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Posted on 30/05/05 10:18:46 PM |
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hipchick
* Posts: 5 Reply  |
Need feedback and advice on my image
Hello all, I'm new here, but have the book (which I love btw). I'm self taught so I have no formal training and lack the basic knowlege about lighting, shadows etc. Could you please give me an honest critic of this pic that I did. Something is off, but I can't figure out what it is. Comments most appreciated.  |
Posted on 31/05/05 01:29:23 AM |
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Glen
Montage Maestro Posts: 282 Reply  |
Re: Need feedback and advice on my image
Hi Kathy and welcome nice image but "something is off" I reckon you're right there. It's all in the lighting and shadows for me. start at the back of the image with the bases of the pillars. they are lit from the left but from no light source to light them and also have no shadows which would fall to the right if lit from that direction. Speaking of shadows - (which all fall to the left and are long indicating a light source from low down just in front of the guy on the floors hand) well they are not touching the figures in the picture which shadows are supposed to do. Unless they are very naughty shadows ! The hat shadow would be closer to the hat as it's lower to the floor (and the light source) and the guy lying on the floor would have a shadow from where he touches the floor - this would extend from his near elbow across his back and past the other elbow - which also means that his left arm would be in shadow or at least some of it. (don't forget under his leg too) the standing figures need to have a shadow that falls behind them from where they touch the floor and maybe they would be further up the wall and not so well defined So, not a lot to fix really ! you did ask for an honest crit, hope you feel this was one - feel like I've gabbled on, any further explanation feel free to PM me look forward to seeing the updated image cheers Glen _________________ most of the lack of sunshine in our lives is caused by us standing in our own shadow |
Posted on 31/05/05 08:37:46 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7000 Reply  |
Re: Need feedback and advice on my image
hipchick, Welcome to the forum! It's a great image - Poser, I assume - and there's a real sense of drama here. I agree entirely with Glen's assessment: the problem is entirely in the shadows. Look at the guy on the floor: his left elbow's touching the floor, so the shadow from that elbow needs to be touching the point where the elbow rests on the floor. Yours starts three feet away! If the shadows are all generated in Poser as well, either upgrade to Poser 6 (which allows shadows to be generated independently) or forget the shadows and paint them in later, in Photoshop. I'd also be tempted to paint in some overall shadow around the walls at the edges, to focus attention more on the action. I'm also bothered by that font/table/whatever, bottom right. It's always good to place an object close to the viewer in this way to establish perpsective, but this thing looks out of alignment with the rest of the room. Free Transform to the rescue! Steve |
Posted on 01/06/05 05:34:12 AM |
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hipchick
* Posts: 5 Reply |
Re: Need feedback and advice on my image
Hi guys, Thank you for the honest feedback, it's most appreciated. I went ahead and made changes to the shadows. What do you guys think?  |
Posted on 01/06/05 05:37:51 AM |
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hipchick
* Posts: 5 Reply |
Re: Need feedback and advice on my image
Oh and Steve, yes I used poser, poser 5 don't have 6 yet. I rendered the background/villa with shadows in poser and then rendered each figure individually with no shadows. As for the thing on the right, it was a fountain, that I threw in there (the side of a foutain) cause I couldn't figure out what was off, I figured if I threw in the kitchen sink then no body would notice that something was off with the image  lol |
Posted on 01/06/05 08:57:36 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7000 Reply |
Re: Need feedback and advice on my image
A great improvement! Those shadows are looking much better. Time for a little tweaking, now: the shadow of the guy on the floor's right foot should be beneath his foot, and I'd paint in a little shading under his right arm to make it sit on the floor better. Biggest problem is with the shadow on the wall, which carries on as if it's lying on the floor. Shadows on the wall need to go up the wall! It's a vertical surface, so needs a vertical shadow. Also, I'm still very tempted to add some general shading around the edges, to focus attention onto the action. With lighting as dramatic as this, you can afford to make it more dramatic still. The image is better without the fountain, but now seems to lack something in the bottom right corner. Perhaps an unobtrusive item, like a carpet? Here's my take on this one. By the way - I appreciate the need for security, but why are there bars on the paintings? 
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Posted on 02/06/05 11:35:20 PM |
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hipchick
* Posts: 5 Reply |
Re: Need feedback and advice on my image
Steve, you're right, it looks way better. I went back and reread chapter 5 "shadows on the wall" and "shadows on the ground"
As for the bars, unfortunately they came with the 3d prop. Thank you so much for your help and feedback. |
Posted on 03/06/05 07:48:49 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7000 Reply |
Re: Need feedback and advice on my image
You're welcome! We should talk about repurposing one of your pictures as a Friday Challenge - could make a good tutorial subject, don't you think? Steve |
Posted on 04/06/05 04:02:58 AM |
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hipchick
* Posts: 5 Reply |
Re: Need feedback and advice on my image
Yes, I think it would. Tell me what kind of pic and I'll render. |