Tabletop still life

There is much to admire about the skill it took to make this image.

I'll take it from the top... the capture itself. Anyone who has worked with food knows how fickle and unpredictable it can be, so getting something as complex as a pomegranate to behave this way took patience, skill and diligence. Secondly, the high speed time freeze is also a technically sophisticated technique that takes practice, the right equipment and the knowledge of how lighting with strobes really works.

On top of that I love the lighting technique. Moody yet still able to throw enough light on the subject to get that stop action. Really nicely done.

This image jumped out at me from my very first pass on the edit and stayed with me throughout... which is usually the sign of a great picture.

It has so many of the elements I was looking for in this contest. It has graphic presence, exquisite lighting and compositional integrity. The photographer of this image knew exactly what he or she was looking for and executed the plan perfectly. I love the use of everyday items, like the forks in this case, to form still life that can grab the viewer and make them forget about what those items are. This is a masterful image.

This image is prime example of exactly what commercial beverage photography should look like. It captures not only the product in a technically sophisticated way but also the mood and feel of what the producer wants you to feel about the product. "Drink this... we are cool, sophisticated, warm, earthy and rich." This picture says all of that.

Technically, what I saw immediately was the intentional placement of that gorgeous highlight on the left side of the bottle – expertly placed – and the soft backlight of both the bottle and the glass. The use of what I assume are synthetic ice cubes also shows a level of professionalism.

Makes me want a drink. Great shot.

There are many things about this image I like from a technical perspective. For example, in photographing a spherical object this small, the lighting needs to be so precise and expert as to not allow any of the "product" to fall away into shadow. The contrast of black and white, even though this is not technically a black and white image, is striking. The floating aspect is also essential to the composition, as when used properly a golf ball should be in flight.

Artistically, I am also drawn to this for its simplicity. The recognition of the beauty of a simple object and capturing it so well drew me in.

I saw a number of these throughout the edit and I chuckled each time I saw one. I think tabletop still life has a place for being whimsical and clever. I think this would made a perfect subject matter for a stop action film or commercial. This is fun and interesting.

From a technical perspective I think the image would benefit from a gradient light from front to back to accentuate the perspective and give the composition a more polished look. I like the soft look and shallow depth of field. These types of images, if lit and exposed a certain way can really keep the viewer guessing – ultimately, that is the point.

Nice work – keep playing with this.

James... where to start?

I have railed against watermarking images in my lectures and workshops for years now, so photographers: beware my wrath on the subject. Stop it. It does not help you and it is distracting from the imagery.

Also, the post-processing you used in this image, which really is lovely, makes it look too much like a painting, which I understand was the point but makes the images you make this way classified as "photo illustrations". This is totally fine if you are trying to do that but it better be aimed at a fine art market because these images cannot be used in an editorial or publishing application.

A really wonderful image but once we go too far in post production it can be confusing as to which art form it really is.

This image made me smile. I watched those cartoons as a kid and I enjoy the escape of the Transformers films. I think this captures a certain child-like whimsy that I think can make for fun and interesting projects.

Compositionally, the drama is there and it is aided by the use of the simple metallic, crinkled backdrop and the one directional light source. It totally captures exactly what the photographer was going for. The placement of the figures could not be better. Great story.

This image spoke to the heart of what I do every day. The ability to recognize the beauty in certain foods and objects that on their own make nothing, but their presence in a still life implies the experience of cooking, eating and creating.

The lighting and use of depth of field also adds to the ethereal quality of the objects and lends a sense of place and purpose. Nothing here is out of place.

The trick to making an image like this seem natural is the spacing and the angle you approach the subject. My focal point is clear but the ancillary objects in the frame all know their place and purpose.

I chose to speak about this image because it was so close to perfect on 3 different levels but did not quite get there.

First, lighting. I love the gradient of the lighting but I feel its a little "splotchy" or splashy. If the grades of the light moved just a little smoother from one to the next it would really jump off the screen.

Second, focus. Simply put, this needs to be sharper. Object photography on this level needs to tack sharp and this is not quite there.

Third, composition. There is too much space at the top and not enough space at the bottom of the frame. The loss of the bottom of the frame cuts off the reflection of the watch. This is a missed opportunity to make a really striking composition.

Keep working – it's sooooo close.

The difficulty of the technical aspects of making a shot like this are clearly the first and foremost part of splash capture. Then you have the skill and experience needed to photograph glassware, which is also a bear to learn and master. And lastly, the food aspect of this, which I noticed immediately.

The issues with this image begin with the fact that the fruit looks mashed and unappealing. I totally understand that in reality the fruit gets squeezed before it's dropped, but we need to operate in "hyper-reality" – the world where everything looks perfect.

The second thing is that the hot flares caused by the lighting need to be managed better. They become a distraction to the overall image.

This is a hugely ambitious shot to attempt and I commend you for the effort. Make some tweaks and practice this more and you are well on your way to this very, very specialized market.

I was drawn to this image for both the things I liked about it and the problems I see with it.

Good things first. The image is striking. I love the out of the black look and the composition. The fish looks great.

The things I find problematic are the other items on the board, but I could overlook the lack of food styling here if the lighting was right on, which it is not.

There is something about the scalloped edge of the board and the way the light plays on it that I find disconcerting. It makes me feel uneasy about looking at the image – like I'm trying to figure out where the board begins and ends.

Lighting has the power to do that to a viewer and need to be managed as such.

The ethereal quality of this image as a whole really speaks to me. I love the light-to-dark play of light. I love the macro focus and the shallow depth of field for this composition and I really love the iridescent quality of the lighting, especially considering the subject matter. It is a really well thought out and executed image.

The choice of the prop – the hammered metal plate also adds to that dream state sensibility of this image. The light play off of it really adds something to the image.