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Canon DSLR Challenge | all galleries >> CSLR Challenge 81: Simplicity (Host: Jim Harrison) >> Eligible > Alphabet Soup
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21-NOV-2006 Grant Hamilton

Alphabet Soup

Canon EOS 10D ,Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
1/125s f/2.8 at 52.0mm iso400 with Flash full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
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Guest 27-Nov-2006 23:29
Nice. -Michael
Canon DSLR Challenge23-Nov-2006 22:10
Fair enough :) -Cat
Canon DSLR Challenge23-Nov-2006 04:50
Uhhh (sheepish grin) .... I was viewing with an LCD monitor and had it tilted too far down, so I was viewing the monitor at an angle. To approximate an exaggerated view of what I was seeing, apply the following curve: 0-0, 237-255, 246-255, 254-222. Viewing at an angle like that posterized the image. No wonder I didn't see it at first. It wasn't there. -- Victor
Canon DSLR Challenge23-Nov-2006 04:29
Victor,

I don't know what you are seeing. This was shot on a white table and the RAW file was white balanced based on the table color. I did apply a little USM when resizing for the challenge but that is all. I adjusted the curves to make the white really white. Maybe it is a monitor issue?

Grant
Canon DSLR Challenge23-Nov-2006 02:28
I just realized my record view is like a Dr. Seuss style characature of a record, in a way.

Regarding the rule of thirds, I can't say that I hate it, but I get bored of its frequent reference, and I don't particularly value it for my own work. But I'm like that with a lot of rules on creativity.

Hmmm. I just now realized there is a bright halo with a thickness approximating the black part of the bowl, surrounding the bowl's shadow. Until I noticed that, I'd assumed the background was white. It's not. Is this a result of having applied USM to the picture? If so, can you explain the goal in doing so? -- Victor
Canon DSLR Challenge23-Nov-2006 00:01
Victor,

That's pretty funny about the record player. What do you mean about my hating the "rule" of thirds? Do you feel the same?

Cat,

I am a righty. I considered moving the spoon so that the angle matched the reflection but it seemed too "perfect." I put the spoon pointed that way because it looked better (to me) to have the circles of the bowl and spoon arranged as they are.

Fly and jconradie,

Thanks!

Grant
Canon DSLR Challenge22-Nov-2006 19:31
Wow! I can't believe I actually found a picture of the record player online.http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2006/tailenders/about.html
-- Victor
Canon DSLR Challenge22-Nov-2006 19:30
Grant, I'm glad you mentioned your hate for the rule of thirds. I'm even more delighted to see your explanations for the composition decisions you made, here. I have to tell you, though, I saw the letters well before the carrot.

This reminds me of cardboard record players that were distributed in third world countries. Actually, it reminds me of the records played on the non-spring version. The record player was simply a bend piece of cardboard with a hub for the center of the record and a pin to act as the stylus. The pin was placed on the groove, and the record was turned by hand, by inserting the tip of an unsharpened pencil into a hole placed some distance from the center of the record.

The carrot, thus, is this hole by which the record is driven by hand. The soup is the label affixed to the record. That it's not centered doesn't bother me since the whole affair is very low tech anyway, but the line across the circle looks very much like a similar line across the label on vinyl records. Perhaps the handle of the spoon was used instead of an unsharpened pencil to drive the record.

-- Victor
Canon DSLR Challenge22-Nov-2006 18:53
Grant,
I like what you are doing here. Perfectly fits my tastes :) Since you have mentioned the reasons for your comp, I would like to bring up something. I am assuming I am allowed to... Question for you: Are you left handed? (Most people aren't) And since most people aren't, I would prefer the soup spoon pointed inwards, because the way it sits, its hard to pickup or keep it in that position for a right handed person, does not come naturally. Also since this is a setup, would prefer the straight line in the bowl to be parallel to the spoon. Can't find a convincing reason not to. -Cat
Guest 22-Nov-2006 17:06
fun and tasty!
Canon DSLR Challenge22-Nov-2006 15:31
Thanks very much for the detailed reply, Grant. It is most interesting and enlightening. I am in debt with you and many other Challenge participants for having shared a huge amount of wisdom with me since I started participating. Regards ~jnconradie
Canon DSLR Challenge22-Nov-2006 13:16
Thanks for the nice comments guys. I hate the rule of thirds. I put the bowl up there because this image is just as much about the white space as it is the black bowl. Putting it close to the edge creates tension and energy (see how tense it is making you?). Also, compositionally, I need to get you to read the small letters. In order to do that, I can lead you into that subordinate part of the image by having you first see the dominant bowl, then the subdominant carrot and finally the subordinate "simple." The reflection in the lower half disguises the other letters just enough so that they aren't distracting. Although it isn't necessary for every image (just as the "rule" of thirds is merely a suggestion) the idea of dominant, subdominant and subordinate elements are often very helpful when considering a composition.

Grant
Canon DSLR Challenge22-Nov-2006 12:40
I agree with what Nico said. A slightly different crop would make this better IMO. - Pops
jnconradie22-Nov-2006 08:41
Grant, I like it... and I would really like to ask: What made you put the bowl(?) right up against the top edge... whilst everything in me would have said "rules of third"? Or is it simply the artist in you that "feels" or "knows" that will work better? :-) You are "confusing" us amateurs, like yours truly. Only kidding. But I do find it really fascinating. Best regards ~jnconradie
Canon DSLR Challenge22-Nov-2006 07:10
I really like the dot of red...and the lettering of course. You are back in very fine form, Grant. Best Wishes, Traveller