Evaluation-Capture the Cup.

For this coursework we had to enter a competition. The competition was to take a photograph of a paper cup. We only had two day in which to complete it. I liked how my images turned out and feel that they could have not turned out better.

 We also had to do a blog instead of a sketchbook. I liked using the blog and felt it was easier then a book. I think I could have handled my time better as I found it difficult to complete everything and feel there are bits missing from my work. I have enjoyed this project and would like to do something like this again but with more time to plan. 

Final Image 3

This is my third final image. I choose this one because I like how it looks like she is drinking from the cup. I also like how the cup reflects the light and shines in her face. I also like her expression, she looks like she is enjoying her drink. To edit it i used the spot healing brush to get rid of any imperfection from her face. I also changed to levels to make it a little brighter.

Final Image 2

This is my second final image. I liked this image the best out of my three final images. I like this one because you focus on the cup. I also like it because the clouds make it look like there is steam coming out from the cup. I edited it by changing the levels.

Final Image 1

I choose this image as one of my final images because I like how the cup fills most of the page. It draws you attention straight towards the cup. I also like the colours in the background. The clouds in the background look like there is steam coming from the cup.

I thought that the image looked a bit dark. So I used PhotoShop.  I selected the whole image, and went into levels to make it brighter. It made the image look more inviting and happier, where as before I think it looked a little sinister. I then selected the bottom of the image where it was a little dark where the bench was. I changed the levels on them to make it lighter. Again it put more detail in the picture and make it look better.

I  am happy with how this image has turned out and think that it looks a lot better once I had adjusted the levels.

Photoshoot 2

I took these images at home. I got a black towel and made it into a mini studio.  I them made some coffee to put into a cup. I only put a bit of milk in so that the cup would produce steam.  I tried to turn out all the light and only use flash from the camera so that the steam was captured. I also use lighting from my kitchen lights so that it was not as dark.

With this image I think that it doesn’t work because the flash from the camera reflects off the cup. I think that this spoils the image

This is one of the only images I liked from this set. But it turned out blurred so I cant use it. I liked it because you could see the coffee In the cup, you could also see what it said on the cup clearly. I also liked the shadow on the left side of the cup. 

I don’t like these two images because when I look at them I feel that the cups look abnormal. I do like in the first one how you can see the steam coming off it, but I feel its not a good photograph. 

With these four images I really disliked the lighting. I think it gives the cups a warming look, but I don’t like the orange glow coming from them. I also think that it makes the images a little blurred. In the third image you can also see the shadow from the camera, I saw this and made sure you could not see it in the next shot. 

Photoshoot.

I took these photographs around Burton in the day. The sky was blue so there was good light. I am happy with these photographs as I had nice backgrounds and it was colourful.

I liked this image but when I look at it I feel that it is not straight, and I also think that the picture would have been better without the table in the image.

I feel that this image focused more on the person then the actual cup. You have to look at the image for a while before you see that she is actually holding a cup. 

When taking this picture I thought it would look good, but after seeing it on a computer I can see that it would not be a suitable image. I liked that you could see she is drinking from the cup on the swings, but I feel that what is happening in the background spoils it. You can see that the cup is empty and that he is only messing about.

I liked these images at first. But after looking at them I can see that the wall takes your attention away from the cup when you first look at it. Also because of where the cup is it could be seen as littering if it was left there. 

Research- Irving Penn.

Irving Penn:

Irving Penn is a photographer who was born in America. He is well know for his still life images.  He has worked in magazines such as Vogue. His images are known for how he displays his images as very simplistic, only using plain coloured backgrounds.

One of his images that I like by him is called “After-Dinner Games.” the image is very colourful and only uses a white background. Because of the white background it makes your eyes draw directly into the centre of the image. As you look closer you see that the white background is actually dirty and that makes the image have more character. I think that this image is useful to me because I want to use a simple background that draws your attention only towards the cup and the contains of it.

Another image that I like is called “Still life with Watermelon.” this image again only uses a simple white background. But the fruit has been arrange to look like another image. On closer inspection you see that the fruit starts to resemble a face. I think this image will be useful to me because I would like to arrange the cups to look like something else while still showing that they are cups.

Research about Huhtamaki.

Huhtamaki is a foodservice packaging manufacturer. They started in 1920 and have been going for 90 years this year. For there 90th anniversary they are running there Capture the cup photography competition once again.

Huhtamaki is a finnish company. it produces products such as cups, plates, flexible packaging, molded fillers, films and plastics. It is one of the main companies that produces disposable items. We use disposable items a lot but we never think about where they come from. We also have to think about how to present the cups so that they look tempting and creative. The cups we have been given are made out of paper and come in various sizes and designs. They also come in difference colours such as black and white.

Ideas for Capture A Cup Competition.

First Idea: Black background, steaming hot drink with black and white lids scattered around.

I will get a black cloth and make a black background with it, I will then make a hot drink and take pictures of it in the dark with a flash as to try and catch the steam coming off the hot drink.

Second Idea: white background, arrange the lids and cups into a sculpture. 


I will make a white background, I will then place the cups and lids that I have into a sculpture. The sculpture might be just a load of cups stacked up or lids scattered around with the cups stacked up together.

Third Idea:  Upside down cup with sugar lumps and spoons by the side of it.


I will get a cup and place it upside down, I will then get some brown and white sugar cubes and place them around and on the top of the cup. I will then also get some spoons and place them around the cup and maybe balance one so that it is resting against the cup.

Forth Idea:  Cup with hot chocolate whipped cream with a chocolate stick.


I will make a hot chocolate then put whipped cream and a chocolate stick into it. I will do this to make it tempting to the viewer so that they would want to buy it.

Fifth Idea:  Put a hot drink inside my freezer shelf.  



I will make a hot drink then clear out a shelf in my freezer, I will do this so that the cold will make the steam more visible and also because the ice will also be visible and will make the drink look warming. The freezer is also white so it would have a white background. 

Capture A Cup - Introduction

For this project we are entering into a competition. The competition is taking some photographs of a cup for a foodservice packaging manufacturer called Huhtamaki. The picture should help promote the cups for selling.  The images should be creative and imaginative. We have 2 days in which we have to set up and take the photographs. First place will win £500, then 2 runners up will get £250.

We have been given paper cups in which we can use as props. We will also be using a blog to recored our progress instead of using a sketchbook. We have until the 1st of November to enter our pictures. We will then be told by the 15th of November if our pictures have been chosen as winners or not.

We have to send our pictures to capturethecup@rlptltd.com.