"A" is for Artichoke

[Mike Buckley]

This is my latest photo of raw food presented in a situation that we would not normally experience or at least not notice. I think the last time I noticed a whole artichoke, whether raw or cooked, was decades ago, so I was quite surprised to see that it's much more textured than I remembered.

Setup
The tabletop and background are one piece of gold art board with metallic-like flecks. That somewhat shiny surface produces very soft reflections and a variety of tonalities. The main light is a small continuous-light lamp fitted with a custom snoot. It is positioned on the bottom right corner of the scene and shining upward to light the separated leaf and mostly the tip of the artichoke. Light from a medium continuous-light lamp on the left and facing away from the camera spills onto the scene just enough to brighten that side of the artichoke and background just a tad. Another medium continuous-light lamp similarly positioned on the right side balances that side of the background with the other side. Both medium lamps are fitted with diffusion material to reduce the brightness.

EDIT: Anyone interested in viewing the color master along with the final monochrome version accompanied by an explanation and screenshots of how I got from one to the other might consider viewing this thread.

EDIT: Another photo of the same artichoke can be viewed here.

[Shadowman]

Very dramatic capture.

[Manfred M]

This image gives me a whole new view of the humble artichoke. Somehow dramatic lighting and an artichoke are not something that seems intuitively obvious to me. It works quite well.

After that wonderful description of the colours of the background, you decided to go B&W. Why was that?

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, guys!

After that wonderful description of the colours of the background, you decided to go B&W. Why was that?

I chose the background mostly for the somewhat shiny surface. I have the same background only in one other color, silver, and went with the gold color for a very important reason: I came upon it first and knew from past experience that it would work.

[mugge]

Mike, I hate artichoke. The lighting is perfect. The (leaf) of the artichoke is a perfect balance. I believe your choice of B&W was right on the button in my view.

[FootLoose]

Nice work, Mike.

I have never handled an artichoke, but when you finish shooting the outside, would you consider cutting in half? Many vegetables have great patterns when sliced. Also, I hope you get on to capsicums (do you call them peppers). The inside of capsicums are very erotic.

[Dave Humphries]

This should, nay must, be viewed full screen to be fully appreciated.

[John 2]

..................................The inside of capsicums are very erotic.

Umm. Whatever turns you on.

Nice work Mike - again. The choice of low key was spot on to maximise the texture.

[madcrow]

Beautiful lighting, detail and the background outstanding.

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, everyone!

when you finish shooting the outside, would you consider cutting in half?

Yes, I'll do that. In fact, I plan on doing that sort of thing often when considering options for photographing food.

I hope you get on to capsicums (do you call them peppers).

Yes, they're known as peppers, though I had to look that up as I had never heard of the term, capsicum. However, I don't know that I'll ever get up the nerve to photograph the exterior of a whole pepper, as I could never live up to the famous Pepper #30 by Edward Weston. On the other hand, I absolutely hate his Pepper (not numbered) because of the large amount of glare he used. (I'm NOT a fan of glare!)

The inside of capsicums are very erotic.

I've probably seen the inside of thousands of bell peppers while preparing them for cooking and I've never had that impression. The next few times I cut into them, I'll look for that possibility. However, I must note that though Georgia O'Keeffe is famous for the eroticism displayed in her large paintings of flower blossoms, she said that was never her intention. Instead, the main reason she painted them was because nobody else was painting them; she had no competition.

[xpatUSA]

Setup
The tabletop and background are one piece of gold art board with metallic-like flecks. That somewhat shiny surface produces very soft reflections and a variety of tonalities. The main light is a small continuous-light lamp fitted with a custom snoot. It is positioned on the bottom right corner of the scene and shining upward to light the separated leaf and mostly the tip of the artichoke. Light from a medium continuous-light lamp on the left and facing away from the camera spills onto the scene just enough to brighten that side of the artichoke and background just a tad. Another medium continuous-light lamp similarly positioned on the right side balances that side of the background with the other side. Both medium lamps are fitted with diffusion material to reduce the brightness.

Brilliant!

Of course, as another user of continuous lighting for indoor close-up work, I'm somewhat biased.

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, Ted!

Of course, as another user of continuous lighting for indoor close-up work, I'm somewhat biased.

For me, the lighting methods are irrelevant; it's only the results that matter.

Indeed, I tried adding a speedlight to the setup to back light the leaves on the rear side of the artichoke. If they can be successfully back lit to display detail (they may be too opaque), the power of a speedlight is required because a continuous-light lamp wasn't powerful enough to make that happen. In the end, I gave up because back lighting the artichoke would have required a completely different setup.

[Mike Buckley]

Anyone interested in viewing the color master along with the final monochrome version accompanied by an explanation and screenshots of how I got from one to the other might consider viewing this thread.

[Mike Buckley]

I added another photo of the same artichoke that can be viewed here.

[bnnrcn]

Very nice image Mike What a coincidence that I visited a photo exhibition about artichokes last week as my new location is famous with growing delicious artichokes. So, I agree with Greg about cutting an artichoke in half and showing inside of it. As far as I saw in the exhibition black BGs work very well with artichokes. And food photos with artichokes also look very nice

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, Binnur! Good to know from your experience with the photo exhibition that I'm perhaps not insane to be photographing artichokes.

black BGs work very well with artichokes

It's difficult if not impossible for me to think of anything that a plain black background doesn't work well with.