A Pair of Pears - (One for Mike and possibly Robert.)

[John 2]

This is Mike's area of Expertise and since th original was produced on film (6x6 Ilford Pan F using a Minolta Autocord), I though Robert might be interested.

[Mike Buckley]

Nice composition and lighting that displays the shape of the fruit.

If you closely examine the background and tabletop, you'll notice a circular area around the fruit that is not full black. I assume you intended everything other than the fruit to be the same tonality.

[Shadowman]

Nicely composed, looks very antiquated.

[flashback]

John(2), I really like what you've done here, it's quiet a lovely shot. However to me, were I not to know they were pears I would likely think 'Potato'. Any way you can bring in a bit more 'pear' color to them? You do have a good eye for composition here.

[Mike Buckley]

My guess, Jack, is that you haven't pealed many potatoes. The stem on the subject on the right is a dead giveaway that it couldn't possibly be a potato.

[IzzieK]

I agree with Jack here -- it is a quiet shot.

Ssshhh Mike -- Jack just let Boodoo do the potato dance...

[dem]

To my eye, the one on the left looks more pear-shaped (no pun intended) than the one on the right. The stem in the one on the right is a giveaway of it not being a potato, but the shape does not scream "pear". I don't think it should, I like it as it is.

Maybe add a bit more space on the left so the left pear is closer to the centre of the image. A tight square crop might also work. More colour or more contrast will make a different image - less abstract and more mainstream, which probably was not the original intention. Thanks for sharing.

[John 2]

Thanks all for the feedback.

Ah well, pears come in all shapes and varieties. These I think, are Williams pears but I can see that the lighting has given them a rather waxy look similar to a potato. Mike/Dem, I decided that the composition wasn't quite right after I scanned the negative. I know what you are seeing Mike but unless I push the brightness well up, I can't see it on my monitor (ASUS ProArt 24''). To correct the composition, I roughly selected the pears and their reflection and repasted them having interspersed a black layer as BG and then moved them to where I thought the should be (? Dem). I did sample the colour for the new layer from the original but there must be a difference and I think that is what you are seeing Mike.

[Wavelength]

Awesome image

[Mike Buckley]

These I think, are Williams pears but I can see that the lighting has given them a rather waxy look similar to a potato.

I've never seen a potato that has the waxy look of a pear. Though I have no expertise about this, the waxy look is another clue for me that the subjects are pears.

Am I correct that this is a slightly toned monochrome image?

[bnnrcn]

Great image It might look better in color but it is not a 'must' really.

[ShaneS]

I like this image a lot and especially the way Izzie described it as a "quiet" shot. In my mind this is a lovely compliment as it is the antitheses of many images today that one of my photography instructors describe as "hitting us over the head" with a punchy in your face presentation.

Thanks for sharing it John.

[IzzieK]

I like this image a lot and especially the way Izzie described it as a "quiet" shot. In my mind this is a lovely compliment as it is the antitheses of many images today that one of my photography instructors describe as "hitting us over the head" with a punchy in your face presentation.

Thanks for sharing it John.

Message #4 from Jack -- it was his statement of "quiet shot" ...

[John 2]

Thanks all for the continued comment.

Yes Mike, I have applied a very slight tone to the image but after the PP I described above. I like the light sepia effect. It reproduces the sort of finish that one of AGFA's papers used to produce when I still worked in the Dark Room (AGFA Portriga from memory).

Thanks Binnur. You may well be right but as I said a few weeks ago, I'm trying to do a bit more Mono this year and this was taken on B/W film stock.

Guilty Shane. Must do something about it.