I worked in this picture yesterday. I like it as it is, but I was wondering if you might have any suggestion to make it look better...

Thanks so much for your advice..

OK here is my suggestion, tilt the sand 10deg anticlockwise, then tilt the shell 10-15deg clockwise, I took the liberty of tilting your pic 10deg but left the shell as is, too hard :/ but you can see what I mean. Beautiful shell.
BTW did you bring home a box of Baltic Sea sand on your trip to the sea ?

I would have lowered the light source in the original shot so you would get more shadow details in the ridges in the sand.

Thanks Pat for your idea. I will try with the lines in the sand in diagonal...

No, this sand is from the lake in Nuse, 9 km from home ... and the shell I just learned they are from the Indian ocean.
I couldn't bring sand from the Baltic because G was with me and he saw the box... ... you know.... he said that it my be not allowed and some environmentalist could see me and start saying if everyone took one box of sand home... and you know... all those things... He bought me 25 kg of sand for birds, but it is a bit too pail. So I went alone to the lake one day at the time everybody sleeps the nap and brought a tupperware with this sand ....

Thanks a lot alastair, also splendid idea to get more shadow in the lines... great!!

Great concept Irma, I think definitely go with alatairs idea of creating more shadow and dynamic lighting. The light just seems a little flat in this one.

Thanks Craig...
I did it... I changed the setting to a little table and I shot from a chair. It looks promising in the LCD...
I will post it when I have it ready....

Here is another try...

Sorry for posting my tries, but lighting is difficult, do you think this looks better?

Irma: excellent retry of the lighting - works well. Is it possible to inject a bit more of the warmth of the original photo into the relit one?

I think the photo looks great as is, Irma...

Pat gave me an idea though - I saw these the other day, I think this photo would make a great candidate for pop outs:

Digital pop out:
http://labnol.blogspot.com/2007/02/conve...o-3-d.html

Physical pop out:
http://www.photojojo.com/content/diy/mak...ut-photos/

Toad is right - just needs a bit more warmth now.

much nicer Irma

Thanks so much for your ideas...

Jules you are right because of the shape of the shell, it might work in a pop out... I'll try and look for a setting.

I tried to make it warmer this time. Increased the temperature and shifted back the orange color that I had desaturated in the first retry.



Thanks again so much for your help...

Yes - that nails it IMO, Irma! Nice!

Yup this is the one to go with, the angle of the light really brings out the textures in the shell and the sand.

Irma Wrote:Thanks so much for your ideas...

Jules you are right because of the shape of the shell, it might work in a pop out... I'll try and look for a setting.

I tried to make it warmer this time. Increased the temperature and shifted back the orange color that I had desaturated in the first retry.

http://www.shuttertalk.com/forums/images...Edit-2.jpg

Thanks again so much for your help...

Beautiful Irma.

Splendid.

She sells 'seychelles' on the sea shore.

Thanks so much for your comments.... It will be in the series...

I didn't want to start another thread since I want to show you the relation I am working with this picture.

This picture was taken in the same sand and with the same concept of the shadow.



Last Saturday she saw this picture and told me she wanted to include this one in the series. Do you think this picture could work as a contrast but with the same style of these two? Should I reshoot it in warm mood/darker sand to have the three the same?



Thanks you in advance for your help and your advice ....

Irma Wrote:Here is another try...

Sorry for posting my tries, but lighting is difficult, do you think this looks better?


http://www.shuttertalk.com/forums/images...8-Edit.jpg

I love this one!

I am sorry if I am saying the obvious, but since this is about lines shapes and textures, why not BW? I am not sure color is helping, particularly if the contrast is high. Also, this may run contrary to your intent, but i would consider /or gradual darkening with a distance from the shell. This may interfere a bit with this battle of pattern idea, but it may be more effective visually - perhaps worth a try.

Take care and a happy New Year.

Pavel

I have a beautiful bw version of this one... I will find it and post it for you...

Happy New Year to you and yours, dear Pavel...