Carrots

[Mike Buckley]

I don't remember carrots being sold in local grocery stores with the greenery still attached, so when they were suddenly on display yesterday I couldn't resist making this photo.

EDIT: A second photo has been added to the thread in response to the comments about the first photo.

Setup
The tabletop is a floor tile. A small continuous-light lamp fitted with a diffusion sock is above and on the right side. It is very close to the carrots to ensure the softest possible shadows. A small continuous-light lamp above and on the left side is also very close to the leaves. A handheld white reflector in the top right area brightens the knife blade. A polarizer controls glare on the tabletop and the carrots.

[Geoff F]

Some places are selling vegetables like this now, to prove they are real fresh farm produce, not like the supermarket alternatives and worth the extra cost.

Personally, I object to paying extra for something which I am going to throw away when I use the product.

[terrib]

I like the color and light in this. My only issue is that it's not immediately clear to me that it's a knife in the shot so maybe show a touch more of it.

[Shadowman]

Nicely captured.

[Wavelength]

All is fine, except that white thing

[Rent]

Why cut off the top of the leaves and the bottom of the carrots ?
Roy

[bje07]

Personally, I object to paying extra for something which I am going to throw away when I use the product.

I recently read that if you make carrot juice with an juice extractor, it's better to add the leaves

I like the color and light in this. My only issue is that it's not immediately clear to me that it's a knife in the shot so maybe show a touch more of it.

You should enlarge your picture to show more of the knife and the bottoms of the carrots.
(I know your answer: I cannot redo my picture,I ate them )
BTW, Mike very nice colors and setting.

In France we buy carrots with their leaves when they are new, it's a sign of freshness (and they are more expensive) even if we can buy "old" carrots at this season.

[DanK]

nice, although I agree about the knife. I would either remove it or make it a more interesting part of the composition

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks to everyone for your comments!

In response to your ideas, I decided to make the image I first had in mind. (The first photo in the thread was a second thought.) Making that happen required eliminating a crop and doing some cloning to fill the frame with the tabletop, which was too small to fill it in the physical scene. So, don't bother making exact comparisons between the two images, as I had to start completely over with my post-processing.

[Mike Buckley]

I recently read that if you make carrot juice with an juice extractor, it's better to add the leaves

I hadn't heard that, so maybe that explains why stores are beginning to sell the greenery.

(I know your answer: I cannot redo my picture,I ate them )

My wife and I did indeed eat them in a great butter, lime and ginger sauce. Fabulous!

[Mike Buckley]

Personally, I object to paying extra for something which I am going to throw away when I use the product.

I've never compared the total cost of the root of the veggie itself when purchased with or without the greenery. Similarly, I've never compared the cost of fish filets when purchasing the entire fish or only the filets. Are we really paying extra when buying the whole product rather than part of it?

[skitterbug]

I've also heard that the carrots will retain their "sweetness" longer if the tops are left attached.

I like the second pic better than the first because the knife is visible and the carrots don't look so "cramped". the colors are beautiful. The way you prepared them for dinner also sounds yummy!

[bje07]

I hadn't heard that, so maybe that explains why stores are beginning to sell the greenery.

after a search on Google I found this for you Mike

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/blog/...-carrot-greens

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, Sandy!

Thanks also to Jean for the info about the greens. It's ironic that I often add cilantro to carrots for the color if nothing else. Next time I'll try adding the carrot greens instead.