Hot Tea

Any suggestions to make it better greatly appreciated.

i'd like to see the "tea" and the steam

Is that a pepper? I'm not sure I would have used a pepper with tea. I like the color it adds, but I can't help but wonder if a lemon wedge/slice wouldn't be better. Just a thought.

I also agree I would like to see some steam....maybe even the tea as well.

I like the idea, and I get it, and it's a pretty good shot too!
(I LOVE the background!)

Personally, it needs a white bounce card on the right hand side to give the highlight shape it needs to help the shadows.

Your specular highlights could use some help, you could either reshoot it, or fix it it with a contrast move in your imaging editor.

As far as the steam goes, it's a hard thing to accomplish, maybe not for some, but pros that do this go to great lengths to get it right.
I've never done it myself, but I have seen that they use 'stuff' on the backside of the cup to give it a steam look, 'real steam' doesn't photograph very well, but smoke can look fake.
Maybe do a search on "How to photograph steam"... Like here... STEAM
(Most food stuff is not what you really see, it's faked a LOT! heheh)

It's a good shot though, and I was not nit-picking, I was just trying to help out some...

Randy

ccc_javier wrote in post #11674612
i'd like to see the "tea" and the steam

TGrundvig wrote in post #11674635
Is that a pepper? I'm not sure I would have used a pepper with tea. I like the color it adds, but I can't help but wonder if a lemon wedge/slice wouldn't be better. Just a thought.

I also agree I would like to see some steam....maybe even the tea as well.

Thanks for the input, I will have to give this another go.
Not sure when I will get time, but stepping away from the image I think you two are spot on with your judgements.
Looking at it now I think it looks a bit two dimensional.

recrisp wrote in post #11675873
I like the idea, and I get it, and it's a pretty good shot too!
(I LOVE the background!)

Personally, it needs a white bounce card on the right hand side to give the highlight shape it needs to help the shadows.

Your specular highlights could use some help, you could either reshoot it, or fix it it with a contrast move in your imaging editor.

As far as the steam goes, it's a hard thing to accomplish, maybe not for some, but pros that do this go to great lengths to get it right.
I've never done it myself, but I have seen that they use 'stuff' on the backside of the cup to give it a steam look, 'real steam' doesn't photograph very well, but smoke can look fake.
Maybe do a search on "How to photograph steam"... Like here... STEAM
(Most food stuff is not what you really see, it's faked a LOT! heheh)

It's a good shot though, and I was not nit-picking, I was just trying to help out some...

Randy

Thanks Randy,
I appreciate you taking the time to give me advice.
It looks as though I will have to do a bit of research on photographing steam. It should be fairly easy to bounce light back in as you have suggested.
Once again, thanks!