Apple in low light

[CaptainAwesome]

Seeing what I could do in low light. I had two flashlights from either side shining down. I'm just starting out with a starter camera, starter setup, starter material, starter everything. So I don't know enough to have specific questions or identify what aspects I need to focus on. No post processing.

EDIT: Didn't see the forum rules about specific questions. Here goes: Is the apple by itself enough of a visual focus, given the color and the light? There aren't too many visual cues to draw your eye anywhere. I'm thinking of lines or frames here.

I saw in another post a critique about not telling a story. I think it applies here as well. Can anyone point me to examples of how stories are "told" in macro photographs? For example, flowers with extremely shallow depths of field?

I tried this out just to play around with settings and exposures. I shot a few shots with different apertures and then shutter times to adjust the exposure bias a few stops up and down, and this was the most eye-catching one I got. I didn't play around too much with the composition because I thought the placement and the subtle shadows were interesting. What else should I play around with?



Large version link:
http://i.imgur.com/0Bi01.jpg

EXIF:
Camera-Specific Properties:

Equipment Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Camera Model: NIKON D60
Camera Software: Nikon Transfer 1.5 M
Maximum Lens Aperture: f/4.9
Sensing Method: One-Chip Color Area
Focal Length (35mm Equiv): 51 mm

Image-Specific Properties:

Pixel Composition: Unknown
Image Orientation: Top, Left-Hand
Horizontal Resolution: 72 dpi
Vertical Resolution: 72 dpi
Image Created: 2011:02:28 20:14:22
Exposure Time: 1/5 sec
F-Number: f/5.0
Exposure Program: Manual
ISO Speed Rating: 100
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Metering Mode: Pattern
Light Source: Unknown
Flash: No Flash
Focal Length: 34.00 mm
Image Width: 3872
Image Height: 2592
Rendering: Normal
Exposure Mode: Manual
White Balance: Auto
Scene Capture Type: Standard
Gain Control: None
Contrast: Normal
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Subject Distance Range: Unknown

Other Properties:

Resolution Unit: i
Exif IFD Pointer: 220
Image Generated: 2011:02:28 20:12:21
Image Digitized: 2011:02:28 20:12:21
Comment:
DateTime Second Fraction: 80
DateTimeOriginal Second Fraction: 80
DateTimeDigitized Second Fraction: 80
Digital Zoom Ratio: 1


Looking forward to your thoughts!

Sean

[BCampbell]

Sean, not every photo must tell a story. What people are trying to do is steer folks toward taking more than "just a pretty picture". But the fact is, we all take "pretty pictures" now and then, and there's nothing wrong with it. Especially when you're learning how to use some new equipment, it's good practice.

So, you have a photo of an apple. That's not a problem, I don't think you need to make a story out of it, but there should be a reason you're taking it. If that reason is just to work on your technical skills, then that's fine, I think you could ask for a technical critique, but not many people are interested in giving that (and it may be better suited for one of the "techniques" sections of the forums). On that note, you did mostly a good job of lighting the apple, it looks very well exposed with the background fading into black. I think the highlights are a little too harsh and the shadows are probably a little strong. I'd also question the surface it's on, it's nice of course but I'm not sure it's the right fit.

Beyond the technical... the reason you're taking a photo of an apple. Look into Edward Weston's pepper studies. They don't "tell a story" but they are amazing photos, he carefully posed and composed the photos to emphasize the organic forms, and the peppers almost take on human qualities. It sounds weird, but it's a great example of how photos of something seemingly simple can transcend that simplicity.

Also, the full EXIF data is not totally necessary, generally people just want to know camera model, aperture, ISO, shutter speed, focal length. Lens model can be helpful. In this case, I did want to know if you were in manual mode, so that helped, but most of that is superfluous.

[sourav]

You could reduce the exposure to make it low key, lets see what that does to the pic.

[CaptainAwesome]

That was helpful. I found Pepper No. 30 by Weston. I think I understand what you mean by the highlights being too harsh, but let me just make sure I do: he's got a lot of highlights on the object, but they fade off into the midranges more gradually than mine do. Is that right? Plus, what's really arresting is how well he brings out the highlights so evenly on every part that he's shown on such an irregular object. I didn't have a diffuser or a reflector, it seems like that would help with the harshness.

I do see what you mean by transcending its nature and taking on human qualities.

This is the picture I'm talking about. http://facweb.cs.depaul.edu/sgrais/i...phs/pepper.jpg

Thanks very much.

[BCampbell]

Hah, I didn't really deconstruct my own definition of harsh, but you're spot on. You have a couple of very strong areas of light on the apple that erase any detail there, instead of more even, soft lighting. Getting away from direct sources is a good step. Nothing wrong with using nonstandard lighting like flashlights (those clamp-on aluminun work lights are pretty nice too), but experimenting with diffusion, reflection, etc. will go a long way. Good luck!

And check out the whole pepper series, it's a great example of still life study.