Avocado Slice

[Mike Buckley]

Food is almost always photographed using soft shadows (the softer, usually the better). I wanted the slice's shadow to connect in the mind's eye the slice with the whole avocado and to complement the angular, defined lines of the slice itself. Using a soft shadow would not have accomplished either goal, so this photo is a good example of why it's always a good idea to think of common concepts as guidelines rather than rules.

I learned while making this photo how to achieve an even, clean slice of avocado that is ideal for that pristine style of photography: use an avocado that is not yet ripe.

Setup
The tabletop and background are a single sheet of green art paper. A flashlight, which is flagged by gaffer's tape attached to the lamp, is on the right side behind the avocado. It lights the top of the slice, the avocado that is whole and the tabletop. It also lights the background to make it relatively bright behind the whole avocado. Another flashlight on the right but in front of the scene lights a white reflector on the left side of the scene. That reflector brightens the front of the slice.

[Shadowman]

Nice alien looking composition.

[xpatUSA]

Yummy! Appreciate the set-up info.

Didn't know y'all had avocados that far north . .

[Rita]

Nice touch leaving the whole Avocado on the side.

[Wavelength]

This is very artistic and i like this more than the other image of half-an-avocado

[ucci]

A very professional piece of work Mike which has produced an excellent work of art. But so much work? And common concepts? Crikey mate what you did to achieve this was just so far beyond my imagination that even Capt Kirk in his Space Ship thingy could help me get up there. But thank you for sharing your 'secrets' in setting up this shot. Now, after all that, do I get to nosh on a slice of the avocado?

[Mike Buckley]

Thank you, everyone!

do I get to nosh on a slice of the avocado?

Not until it ripens.

[Mike Buckley]

Ken mentioned the amount of work required to make this photo. That reminds me of my workflow in general. I set up the basic composition and then tweak it. I then set up the primary light source, tweak it and then set up the other light sources, reflectors and flags, tweaking everything along the way.

As for my workflow specific to this photo, this was such a simple composition and use of light that I didn't bother hooking up my wireless tethered system that allows me to review the photo on a laptop bought solely for that purpose. When I got to the point that I had captured the scene about twelve times, tweaking either the composition or the lighting just a bit each time because of something I wasn't satisfied with, I realized that I should have set up the tethered system. However, I was certain that the very next capture would be the final one. It was about another 20 captures later that I finally got everything right.

Note to self: Set up the darned tethered system from the get go!

[madcrow]

You make it sound so easy, if only. Another masterly piece of work. A very well done.

[marlunn]

Very nice image shot with your usual elegance and attention to detail to get a masterly image, but they are sneaky things, not ripe, not ripe, not ripe - overripe arghh

[bje07]

I really like your soft lights.
With a so simple item you made marvelous picture, I'm jealous

[bnnrcn]

Again lovely colors and light

[NorthernFocus]

My favorite of your food shots so far, Mike. IMO placement of the avocado at left is a little to perfect and the light is a little too distinct. A bit of a halo effect.

[Mike Buckley]

Continued thanks to all!

Dan: I was trying for a somewhat sterile appearance that accentuates the colors and shapes. Your reaction to the lighting indicates to me that you would have preferred a different overall appearance. If I'm right about that, your reaction makes a lot of sense, as everything you mentioned would take the image in a different and certainly viable direction.

[NorthernFocus]

...Dan: I was trying for a somewhat sterile appearance that accentuates the colors and shapes...

Then your intent was achieved. Colors and shapes look perfect to me. Nicely done.

[Dave A]

Very nice Mike. Still photography is tough and you make it look easy. I can tell you put a lot of thought into these images.

Dave

[GBO25]

From exposure to colour to light to composition all the effort was well worth it. Masterfull shot.

[Mike Buckley]

A very belated thank you (I apparently overlooked this thread) to Dave and Graham!