More food::Veggies & some advice

"a still life - (I love taking pics of vegies! The shutter speed was set for 15 seconds... people could never hold still that long!)" That is what I wrote about this pic on facebook right after I took it. Vegetables are more forgiving than people when you ask them to sit super still for 15 seconds, that's for sure!

From the post when I added this picture the first time I wrote: "Yesterday, Steve brought home some vegies and for some reason placed them carefully on the table. I saw them, saw the beautiful, complimentary colors and had to take a picture.

I took the picture with the natural light (coming in through the window) at 4:30 p.m. The aperture was set to about 29, so that I could make sure all of the vegies were in focus; the ISO was set to 400, to prevent the graininess that my camera produces at 800; so that left the shutter speed to come up with the difference: 15 seconds. A tripod had to be used, of course, but the final result was just what I was looking for: beautiful colors, all in focus, and the lighting was perfect. (In fact, I loved it so much I sent the pic to the printer's for 4x6 and 5x7 copies that will be in my etsy shop sometime next week. :)" (Oops! I forgot to add it to etsy. I'll have to remedy that!)

I am adding this picture today because I'm a spoiled rotten brat who controls herself very well. What I'd really like to do is write a mean note or throw something. Instead, I will post the photo here and tell you that I like it very much and that that is all that counts.

To explain what that was all about, I'll tell you that I posted this picture to an online photo assignment about food. The directions were, if it had to do with food, it was appropriate, so I posted it. The instructor never mentioned my pic when he was discussing the photos on his video today. I have no idea why, because I happen to think it is very good. He included many, many pictures, even including some pictures as examples of what *not* to do.

Anyway, my only clue as to why it wasn't added was because it didn't go along with what he was trying to teach about food: no flash and shallow depth of field.

My depth of field is pretty deep, actually, but I purposefully kept it that way. At first, I had tried to use a shallow depth of field, but spotlighting just one vegetable did not make this "group shot" look better.

It also appears that I might have used a flash; in fact, it might appear that it was taken in a studio. Really, it was set up in front of a window to use the natural light. My exposure had to be significantly longer than I would have liked, but it worked! And to me, that is the point of the picture: to do what works.

So, I offer it up to you. It didn't win the lauds of the instructor, but I feel that it is a good, solid, still life photograph. I like it, and in the end, that is all that counts.

My advice to anyone who also never wins (except when it came to guessing the setting on a panning picture, I was right on!) I would give you the advice that another of my photography instructors gave to me: It doesn't really matter who else likes your picture as long as you do. It is true. You could have a crappy picture that everyone likes (I've seen it happen) or you can have a brilliantly composed and lighted picture that you like because you know it was difficult and you did your best and your best was GREAT! Be proud of both, but for very different reasons. And even if you don't "win", if you are happy with your work, that is all that counts.

Art is subjective, and photography is art.

Have a great day!