Good Harvest

[Old Timer]

I was really very hesitant about posting this image. I hadn't posted on this side for a while and I was hoping to come back with something that would knock your socks off. This is not it but I did like a few things about this image although there is plenty of room for improvement. My wife had been to her garden and gathered a few tomatoes and suggested that they might make a good pictures. Well they may have but I'm not sure I did. What do you think? Nikon D70 with 105mm f2.8 ISO 400 with fill.

[Irie Times]

I like it, it is very crisp and colorful. Infact it makes me want to go eat a tomato.

Good work

[jcharris]

Dear Old Timer ,

What a excellent shot ! It looks like i can put my hand into the pc screen and grab a tomato and start eating !!
I cannot add something for improvement .

Regards
james

[bobbythebandit]

Apart from the distraction of the table this is a nice picture, would love a tomto right now !!
Bobby

[Seb]

I was really very hesitant about posting this image. I hadn't posted on this side for a while and I was hoping to come back with something that would knock your socks off. This is not it but I did like a few things about this image although there is plenty of room for improvement. My wife had been to her garden and gathered a few tomatoes and suggested that they might make a good pictures. Well they may have but I'm not sure I did. What do you think? Nikon D70 with 105mm f2.8 ISO 400 with fill.

Hello Old Timer,

I am glad to hear about you. I agree with every things already said here. This is a nice picture. However it seems that you could have used a little less flash to achieve a more subtle effect (owning the D70 myself I must recognize that I am not even sure how to balance flash yet it must not be very complicated with i-TTL).

keep up the good work

Seb

[Chunk]

I was really very hesitant about posting this image. I hadn't posted on this side for a while and I was hoping to come back with something that would knock your socks off. This is not it but I did like a few things about this image although there is plenty of room for improvement. My wife had been to her garden and gathered a few tomatoes and suggested that they might make a good pictures. Well they may have but I'm not sure I did. What do you think? Nikon D70 with 105mm f2.8 ISO 400 with fill.

I envy you your garden fresh tomatoes and can't wait until we get some in this area. The picture is so sharp and clear and effective in presenting the various interesting textures that I hesitate to offer a suggestion . Since I've never known when to keep my mouth shut, I'll offer one anyway.
I think the composition needs a little counterpoint to get the eye moving off the mass of mouthwatering tomatoes. Maybe a corner of a cutting board with a paring knife or a couple of those tomatoes arranged on the table with a salt shaker - just a hint of what's to come. The whole would be less static and our mouths would water just as much.

What else does she grow? Your kitchen walls are going to look GREAT next winter.

[opus]

I agree with chunk and would have said it if he hadn't. The picture quality is excellent but the composition is static. We need to see a bit more around the basket.

Think of a still life painting. It's rarely of "just a basket in the middle of the canvas." It's usually got the background and surrounding table carefully composed with the perfect balance to move the eye around the painting yet eventually settle on the point of interest, the fantastic fruit.

I think even a different crop might do the trick. What do you think of something like this? I might have cropped it too close, though.

[gahspidy]

Old Timer,
Good to see you here again. I liike the shot very much. . .I don't like the tighter crop of kellybeans. I agree that something else on the table, be it a knife and cutting board, or even a another single tomato by itself on the table next to the basket would have added. But i like what the fill flash has done to the image. It brought out the colors, the textures, and darkened the backgroung futher making the image stand out. Maybe 1/3 or 1/2 stop less flash exposure might have been better and more subtle, but this is really nice as it is. Glad to see you back and see that you have been keeping at it.

[Elysian]

even a another single tomato by itself on the table next to the basket would have added.

Exactly what I had in mind Gary. It breaks the symmetry and it's a repetitive element in a different location; that always works strong in a photograph.
Personally I would also (slightly) lighten up the background (it has some hidden greens in it) to reduce the effects of the flash. All in all a good shot with interesting elements and pleasant colors in it, well done Old Timer.

[Old Timer]

Thanks to all who commented on this image. I agree with most of your comments and can see how the image could be improved with some additional elements. This was in effect a grab shot. I didn't get out the tripod or give nearly enough thought to the overall composition. I can remember how I spent 2 hours arranging and photographing three apples and a knife on an old weathered chair some thirty years ago and wonder why I am not taking the same care today. I did like the color saturation and basket arrangement, but as some pointed out it's not enought to carry the image. Joe I agree the a little lighter background would have been pleasing. I had a very lush green background but lost it with the fill. I am still struggling to learn the ins and out of the D70. This picture was shot on manuel with the on board flash and a 1 1/2 stop under exposure but could have used a little more. It was early evening and light was rapidly failing. I tried a few avaliable light shots, but they just didn't give the tomatoes enough pop or DOF. The image below was an available light attemt. Thanks again to all for viewing and commenting.

[Chunk]

I can remember how I spent 2 hours arranging and photographing three apples and a knife on an old weathered chair some thirty years ago and wonder why I am not taking the same care today.

Hehehehe,,, the old clock's ticking faster and louder now. I know the feeling.

I like this shot even better than the other. The angled basket with its handle in front of and behind the fruit as well as dof add a lot of depth.

I have GOT to find someone selling non plastic tomatoes today!

[opus]

I'm fairly young yet, and I still hear the loud impatient ticking. I think it's the pace of life today.

[Elysian]

I like this one better Old Timer, less symmetrical, good focus, pleasant lighting/color and the green background. The reason why I advised earlier to lighten up the background, was partly because of the green color. The color green has a 'connection' with the main subject (nature) and makes the image therefore stronger in my view. It wasn't possible to go that far with the previous image, because that green contained too much noise.
Making 'connections' increases in general the impact of a photograph.
Backgrounds/surroundings are often more important than people think and play an important role in how much people like a particular photograph.

The only thing that is distracting is that black cord and red object, but of course you already figured that out yourself.

Well done Old Timer. ;)

[ChaosCubed]

I really like the last image you posted. The background is less distracting and the tighter crop definitely adds something for me. The tomatoes definitely look like you could reach out and grab them!!!

[Old Timer]

The only thing that is distracting is that black cord and red object, but of course you already figured that out yourself.

Well done Old Timer. ;)[/QUOTE]

Yeah I agree that the second image is stronger. The basket that was used is a little apple basket. The cord was decorative with a string of small apples on it. In order to get rid of that distraction I would have had to take my wife's basket apart and things I take apart tend to stay apart. So for her that would have not been a option. Thanks for taking the time to comment a second time.

[gahspidy]

I like it as well. I only feel the crop is a bit too tight. i feel would be better with a bit more space. Good Work. The colors are very strong and clear.