Cowboy hat

[cbmrj777]

Camera: Fujifilm FinePix S5200
Exposure: 0.077 sec (1/13)
Aperture: f/3.5
Focal Length: 21.6 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0/100 EV
Flash: Flash fired

Taken with my S5200 on macro. Used the flash with a burgandy book held over the flash. (w/o flash it came out too dark, with flash but nothing over, the hat was washed out) Only other lighting is diffused lighting from my living room window.

On my coffee table with a black piece of fabric over the couch in the background. FWIW, I don't have any special lenses or lighting equipment. Just the S5200 camera.

Only post processing was a bit of adjustment for color balance (it had a slight blue cast) and a tad lighting up.

Is the composition ok? Color, lighting? I the horizontal line of the table too distracting? What, if anything, could I do to make this a better photo?

TIA!

[taykuyphotoart]

The image seems to lack anything particularly visually interesting. The hat still appears to be slightly washed out, maybe try another lighting method. I would say the composition of the photo is slightly boring, as a stand alone photo. If it was an advertisement or an acompaniment to some other sort of copy, it may work. I think the hard line of the table breaks the image into two unneccesary and uninteresting divisions. Perhaps an all black background, or at least something that is not so distracting, would make this an excellent shot.

[cbmrj777]

Thanks for your opinion. I'm having trouble composing this hat. It's frightening cold outside and I can't seem to find any setup interesting inside the house...

[Nicole]

Have you tried shooting from different angles? More from above, more from below? Just to try to get a different perspective on it? Focus on the shapes, curves, angles and shadows and see if that makes a difference. Since your subject isn't moving you may want to try a tripod and longer exposure rather than the flash since you said you had problems with the flash washing the hat out. I wouldn't mind the line created by the table if it were kind of more abstract maybe because then it would be yet another part of the pattern of colours, etc.

[clockdoc]

How close were you to your subject? As I understand your camera, you can get about 4 inches away in the wide angle end and about 3 feet in the telephoto focal length. My suggestion would be to set it to wide angle and move in as close as the lens will allow you to focus. Once you are familiar with its limitations, start shooting anything of interest to learn how shallow depth of field is in close-up photography. When you feel comfortable from 4 inches away then use the telephoto end of the focal length (or any focal length in between) to see what that gives you. Use a tripod if necessary and shoot lots of images if using autofocus as many cameras never focus in exactly the same place each time, particuarly if hand-held.

[jiminyClickit]

cbmrj777,

Hatrack? Wallhook? On the horn of a saddle? That might be cliche, but it does give the hat a home. Might even add interest.