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Archive 2012 · Mmm! Mmm! Nestle!
  
 
Skarkowtsky
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p.1 #1 · Mmm! Mmm! Nestle!


Update further down in the thread.



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Edited on Feb 19, 2012 at 01:34 AM · View previous versions
Feb 18, 2012 at 11:29 PM
RustyBug
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p.1 #2 · Mmm! Mmm! Nestle!


Nice !!!


Feb 18, 2012 at 11:49 PM
sbeme
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p.1 #3 · Mmm! Mmm! Nestle!


Very nice.
I have little experience shooting or critiqueing product shots and setups like this.
Couple of reactions, since my 2 cents costs nothing.
Excellent concept, the spilled cocoa powder, beans and the warm tones, like good hot cocoa.
My eye goes first to the upper left center, OOF beans (or are they nuts?) and I then want more sharpness, more DOF there. Second, down to the mug but yanked back up by the bright white reflected light.
I'd try to get those highlights down, preferably in camera.
If you want the mug to be the primary subject, surrounded by the softer ingredients_you might need more DOF or some selective softening of the less lit elements. With significant light above and the position upper left, my eye pulls too much away.
Hope this is useful and not too nit-picky.
Scott

Edited on Feb 19, 2012 at 12:50 AM · View previous versions
Feb 19, 2012 at 12:26 AM
Doug Maclean
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p.1 #4 · Mmm! Mmm! Nestle!


Very nice, was this for Nestle?? If not they should hire you. Doug


Feb 19, 2012 at 12:28 AM
Skarkowtsky
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p.1 #5 · Mmm! Mmm! Nestle!


Thanks, sbeme. Everything was done in camera. They are actual Cacao beans, and I did try to get the exposure on them down as much as possible in camera, though I couldn't get any tighter with a scrim without altering the reflection on the large jug.

As for the DOF, this was shot with a 24-105 (my only lens for still life, currently), with a slight zoom, at f20, which, in turn, compressed the DOF. In Capture 1, I did reduce clarity for the soft focus feel as it's what I had envisioned. I want to invest in a 100 Macro!

The smaller highlights were already brought to my attention as a distraction, and I will reduce them in post.

The light was actually not coming from the left, though I do appreciate all of your comments for improvement!

Doug,

This is for my personal portfolio, though I do appreciate the comment!


Feb 19, 2012 at 12:34 AM
sbeme
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p.1 #6 · Mmm! Mmm! Nestle!


The 24-105 is a great lens. Shouldnt be an issue here. You arent going to get more DOF more stopped down, but you might, theoretically, have a sharper image.
Didnt mean to imply that the light was coming from the top. Rather that the beans top left were relatively illuminated.
What was the full EXIF?
Scott


Feb 19, 2012 at 12:54 AM
Skarkowtsky
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p.1 #7 · Mmm! Mmm! Nestle!


I love this lens. Though, with any zoom, when your camera is physically close to the subject, and then you zoom a bit into the frame, you're going to compress the focal planes. However, I did want a soft focus feel throughout on this image, which can easily be reversed in Capture 1.

ISO 100, 1/200, f20


Feb 19, 2012 at 01:08 AM
Doug Maclean
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p.1 #8 · Mmm! Mmm! Nestle!


I am a tight crop guy myself, but would love to see what it looks like with more on the left and on top. The composistion and lighting is so perfect.Doug


Feb 19, 2012 at 01:17 AM
Skarkowtsky
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p.1 #9 · Mmm! Mmm! Nestle!


Thanks, Doug. It took about 5 hours to style. I actually just tightened a bit, to remove unnecessary distractions. I think this tells a better story.



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Feb 19, 2012 at 01:33 AM
Gregstx
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p.1 #10 · Mmm! Mmm! Nestle!


I really like this. It made me want to make some hot chocolate for myself. I know you said it took you 5 hours to style. For me, that would mean getting something that I thought looked good. Take a handfull of shots, usually with slightly different settings. Then go view them on my monitor. Typically, I will find something I want to change. Rinse, repeat, until I have taken a pretty large quantity of pics. Out of curiosity, how many shots did you take before you were satisfied?


Feb 19, 2012 at 02:54 AM
 

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Skarkowtsky
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p.1 #11 · Mmm! Mmm! Nestle!


The composition for this one didn't change much. This was the 6th camera angle, over about 35 photos getting reflections and fill light just right).

The styling of the beans, placement of all the chocolate, etc., and the lighting ratios WITHOUT distracting glares, flares, etc. is what takes time.

I shoot tethered, without a card. So, I see each shot as it comes in on my display.


Feb 19, 2012 at 03:01 AM
Paul Roberts
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p.1 #12 · Mmm! Mmm! Nestle!


Nothing is telling me the chocolate is hot. It actually looks cold. You might try microwaving to produce some steam, with melting marshmallows...


Feb 19, 2012 at 03:04 AM
Skarkowtsky
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p.1 #13 · Mmm! Mmm! Nestle!


It was actually piping hot, fresh poured. I had to go from a mug, to a pitcher with a spout to the pictured mug. Although this only took about a minute or so, I guess it lost smoke quickly thereafter. I hadn't noticed.

Thanks!


Feb 19, 2012 at 03:05 AM
cgardner
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p.1 #14 · Mmm! Mmm! Nestle!


Yeah, I'm missing the steam too. A small piece of dry ice would work nicely for that.

A direct, more collimated "kicker light from the left rear to add some specular highlight to the nuts and separate the the objects from the background would help also I think as seen below in a four-light exercise I did on my site:

Key, Fill, Background lights..


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Accent from back left added..


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Feb 19, 2012 at 08:34 PM
Skarkowtsky
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p.1 #15 · Mmm! Mmm! Nestle!


Thanks, Chuck. That's a nice example you posted. I really wanted supporting elements to recess into a black void this time around. It took a lot to do so!


Feb 19, 2012 at 08:36 PM
AuntiPode
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p.1 #16 · Mmm! Mmm! Nestle!


So that I can view the color correctly, what's the color space?


Feb 20, 2012 at 02:42 AM
AuntiPode
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p.1 #17 · Mmm! Mmm! Nestle!


Taking a guess at Adobe RGB 1998 color space, yes some steam, even poor PP steam, would help.









Feb 20, 2012 at 02:51 AM
Skarkowtsky
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p.1 #18 · Mmm! Mmm! Nestle!


Adobe 1998, yes. The tones you shifted to are what they are on my display, though the hosting site I used to post here shifted them cooler.

Thanks for the input, Auntie.


Feb 20, 2012 at 04:34 AM
AuntiPode
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p.1 #19 · Mmm! Mmm! Nestle!


Actually, I didn't shift anything. I just converted the color space to sRGB and included it in the jpeg. With the color space info it *ought* to display properly on any color managed display.


Feb 20, 2012 at 05:50 AM
Skarkowtsky
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p.1 #20 · Mmm! Mmm! Nestle!


Perhaps it was my hosting site. My display is calibrated, my camera and C1 are set for 1998, and this jpg is sRgb.


Feb 20, 2012 at 01:05 PM
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