The Star Traveler: The other day I bought a plastic toy at a dollar store to use as the subject in a fun photographic fantasy project. Perhaps this image will inspire some of you to...

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

The other day I bought a plastic toy at a dollar store to use as the subject in a fun photographic fantasy project. Perhaps this image will inspire some of you to explore similar ideas.

(Download)

Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

2c4 it's a good photo and interesting idea.....after studying the image I think I would prefer the entire toy to be sharp, all a matter of taste though.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

Frank2013 wrote:

2c4 it's a good photo and interesting idea.....after studying the image I think I would prefer the entire toy to be sharp, all a matter of taste though.

Thanks for commenting, Frank.

With the primitive pocket camera I was using, getting the entire toy sharp would have been difficult. Not only was this a close-up shot, but I also had no direct control over aperture value. Cranking up ISO to maximum to force the camera to close down the aperture perhaps would have done it, but I don't think I'd be happy with all that digital noise throughout the image. And focus stacking wasn't really an option; simply not enough focusing control to pull it off successfully. Considering the limitations I was working with, I'd say the capture is just about as good as it gets.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

It looks demonic to me.

Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

I once drunk a bottle of Jack Daniels went to a night club and found a creature like your picture staring at me across my breakfast table. Thank you for the reminder of a totally wasted hedonistic youth. I love ya picture my man and another thank you for sharing it.

fuminous Loc: Luling, LA... for now...

I think it's pretty cool... my only comment is the left eye - viewer's left- needs just a little something. I get a connection with the right eye but the left doesn't quite have that sense of "life" --- The highlight is expected but maybe if it was not quite so large and a bit more transparent. It looks better in the download. Regardless-- imaginative! Good Job!

Jim-Pops Loc: Granbury, Texas

Not sure what you might do with this picture rook2c4 but after looking up the word R.G. used "demonic" I have a better idea.

I am enhancing my limited vocabulary this morning had to look up Billy's "hedonistic" also. Great words.

Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

rook2c4 wrote:

Thanks for commenting, Frank. br br With the prim... (show quote)

As I said 2c3 " good photo and interesting" I did not look at the exif so thanks for clarifying.....

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

R.G. wrote:

It looks demonic to me.

Thanks. That was what I was aiming for.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

Billyspad wrote:

I once drunk a bottle of Jack Daniels went to a night club and found a creature like your picture staring at me across my breakfast table. Thank you for the reminder of a totally wasted hedonistic youth. I love ya picture my man and another thank you for sharing it.

Too much Jack will do that to ya. Thanks for commenting, Billy.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

Frank2013 wrote:

As I said 2c3 " good photo and interesting" I did not look at the exif so thanks for clarifying.....

What you brought up was something I was certainly thinking about while setting up the shot - "how much in focus do I want, and how can I achieve it?" Even with great flexibility, it can sometimes be difficult to determine what camera setting will work best for the final image.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

fuminous wrote:

I think it's pretty cool... my only comment is the left eye - viewer's left- needs just a little something. I get a connection with the right eye but the left doesn't quite have that sense of "life" --- The highlight is expected but maybe if it was not quite so large and a bit more transparent. It looks better in the download. Regardless-- imaginative! Good Job!

I think you are correct about the left eye. Thank you for pointing it out! Essentially, I edited the eyes to appear as if they were glazed and glass-like, rather than made of lifeless toy plastic. I'm quite satisfied with how the right eye turned out, but the left eye still needs more editing work.