DSLR Photography Forum

It is just the preliminaries of a little project. The idea of white is because of the challenge in the lighting and also work my composition with simple objects. I pasted on them pieces of paper and painted them white...

#1
Very simple lighting and composition working my shapes and textures.




#2
Very light soft focus worked with a cokin filter and Vaseline. I like the effect because it looks to me that the different shades of white diffuse all over the frame.



#3
Here is the same effect a bit stranger and with color (clementine). I also added some vignette and color with some toning to make it more contrasting in colors.



My doubts here are about the theme... do you think it is strong enough working on white with this kind of subjects? Does it look clear my work with forms (circle, triangle, rectangle) in #1 for example? What do you think about the soft focus with Vaseline?

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and looking at my latest work...

Irma, I too am very interested in pale on pale. I find that it creates a special atmosphere and when it works it works really well. However, most of the time it works less well than expected for me. A simpler technical in-software shortcut (instead of using camera filters) is to reduce local contrast ("tonal contrast" filter in NIK is my favorite for that) and you can also add NIKs "classical soft focus" filter. I also experimented with adding a thin white or pale color layer in CS and it worked well on some photos.

For me, the bigger issue is to recognize when the photo or the subject is well suited for this treatment. So far for me, it has been a hit an miss. I posted only those photos that worked or which I thought were "near miss". I hope that nobody will ever see my true disasters.

I like #2 and #3 more than #1. On #2, I would have gone for a stronger side-lighting, having soft but more defined shadows and highlights. To me, these photos are rarely if ever about textures and I would minimize them. To me this is a study in light and shadow, and tonality and so I would go only for soft outlines of the main objects and have the shapes be defined by light and shadow.

on #3, I like how the orange "bleeds' into its surrounding - watercolor style. That is brilliant. I also love the background. For me the glass is too flat lit and the shapes too well defined and that for me spoils the effect a bit. I wonder if something smaller and paler would not work better than the orange. I would consider placing a thin white layer over it and see how it works.

Take care. I am very interested to see where you take this, so I can steal your ideas.

Pavel

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Very interesting. I need to look at these quite a bit more before critiquing.

Dear Irma, these are all creative works and so excited too for me! I just watch and share my feelings, I can't give any technical critique, I hope you can tolerate me!

In the tones of white colour you did a nice shot and especially the reflections what I loved in these first photographs, even I can say, it would be nice to see more reflections of them... But the last one, with the orange fascinated me. The orange and the background in this beautiful soft touches hit.

Your creative works, your artistic ideas are always so enjoyable and so excited. Thank you for sharing with us dear Irma,

Greetings from Istanbul,
with my love,
nia

Came back and started looking at these one by one. Stared at #1 and felt - if only this was softer focus and even more indistinct, it would be perfect - moved to #2 and there it was...

So - #2 now. Brighter exposure - reduce the grey in the photo and move to more pure white and maybe just a hint more indistinct yet. I want to have to search for the forms in the whiteness.

#3 - This is a really interesting technique that could be really easily adapted to an advertising or product shot. File this technique away in your bag of tricks for your next product client. Its a winner idea for the *right* shot.

Excellent stuff - I love to see your experimentation with forms and presentation - extremely inspiring!

Pavel...

I like very much your suggestion about working with harder light. I will try the same setup with side and lower lighting.

At the beginning my idea was to work all my pieces in white. While I was composing and taking my pictures I had the idea of making more pieces with pastel colors, maybe earthy colors with different hues to have more options.

nia,
Thanks for the support... I am happy you like them.
I have seen in some of your comments that you refer to see more of the reflection. I understand your wish of having more reflection in the picture, but sometimes I see reflections as a very slippery subject. It can give great interest and light but it also can unbalance your composition so easily. I am still learning...

Toad,

I will work again with my lights. I used the lighting for glass on white background. One light from behind the background and other one on top. I used two different white papers for this setup and I see the difference.

"I want to have to search for the forms in the whiteness."

I love this idea! The key to get it will be my lighting...

This was an effect Juergen used when he was taking pictures with film. And talking with him about this effect he told me I should experiment with focal length as well, because the effect turns different... So let's see, I will be working this weekend and if there is something worth posting I will show it ...

Thanks very much all for the great feedback and support. I am feeling much happier now that I show you my pictures...

I tried white on white a couple of years back. I used thin card and cut out shapes, triangles, oblongs, etc. curled them with a pencil and superglued them to a plain white card.
And all you see is shadows. :|
I like your idea.

That is a great idea NT. I have to try...

Thanks for your comment....