Critetiques please for "Colour Matching"

[Risacher]

Hi, I've been working on this photo for a bit and so far this is the best I've gotten. It's a theme that I feel should be able to make a nice photograph but each time I feel like it hasn't quite got what it takes. Any ideas to get my synapses going would be super helpful and fondly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

"Colour Matching"

[theantiquetiger]

First off great lighting. It took me a second to figure what color matching had to do with a violin then realized you touch up painting. To me, you missed the focal point, which should be the paint pallet (or entire image) but it is out of focus. The focus is very narrow and mostly falls on the jar. I would have narrowed the f-stop to 18 (or so), so everything would be in focus. The image is a little yellow to me (may need to slightly adjust the WB). The image is nicely composed but I would maybe try moving the brush so it is completely in the frame and not a leading line going off frame.

As for non-photography matter of the image...

The image is a little messy. I know that's what you are going for, but I feel it is too much. The paper towel maybe hurting the image more than helping it. I would add more stains to the pallet (I'm talking different shades). Too many of the pallet cups are empty (even if you fake it with BBQ sauce and water, or other shades you can make, even if you don't really have the stain)

Hope this helps!

[JAS_Photo]

I think I would like to see a little more of the violin and possibly a hand holding the brush but that part would not be necessary. That little box of paint/stains(?) is far more interesting than the jar of oil so bring that forward more as well to see if you like it.

[Marko]

Nice overall comp!

For me though - The whites (white napkin, white block, white paint holders) are stealing the show because they are reflecting too much light...
So if this were mine - I'd either work like crazy to reduce the light on the whites via lighting at the time of shooting, or by replacing those props at the time of shooting with darker ones...or painting on those props so they are darker. Adding non white paint stains as AT suggested is also a good idea imo.
hope that may help

[Risacher]

These are all really great suggestions, thank you so much. I have some more touch-ups to do next week, I'll give it another try with all of that in mind.

Believe it or not, I actually dumbed down the yellow a lot in post, it just happens to be a very yellow instrument! The next one should be a more photogenic instrument.

[Avangard Photography]

Looks great. Almost like a painting.

Thanks
Mario
Toronto Wedding Photographer