Dead Time

[Wirefox]

I was taken with Steve's (Ariths) thread on photographing shiny objects so I thought I would have a go at this very shiny object. A bit stock I'm afraid. But something does not sit right with me on these. I suspect a a little too much USM any suggestions?

[arith]

Yet another set of brilliant shots; I would find it difficult to make any of them better. The top one is my favourite and I like extremes of exposure but to make the document darker on a gradient and the watch bigger wouldn't actually be better, just what I would think to do, maybe. I like them all.

[carregwen]

Love #1. Excellent composition and arrangement of objects. I like your Smugmug images - very good.

[Donald]

Steve
I go with Arith and Rob and put #1 at the top of the list.

...something does not sit right with me on these. I suspect a little too much USM ...

I don't think so. Or .. I can't see it anyway.

The gold is not so stark (or, in-your-face') in #1 and putting it alongside the old journal entries is inspired.

[pwnage101]

The only problem I see is focus in the first image. I think the camera was focused on the cover in the back rather than the intricate gears in the center front. I also think there should be more lighting in the first image to bring out the detail and make the watch glow, as in the other images. Other than that, wonderfully done!

[Radu Dinu Cordeanu]

Hi,
You know,there is "American English","Canadian" one,Australian one...and "My"one.In mine, first meaning of "dead time" could be the time is not alive.Is that the meaning of this shot?I ask You because the word "dead" has many meanings ie "dead line" which euphemisticaly speaking could have the same meaning and so on.
Thank You.
Radu Dinu

[Dave Humphries]

The only problem I see is focus in the first image. I think the camera was focused on the cover in the back rather than the intricate gears in the center front. I also think there should be more lighting in the first image to bring out the detail and make the watch glow, as in the other images. Other than that, wonderfully done!

Talking of the first shot - I basically agree with Troy, certainly about needing a little more light on "the insides". I am not so certain about the focus error though; "the insides" on the left look sharp, the ones on the right are not because they are optically* reflected, hence a little further from the lens and also slightly magnified/distorted by the curvature of the cover.

* Unlike the third shot where the left/right pair is a PP addition and the focus is clearly on the reflection anyway.

I think to match the 'golden glow' of 2nd and third shots in first would make the paper in background look horrid, unless selectively applied to the watch only. Even then it may just look too unnatural.

Good shots as usual Steve - and thanks to Arith for the inspiration.

Cheers,

[will_c]

I like #1. The paper gives it depth, which makes it visually more interesting, and some sort of context (assuming that it was chosen deliberately), which makes it more interesting generally. #1 is very nicely done, and pleasant to look at. To my mind it is better than #2 and #3, and much better than 'scrubbers', 'toothbrush' or 'scrunched-up alfoil'.

[rick55]

I agree with others about #1.

The composition of the watch with the journal, joining careful penmanship with fine craftmanship, but contrasting machinery with a handwritten journal, and contrasting the casually rumpled journal with the clean, smooth surfaces of the watch, is brilliant.

My only question would be whether you could reflect some of that handwriting in the cover to accentuate that story. I wonder if reflecting the handwriting would be more interesting than reflecting the mechanism.

Cheers,
Rick

[Wirefox]

Thank you for all your comments. These images are growing on me (but not as much as the pan scrubs and crumpled tin foil)

I can see from your comments some explanation may be needed to go with the first image. The 'dead time' is because the watch is knackered. It was raided for parts many years ago. The watch belonged to my grandfather and the papers are his grandfathers sea papers from the 1860's. They are in pretty good condition as they still reside in their original tin plated 'damp proof' case that he would have taken to sea with him. The paper documents all the ships he served on and his conduct is recorded on leaving each vessel.

This is the vertically challenged Irish gentleman himself


Rob thanks for the comment on my gallery. Nice to see you back with us.

Steve