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Gumdrops Keep Falling On My Head
Gumdrops Keep Falling On My Head
CNovack


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study 2007-08 (Expert Editing)
Camera: Olympus C-8080
Date: Aug 30, 2007
Aperture: 3.2
ISO: 50
Shutter: 1/500
Galleries: Emotive, Portraiture
Date Uploaded: Aug 31, 2007

 466157.jpg

I wanted a to capture a joyful 1940's kind of classic mood and feel - only in full color. This is a play on the song "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" (thanks to my husband's suggestion). Hmmm, I seem to have a thing going for umbrellas don't I (This one will be the 4th).

I am a major perfectionist.
I did 7 photo shoots over the course of a week JUST to try to get the lighting and the mood right. The grand total of photos taken just to get this one: 253. That said I still had to do touch-up work on this photo to get the final result.

I finally decided to move away from a stark white backdrop that I had in the first 5 photo shoots because my style might be recognized so I decided to move the shoot outdoors to get some blue sky and clouds.

I have got to say I NEVER again want to wear that much make-up, sweat this much out in the hot sun or the garage, or use several sewing needles to thread the gumdrops on a line. And of course Mother Nature never cooperates as I had a devil of a time with tangled lines because of the high winds that would blow up from time to time....not to mention that I had to put plastic bags to protect the candy from ants the night before the photo shoot.

Statistics
Place: 332 out of 503
Avg (all users): 5.5226
Avg (commenters): 6.1667
Avg (participants): 5.5439
Avg (non-participants): 5.4634
Views since voting: 2247
Views during voting: 245
Votes: 155
Comments: 9
Favorites: 1 (view)

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AuthorThread
 09/08/2007 12:49:02 PM
Yes, the dotted pattern of the umbrella was the wrong choice; and though it would have been a real pain, another hundred or so gumdrops would have looked much better ;-Þ but overall, a fun shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/08/2007 08:35:19 AM
My 2 cents not worth anything at the rate the USD exchanges on the world currency markets these days: The polka dot pattern of the umbrella distracts a little and camouflages the "drops." Perhaps a simple coloured umbrella might have been better? The metaphor is a bit off kilter in that nothing falls on ones head if an umbrella is deployed. If the umbrella was held off to one side thereby allowing the drops to fall on the head, then that might have been better. Fiction or nonfiction a certain realism is necessitated. I think the cropping is a bit tight - but then again.... and the background might have been better as an out of focus street with a vanishing point... but that relates to composition and I am stepping out of bounds by making any comments on that...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
09/07/2007 01:26:32 PM
It's good, but I have to ask myself why they are falling from the umbrella and not the sky.

I know the practical reason, but often in shots like these, it's that kind of logical disconnect that mars the photo far more than the unreality of the original idea.

It's still refreshing enough for many points.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/06/2007 07:34:07 PM
A very pretty picture and your model has a lovely smile. Great title as well! 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/05/2007 03:34:01 PM
Fun shot. made me smile!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/04/2007 07:36:15 PM
fantastic Idea, the sky is a bit odd how it changes colour, but nice overall shot
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/04/2007 08:38:39 AM
Would be neat to have some colored circles on the umbrella to show where they are coming from.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/02/2007 07:34:27 PM
The gumdrops should be outside the umbrella, not underneath.
 09/01/2007 07:40:53 PM
REminds me of that Barney song... if all the raindrops were lemondrops and gumdrops... oh what the world it would be!

Good detail on the face, too. A little off hue (sky turned pinkish in the lower part) but not too distracting. The gumdrops - especially the ones that overlap with the umbrella - do not appear too real, which IS distracting.

Good luck!
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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