Is my photo sexy enough?

[praline3001]

Hey I am only doing what Windrider says to do, add a catchy title if you want people to look at your critique questions

I have been looking at this photo all evening. Half the time I love it. The other half I think its too dark. I wanted a mysterious, sexy boudoir look. I wanted a bit of mystery ... whats going on BACK THERE ...
behind the bowl...
in the dark.

One of those imagination kind of things. Every time I tried making it lighter in photoshop, I always come back to the original. I decide I like it dark. Twenty minutes later I am back playing with it trying to add more light. I wanted it dark, sexy and with a lot of feminine mystery to it. Then I start second guessing myself. More then anything I am learning to be friends with my camera. I am learning what I can do and what I can't. I really think this is the first step in mastering photography, knowing your limitations and then how to break them. I turned out all the lights in the house and only used 3 small tea lights. I then used an extremely long shutter speed. I think at one point I went and fixed me something to drink while the shutter was doing its thing. I did not use any filters for the coloring. Everything is maroon/purple/lavender without using filters.

So lets hear it. Does the extremely low lighting fit for this photo? Would you have added more light? I think its too dark but for some reason I can't explain... I like it that way. I am just not sure if others will too or if I am just a freak.



Camera Canon EOS REBEL T3i
Exposure 20
Aperture f/13.0
ISO Speed 100
Lens EF-S60mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Obviously the flash did not fire

[Weird Girl]

I like it and think you can keep the mystery by keeping the background dark but maybe try adding some light onto the beads. I think the xmas light looking lights are a little distracting because they are the brightest thing in the image... maybe try shooting without them or look into doing a bokeh effect with them... play around and see what you come up with- would love to see more!

[praline3001]

I tried re shooting it last night while it was sill dark out. I added a candle to the far back, I turned the beads to the side more ... I tried everything I could think of to give it more depth. Nothing made me happy... and I have like 100 shots of this bowl that I do not like LOL

I am going to leave this photo "as is" and stop driving myself nuts over it. Its just a photo of me practicing with candles and long exposure. I am going to come up with a different subject to try.