High Key Citrus Fruit

[the_robfather]

The following is my final shot of a series of fruit using a piece of lexan and a white sheet as background. It is lit with small flash and those details are listed below the exif data.

My main question revolves around depth of field. The orange and lime slices are sharp while the lemon slice is out of focus. Sometimes, I like this. Other times, I think having the lemon being sharp and crisp would have added to the feeling of freshness. I could have increase my aperture as I had an extra stop of flash to use. Woulda, coulda, shoulda....

Also, any comments about the composition?

Thanks in advance!



Exif:
Camera: Nikon D40
Exposure: 0.004 sec (1/250)
Aperture: f/8.0
Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO Speed: 200

Strobist: SB 600 camera left 1/4 power; shoot through umbrella. SB 26 in front of the camera (10 ft) and aimed directly at the lens. It's set to 1/2 power through a white sheet. This creates the blown out background/wrapping light. I also had some flaring issues with this set up in a few shots.

[mapgirl]

I LOVE the shot! And I didn't really notice that the lemon wasn't as crisply focused as the other two slices. It seems to kind of merge with the light in the upper half of the image, thus intensifying the overall effect. Perhaps a sharper focus might have made a more definitive line between the fruit and the space, which, for me, wouldn't have worked as well. Right now, it appears that light is actually emerging from the lemon like an ultra-citrus event.

[rengles]

wow, awesome!! I really like the composition, especially with the reflection. I didn't notice that the lemon was out of focus at first either...I like it this way, though it would be nice to see the alternative version to compare...put it on the list for next time

[hokiemayur]

That is a wonderful shot. Loved the transition. Im a newbie so take it with a grain of salt.

[notsotechie]

Excellent overall
but I wonder if you have tried cropping the top off about a half and the the bottom about a half so just a thought
otherwise well done on the high key

Cheers

[arsifferlen]

newbies opinions count too!

sometimes a trained eye can be a stink eye, and i say that in the sweetest of fashions.

[the_robfather]

Thanks for the compliments and advice. I'm kicking myself for not using that extra stop of flash that I had. Oh well, you live and learn. I've decided that I like the out focus lemon. It would just be nice to compare.

Does anyone know if the D40 can shoot tethered to a computer? I've read conflicting things on the internet. That would make taking these macro-ish shots way easier as I could see my results at a higher resolution. A 'real' macro lens would be pretty nice too!

As for the crop, when I get out of work I will try see what it looks like based on the suggestion above.

There should be more shots like this in my photostream coming up so check them out!

Thanks again!

[Obijuan]

I like it. The only thing that bothers me is the over expose. A little too much. I lose the orange slice.

[dave.turley]

Hi,
Beautiful. Made my mouth water.

[zona5101]

Nice job - -but as obijuan suggests, the background light is too hot and is blowing out the edge of the lemon slice and to a lesser degree the lime slice. I think the DOF is less of a hinderence than the over exposure but a future attempt you may want to correct both. Great concept and composition/framing.