Playing around with some fruit

[Clix Pix]

[Clix Pix]

[thedude110]

Not knowing anything about photography, but a little about my own perceptions of beauty, I think your pics are beautiful. A wondeful evocation -- of smoothness and of individuality (read: eros).

I like the detail in the first pic better, though I lose the sense of the "crush of the individual" that's so prevalent in the second pic (I don't know how to explain what I mean -- just the overwhelming sense of the individuality of everything -- of an encounter with the infinite, Emmanuel Levinas would say).

What's the surface in the second pic?

[Clix Pix]

Originally Posted by thedude110

Not knowing anything about photography, but a little about my own perceptions of beauty, I think your pics are beautiful. A wondeful evocation -- of smoothness and of individuality (read: eros).

I like the detail in the second pic better, though I lose the sense of the "crush of the individual" that's so prevalent in the first pic (I don't know how to explain what I mean -- just the overwhelming sense of the individuality of everything -- of an encounter with the infinite, Emmanuel Levinas would say).

What's the surface in the first pic?

Why, thank you!

In the first image the two pieces of fruit were positioned on a long piece of white paper which was serving as both backdrop and resting surface for them. The same two pieces of fruit were later positioned on top of a glass brick, adding an interesting element overall, with again the white paper serving as backdrop. The positioning of both pieces of fruit was deliberate in an attempt to create a different impact on the viewer. And, yes, that first image can be looked at in ways which can open up a viewer's imagination....

When I saw this fruit in the store I was immediately captivated by the shape, the color and the smoothness....

[marchcapital]

i do a little photography myself, and the second shot u posted is incredible!

your talented.

what camera did you use?

[Lau]

Love the first one - the shapes and colour are great.

(Was wondering what I'd find when I clicked on the thread title! )

[devilot]

I prefer the first one... they're kissing!

[jsw]

Originally Posted by devilot

I prefer the first one... they're kissing!

Well, that's one interpretation....

I love the pics as well, BTW. Excellent composition. Not a photography person myself, so "composition" might be the wrong word, but I like everything about the shots - the objects, their orientation, the backgrounds. Well done!

[Clix Pix]

Originally Posted by marchcapital

i do a little photography myself, and the second shot u posted is incredible!

your talented.

what camera did you use?

Thank you! Camera is the Nikon D200 with a 105mm Macro lens, mounted on a tripod. The two pieces of fruit are yellow plums, and they were positioned on top of a glass brick. Lighting was from a Lowel Ego positioned on one side and a white reflector on the other side, with plain white paper serving as backdrop. All of this was set up on the dining table.

[Clix Pix]

Originally Posted by devilot

I prefer the first one... they're kissing!

Aren't they sweeeet?!

When in front of a camera's lens fruits and vegetables can definitely take on a life and personality of their own and can be downright erotic.
...
Thanks, Lau! When I saw these yellow plums in the grocery store they immediately intrigued me and I knew I wanted to experiment with them. I buy fruit for its photographic possibilities rather than to bother eating it! One day I was in there carefully picking out lemons and the guy in the produce department kept insisting that I could get a WHOLE BAG for just "x" amount rather than selecting a few individually for that same cost. I decided not to confuse him by telling him that I was interested in them only for their photographic qualities and therefore they must be beautiful and perfect rather than simply edible. Quality vs quantity, doncha know...

Inspired by iCloud's lemons a few weeks ago, I've been enjoying getting back into tabletop photography, which I hadn't done in a long time.

Heh, yeah, probably should've been careful with my subject heading for the thread!

...
JSW: yes, "composition" is the right word. It is a critical element in a photograph and can make a huge difference. Everything else comes into play as well: color, contrast, emphasis on one thing as opposed to another, etc. Unlike many people on MR I'm not an artist nor especially creative, but I do like experimenting to see what I can do with a camera.

[annk]

These are beautiful! Using the glass brick was ingenious, it looks like ice, or water, or...

Beautiful!

[Clix Pix]

Originally Posted by annk

These are beautiful! Using the glass brick was ingenious, it looks like ice, or water, or...

Beautiful!

Thanks, Ann!

I like experimenting to see what I can do with a subject to make it a little different...

[kjs862]

What where your focal lengths for the two shots ?

Were they shots with a macro lens?

Ken

[Clix Pix]

Originally Posted by kjs862

What where your focal lengths for the two shots ?

Were they shots with a macro lens?

Ken

Yes, they were shot with the Nikon D200 and the Nikon 105mm Micro (Macro) f/2.8 lens. Don't have the exif info handy but I had the camera on the tripod and I think it was at around f/22.....

[kjs862]

Originally Posted by Clix Pix

Yes, they were shot with the Nikon D200 and the Nikon 105mm Micro (Macro) f/2.8 lens. Don't have the exif info handy but I had the camera on the tripod and I think it was at around f/22.....

Very nice, I heard that Nikon is coming out with a new 105 maco with VR.

[Clix Pix]

Originally Posted by kjs862

Very nice, I heard that Nikon is coming out with a new 105 maco with VR.

Thanks! Yes, it should be available in stores in April, I think. Sounds as though it would be really great for those shots where a tripod just isn't feasible. Most good macro photography is done with the camera on tripod but there situations where you just can't use a tripod and have to hand-hold. More than likely that shot isn't going to come as crisp and sharp as one that was done with the camera stabilized on a tripod. It will be really interesting to see comments and reviews when this lens is in the hands of photographers.