Pitfalls ....

Great light, great shadow, great texture. Fun pic!

Ken, original subject...but its a pity that the egg is so overexposed...

Thanks D - fun is the main thing ...

 

I agree Josep ....... I bracketed but the other is too dark. I may re-shoot it today. And this is a Rat trap vs. a mouse trap - must be careful not to loose my fingers ..... (-;

 

Thought it would be fun to share in spite of this ..... Uploaded a B&W version too .... Thanks for taking the time.

I like the hard light/contrast.

jealous? protects your toes

Yes ....... (-;

 

I like this one more than a b/w, because of the red "V". Probably b/w with only this red detail will be striking.

Keep it up!

Ken always keeps it up..

 

About the overexposed egg - is it really overexposed on the original? or is it the downsize and compression?

I believe it is the slide Michael. I might be able to improve it some with a re-scan but ...... I need to fix it (re-shoot it). Evgeni has a good idea about de-saturating all but the red - thanks. The colors and the detail in the trap are what I like about this version ................... I re-shot this today using daylight thru an open window. We'll see how those turn out. If anyone has a Photoshop solution to improving this particular image - I'll buy the Pizza ....... (-;

Ken, you are murderous, but somebody has to inspire the chicken-egg version of "Mack the Knife."

 

Great work as usual.

Look..don't get nervous or nuts here, but I have no wise assed remarks with respect to this image. Is is really so very well seen, composed and lit. Most of your stuff is, but this one is truly exceptional my friend. Wonderful shapes and textures..lots of crazy lines that all come together beautifully. Just great. I love this.

Ken, I first thought the egg wasn't overexposed and it was asking a bit much to see its surface texture, then I realized on seeing the end of the trap that it's indeed too bright (can't discern the end-grain). Maybe a software blend of your two bracketed shots will do the trick.

Thanks to the Lou-ster (who finally posted another image - thank you) ...... And thanks to Lannie for ........... just being himself.

 

Always the biggest hurdle shooting egggs Michael ..... balancing the proper exposure for a 'white' object with the rest of the scene. Even among bracketed slides, the selection among the 3 choices is often a compromise - proper exposure for the eggg = loss of detail in the shadows .... proper exposure for the 'set-up' = over exposure for the white eggg ............... But this is my problem and I still have a ways to go before getting the 'formula' down for every circumstance. This shot was taken last December with the other similar shots. Since then, I've been trying some new things to better control this 'exposure' problem - using layers of window screen in front of the flash, as suggested by Bob Hixon, for one. And a homemade soft box made from a styrofoam ice chest wrapped in black construction paper and sealed with black duct tape (!!??) .... Geeez, I sound like the Jed Clampett of studio photography .... sighhh.

 

Blending the 2 occured to me but I wouldn't know where to begin in PS to do that ...... sighhh - again.

Finally!

Sol ............ Igor - I deliberately try to space them out . And give you guys a much deserved break - thanks ........ (-;

With regard to the washed out egg..looks like jpeg compression to me. I would guess the original uncompressed image has just enough detail in the egg so as to make the image "work".

But if not..I know how to do it but it will cost you big man. BIG!

why does it have to be a white egg? is the base the curio box?

 

 

 

Oh, and when I leave this world, I want to come back as Knicki's dog!

Lol @ Lou -- woof.

 

Good point knicki - why does it have to be a white eggg - just because it's there ? ..... Brown would certainly be an easier exposure to blend with its surroundings much of the time ....... base is a curio box - yes.

 

I checked my mail and Lou sent me a doctored up version that looks like it has ........ been worked on ... sol

I hope the doctored version didnt include my dog.

 

lots and lots of different eggs to choose from these days. auracana/americanas (geez forgot my chicken breeds) lay a light blue/green tinted egg.

I agree -- Lou move away from the dog ....

 

Wonder if they make an Egggscyclepedia which shows all the varieties .... hmmmm

I think the criticism of chicken embryo in this shot is eggsagerated! I love the range of contrasts presented and really feel the burnout of the end of the board and the embryo only enhances it. To me it's the angle of light and if it was any higher ...sure, it would pull the detail out in the highlights but then the beauty of the lighting of the top of the trap , the spring , the Vee and the the trigger would all be reduced. This is eggsactly the type of shot I wish I was creative enough to set up!

Way to go Ken!

Exactly right Jay, about the angle of the light - very good - thanks ...

Hi Ken. I certainly hope that after you shot this, you were able to snatch the egg from the jaws of Victory. :-)

 

What I like most about the design aspect is the repetitive elongated triangles, each emphasizing the danger of the predicament.....