[czkid]

Cone Ginger still life. Please critique. I actually don't have experience in flatening a black background. Can't figure it out.

[Plantsman]

What an interesting plant and not one I knew of until I looked it up on the internet.
I personally think your backdrop looks fine. You could however place it more carefully to remove any folds or unevenness. I would also touch up the white specks around the base of the vase and surrounding cloth using the brush tool in your image manipulating software program.

Peter

[EdMak]

Perhaps a trim, like this, my thoughts. Nice pic/conception. Ed.

[Plantsman]

That looks good to me Ed

Peter

[EnglishBob]

For my eye the lighting is a little flat, and as plantsman said the white specks are distracting.

To answer your question on flattening the background, I would select the background area, and increase the black point in the levels.

I would clean up the specks and while I am at it, remove the seam in the fabric. Then a little adjustment of the levels to give depth to the color and light High-pass Sharpening.

   

[Plantsman]

A nice improvement EnglisBob

Peter

[czkid]

Hello everyone............Thanks so much for the critiques. I really have a long way to go. I mean I even missed the white specks........Still lifes are really difficult to do and do them right. You guys are good! And, the tweaks are great! I just have to learn my photo manipulating software better (take a class). I keep trying all the different things with it, but, I don't really have it mastered yet. Maybe in about a year. Just keep giving me critiques. I save them and learn with them.
Pat

[Rolf]

Hey czkid!

Great to see the experimentation! Good strong coloured subject... and I agree with the other's comments re the back drop... maybe you can try a piece of seamless paper in matt black - pin it to an upright support and let it down in a smooth curve away from the support and put your subject on the part that touches the table... that way no hard back drop edges to remove later?

I think too that again the focus is a little soft or maybe it's the way Nikon handles Reds... I thought it was a little over exposed too... so I have reduced exposure by 0.48EV removed the highlights and increased the blacks and lost most the shadow. That got rid of most the corners in the background. Boosted the Whites to give you a rim edge for a little contrast... I added a little sharpening - 66 and a radius of 1 with the Detail at 25. A little NR and boosted the greens a little and deepened the red just a very small amount. All this in about 2 minutes in Light Room. I don't normally do post processing preferring to get my shot in camera if I can... Oh and gave your shot a little tighter crop whilst leaving the subject as you framed it.

   

Hope that helps along with the other good comments given

Kind regards

Rolf

[czkid]

Hey czkid!

Great to see the experimentation! Good strong coloured subject... and I agree with the other's comments re the back drop... maybe you can try a piece of seamless paper in matt black - pin it to an upright support and let it down in a smooth curve away from the support and put your subject on the part that touches the table... that way no hard back drop edges to remove later?

I think too that again the focus is a little soft or maybe it's the way Nikon handles Reds... I thought it was a little over exposed too... so I have reduced exposure by 0.48EV removed the highlights and increased the blacks and lost most the shadow. That got rid of most the corners in the background. Boosted the Whites to give you a rim edge for a little contrast... I added a little sharpening - 66 and a radius of 1 with the Detail at 25. A little NR and boosted the greens a little and deepened the red just a very small amount. All this in about 2 minutes in Light Room. I don't normally do post processing preferring to get my shot in camera if I can... Oh and gave your shot a little tighter crop whilst leaving the subject as you framed it.



Hope that helps along with the other good comments given

Kind regards

Rolf

[czkid]

Great critiques, from everyone, and all appreciated because I really learn, but Rolf gets the prize! I love his tweak and it's my style of art! Keep critiquing me, I need it!

Hey czkid!

Great to see the experimentation! Good strong coloured subject... and I agree with the other's comments re the back drop... maybe you can try a piece of seamless paper in matt black - pin it to an upright support and let it down in a smooth curve away from the support and put your subject on the part that touches the table... that way no hard back drop edges to remove later?

I think too that again the focus is a little soft or maybe it's the way Nikon handles Reds... I thought it was a little over exposed too... so I have reduced exposure by 0.48EV removed the highlights and increased the blacks and lost most the shadow. That got rid of most the corners in the background. Boosted the Whites to give you a rim edge for a little contrast... I added a little sharpening - 66 and a radius of 1 with the Detail at 25. A little NR and boosted the greens a little and deepened the red just a very small amount. All this in about 2 minutes in Light Room. I don't normally do post processing preferring to get my shot in camera if I can... Oh and gave your shot a little tighter crop whilst leaving the subject as you framed it.



Hope that helps along with the other good comments given

Kind regards

Rolf

[Rolf]

Hello czkid

Just a point you might like to be aware of... replies in a members thread should be relevant to that thread... you shouldn't start another reply in that thread which relates to a different thread. The question you asked me regarding my reply to you in this thread was posted in Plantsman's thread... that is called hijacking here and shouldn't happen. Try to keep your replies within the thread that they relate to... I did exactly the same on my very first post... stuck some Eagle shots in someone else's thread... I was put right too... now I understand and all is good.

I hope you understand I am not a Mod here.,... just a member trying to help.

Kind regards

Rolf