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Harvest
Harvest
Techo


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study XIV (Advanced Editing IV)
Camera: Canon EOS-20D
Lens: Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro
Location: Kitchen Table
Date: Oct 23, 2006
Aperture: F4
ISO: 400
Shutter: 1/40
Galleries: Still Life, Food and Drink
Date Uploaded: Oct 31, 2006

 Thanks for all the faves and commments everyone :)

Wasn't sure how you folks like this kind of still life. I'm very happy with the result of the shoot and glad you like it too.

No fancy lighting setup here , and the fact I don't own any yet, not even an external flash but anyhow... everything used here you can find around the house.

PS work: Cropped it a litte, removed some marks on the pears. Tweaked contrast (Via Curves and the Selective Color dialog (for Blacks)), and then actually had to desaturate the image a bit, resized and then selectivly sharpened. That's pretty much it there.

Here's the original:
Original

and my lame attempt at a paintbrush illustrated setup
Lighting Setup Sketch


Wanted to get that background look for a long time after seeing them being used in various still life and portrait photography. Dont have any muslin backgrounds but thought I'd found something around the house. I did find some packing material, it's a brown paper bag type of material but a crinkled long strip of it. It's lit from behind, and a vine I found in the yard is set in front of it. Another lamp light(diffused with a white piece of paper) is set to the left and a paper acts as a reflector to the right.

Statistics
Place: 25 out of 625
Avg (all users): 6.7208
Avg (commenters): 7.8400
Avg (participants): 6.6329
Avg (non-participants): 7.0769
Views since voting: 2183
Views during voting: 358
Votes: 197
Comments: 41
Favorites: 13 (view)

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AuthorThread
 04/29/2007 04:13:47 PM
THis is just soo beautiful. THe lighting is perfect, the color and pattern harmonies just sweet. I love it!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/14/2006 10:06:33 PM
This is why I hate that Free Studies end up having soooo many entries. Because I end up missing amazing photos like this one. So beautiful and I love how you achieved the background. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/14/2006 08:14:42 PM
I didn't vote in this challenge because I was daunted by the number of entries. My loss, because this is a superb image -- the kind of stuff I want to do when I grow up.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/14/2006 07:55:32 PM
Very warm,classic,and beautifully composed. It elevates the beauty of pears.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/17/2006 08:09:55 PM
This is beautiful, and now I am even more impressed that you did it without any fancy equipment.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/13/2006 09:56:18 PM
Very well done. The whole is very pleasing to look at. Great geometry, light, and tones, too.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/10/2006 12:10:54 AM
Nice study and to finish 25 out of 618 is still a good accomplishment.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/09/2006 07:24:14 PM
wow! great image and perfect for the season.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/09/2006 07:19:26 PM
The mimicing curves with the leaf and the bottom stem is really clever.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/08/2006 06:24:01 PM
Love this! congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/08/2006 08:54:37 AM
Still and subtle - an enduring image. Glad to see many voters appreciated as much as I.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/08/2006 06:58:01 AM
I absolutely love this. Light, colors, composition, everything. Great shot.

Edit to add that the original is quite good as it stands - while the editing did enhance this photograph, it didn't "make" it, and that's nice to see.

Message edited by author 2006-11-08 18:06:55.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
11/07/2006 03:55:41 PM
This is one of the best still-lifes I have seen in a long time. Everything is spot on. Doesn't get much better in my opinion. Good luck!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/07/2006 06:07:30 AM
Wonderful forms. Nice unmarred fruit. Great colours. 10.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/07/2006 03:00:21 AM
great lighting. 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/07/2006 12:04:09 AM
Beautiful still life! I particularly like the lighting on this shot...gives off nice warm tones.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/06/2006 04:10:22 PM
I like this shot well thought out and good Bokeh too
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/05/2006 09:11:16 PM
Wow, the curves and tones and this are beautiful...and that's from a person who dislikes pears. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/05/2006 11:49:33 AM
I love the colors and composition. The background adds points. A 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/05/2006 08:04:56 AM
beautiful lighting and a great colour tone.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/05/2006 12:05:14 AM
Nice Pair!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/04/2006 10:40:27 PM
that is a nice pair....errr pear.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/04/2006 09:31:07 AM
lighting colours and composition are fantastic bumping from 8 to 10.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/04/2006 02:34:10 AM
lovely lighting. YOur composition is so graceful and balanced that this can only be the work of an experienced shooter. I will be checking back for tips after the challenge. not often that i deal a 10 to a still life but this deserves it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/03/2006 08:27:54 PM
Lovely lighting, color tones, and composition. I, for one, don't find pears all that appealing in subject matter, but your arrangement more than makes up for that. Very nicely done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/03/2006 04:20:23 PM
Subject well focused and focal point: 1
Lighting: .5
Composition: 1
Background: 1.5
First impression/ Wow factor: 1
Artistic "override": n/a
Total: 5
IMO this could be very strong with lighting adjustments
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/03/2006 02:52:27 PM
A very wonderful still life! The colortones, shadows and shades are excellently captured.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/03/2006 12:30:15 AM
Simply superb composition! Well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/03/2006 12:07:31 AM
Lovely still life here.....
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/02/2006 09:56:35 PM
Elegant and graceful.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/02/2006 07:21:40 PM
Stunning colours, the background really complements the pears as well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/02/2006 06:02:31 PM
I love the colors and the shapes of the pears set off against the background.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/02/2006 04:18:35 PM
good, classical arrangement of pears. 7
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/02/2006 03:57:46 AM
nice color, very good lighting, except for the leaf, which should show some detail
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/01/2006 10:34:31 PM
Very exquisite lighting. Love the bokeh. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/01/2006 08:27:10 PM
One of my favorites so far...great still life; beautiful light and color. :O)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/01/2006 06:59:51 PM
I love this simple photo. The warm colors and composition works well. The side lighting is terrific. Maybe just brighting up the shadows just a smudge, not much? Still have it in my top 10.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/01/2006 11:01:25 AM
Lovely autumn-esque colours and an interesting compostion.
Good stuff !
8.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/01/2006 05:40:42 AM
awesome lighing and interesting background
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/01/2006 04:47:18 AM
lovely study, gorgeous light and composition, love the dots on the pears 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/01/2006 12:37:16 AM
Very pretty. I think I'd like to have seen it in the landscape orientation. Beautiful tones though. Love the bokeh.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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