Antique still life

[dlambert]

** note: I'm not really sure if this would be considered a macro shot, so I stuck it here. If it should be moved, let me know. **

This is a large-ish bucket - the top of a stack of upside-down buckets & pails at a local historic farm. These were all piled up ready for maple syrup season to start. The composition is obviously very simple - intended to focus on the stamped logo in the pail. Post-processing is minimal - saturation is reduced, contrast + sharpening. In fact, when I started working with this set, I intended to convert to B&W, but found that I liked the photos better with a little bit of color left in them.




Questions:
* The subject is simple -- too simple?
* The subject is upside down. This is as the bucket sat, but is it disconcerting here?
* Opinions on reduced saturation vs. pure B&W -- the effect is pretty subtle in this photo -- does it work?
* Exposure -- this is a pretty natural depiction of the brightness I saw -- is it too dark?
* Since the subject (logo) is pretty simple, tone & texture are important parts of the photo -- does the (relatively) narrow DOF detract from those?
-- Any other issues?


Exif:

Canon 40D / Canon 17-85mm IS USM @ 85mm.
1/25 sec, f/5.6
ISO 200
No flash

More from this set can be seen here. Some of these show the effects of partial saturation a little better than this photo.

[docxnoel]

Originally Posted by dlambert

Questions:
* The subject is simple -- too simple?
* The subject is upside down. This is as the bucket sat, but is it disconcerting here?
* Opinions on reduced saturation vs. pure B&W -- the effect is pretty subtle in this photo -- does it work?
* Exposure -- this is a pretty natural depiction of the brightness I saw -- is it too dark?
* Since the subject (logo) is pretty simple, tone & texture are important parts of the photo -- does the (relatively) narrow DOF detract from those?
-- Any other issues?
.

* Yes, the subject is very simple, but the challenge is how to make it interesting., so you have to work for a better composition.
* For me, it is better to be in a normal position, try to reverse on post processing.
* Pretty good subtle effect but lack of detail.

This is a neat shot but honestly not an interesting one.

[jdepould]

I might go for a little bit more depth, just to try to get more of the logo in focus.

I actually like that it's upside-down. If it weren't, I don't think I'd want to spend any time with the image. I'd just be like "oh, ok" and move on.