like "Ready for Polish" or "Next in Line" or something like that. If anyone has a better idea, I'm all for hearing it!

1.
http://psphotos.smugmug.com/photos/371889738_8Qu7y-M.jpg

2.
http://psphotos.smugmug.com/photos/371889767_gkErv-M.jpg


Thanks for looking and commenting.

Sherry

[richtersl]

Of the two you have posted the B&W works better because it hides your red shirt. :rofl

I think you have a good idea going, but you need to reshoot. Right now it looks like a photo of two trophies and a bottle of polish. How about something like this: get the rag off the bottle, open the bottle, make sure there's some gunk on the rag to make it look like one of the trophies is in the process of being polished or has just been polished? :wink

I see you're from central Texas. Did you feel much of an effect from Ike?

[HoofClix]

Great idea and direction!

I'd make it "One Down..." and have one polished trophy, or one dining room item, lined up against and amongst a forest of unpolished items. Unless you can find an effective way to put the towels and polish in there, perhaps dispense with them altogether. In the final image, crop wide to cut out unrelated background....

[divamum]

I too prefer the bw. It's a great idea!

For me, the background is neither something related to the objects, nor is it entirely neutral. Perhaps either use something that is somehow connected to the trophies (I don't know what they're for, but as an ex-equestrian I'm thinking horse blanket, or saddle pad or something like that?), or stretch it tighter so it becomes completely "invisible" and more focus is on the trophies themselves.

And yeah, the reflections - that was what made me CRAZY when trying to shoot into the mirror (my first idea), especially since the mirror was too small to let me get the composition I wanted, and I have no "empty space" to shoot in where I could mask all the distractions around me which were reflecting into the mirror (and glass). So, no solutions but... solidarity!

Anyway, good luck with it!

ETA: it's a "cheat", i suppose, but particularly in BW I bet you could clone out your own reflection fairly effectively. Just a thought.

[slpollett]

Thanks Linda, Mark, and Divamum.

Yes, that red shirt bothered me too. If I just 'have' to be in the reflection, I'll wear something more neutral for the final version.

Thanks for the idea of tipping the bottle. I didn't like it standing up, but I tried laying it down & didn't like that either. Didn't think about actually OPENING the bottle to show some polish poured on the rag!

These are actually band trophies from a loooooong time ago, but the viewer won't know that. I think I might have a horse blanket around her somewhere. I can try it. I know we have my husband's trumpet (reason for the trophies) so maybe I can work that in also.

I'll keep playing with it though and maybe inspiration will come.

Thanks again!

Sherry

ps: Thanks for asking about the weather. I live just far enough away that the 'bad stuff' wouldn't get us, but we still had forecast for t-storms, wind, & rain. We really needed the rain, so we were happy about it. Unfortunately, at my house if we got two drops of water I missed them. :cry There were scattered showers around our area, but we didn't get any of it at my house.