Three Peppers in the Dark by aikiuser

Three Peppers in the Dark

A bit weak with the composition, but today was a lesson in lighting. ...I have much studying to do!

I'll be catching up with all you fine folks soon--Cheers!
Love this!!
February 9th, 2011  
I really like the reflections.
February 9th, 2011  
It's a good lesson learned!
February 9th, 2011  
I think its beautiful, how did you do the reflections? was it on a black shiny thing?
February 9th, 2011  
Way cool and the reflections are great!
February 9th, 2011  
I love the subtly refections and the color. (I like peppers too and I'll all for edible props.)
February 9th, 2011  
AWESOME! please tell us a bit more about the lighting set-up you used, surface etc! this is stunning
February 9th, 2011  
Oh I have sooo much to learn with lighting (mental note - really must my manual for my flash!). Great shot - love the reflections!
February 9th, 2011  
This turned out beautifully! I love how your lighting emphasises the rich colours.
February 9th, 2011  
Very, very nice!
February 9th, 2011  
clever.
February 9th, 2011  
Love the lighting and reflection. Well done.
February 9th, 2011  
Very nice jenn :-))
February 9th, 2011  
Love it!
February 9th, 2011  
Nice lighting! It really brings out their color, and it's "hot"
February 9th, 2011  
Those colours really make the photo pop, I really like this.
February 9th, 2011  
I would say your lighting lesson was successful. Love the refection and pretty cool that your watermark is reflected as well.
February 9th, 2011  
I'd say you're way too critical on yourself. This is quite nice, great lighting and reflection. And I have no clue how you accomplished any of it except for cutting the yellow pepper in half.
February 9th, 2011  
ahhh stop it...this is a great still
February 9th, 2011  
I like it.
February 9th, 2011  
I really like this. The composition is fine!
February 9th, 2011  
Very pretty Jenn! I love the composition, reflections, and lighting :D Very well done !
February 9th, 2011  
Very cool! I love the reflection and composition
February 9th, 2011  
Ummm, you can stop studying, I would say lesson learned. The relflection is perfect! Good use of color with the peppers. I think it's a great composition too.
February 9th, 2011  
love the colors, reflection, background...all!!!
February 9th, 2011  
cool reflection
February 9th, 2011  
Beeeeautiful. Fav. Gorgeous lighting. How did ya do it? Do you have a black table?
February 9th, 2011  
fab
February 9th, 2011  
wow. the lighting and reflections really make this pop! and the caption completes the whole deal. nice.
February 9th, 2011  
Well done!
February 9th, 2011  
Awesome lighting, awesome reflection.
February 9th, 2011  
great colour and reflections set off by the dark space
February 9th, 2011  
WOW! I really like the reflection and the contrast between color and black. Great job!
February 9th, 2011  
you're being too hard on yourself - love the colours and I'm in love with the reflection! How did you do this? (Hope you had a nice salad afterwards with this yummy peppers :-))
February 9th, 2011  
Very nice. I like the reflection and the colors, love the colors.
February 9th, 2011  
I love the colour you've captured with this one. I would say that you have got that lighting down quite well already... it is always fun to study though. I love the use of three here!
February 9th, 2011  
Color is wonderful, the reflections superb.
February 10th, 2011  
"like"
February 10th, 2011  
I think it's marvelous!!
February 10th, 2011  
Great lighting and reflections. Wondering what your table surface was made of. Composition shows depth with the placement of the peppers at different angles, yet still on the same plane.
February 10th, 2011  
Wow...this is awesome. Great reflections and the colours are so bright against the black.
February 10th, 2011  
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THANK YOU ! ! ! Your continued support is awesome and so much appreciated! ...and for those of you who asked how this was done, hold onto your seats, this is tricky:

1. Make sure you have hardly any room at all to work in. Piles of laundry in your way is especially useful.
2. Get two pieces of dirty black mat board and put one flat on a small, unstable table atop some books. The other, lean against the wall.
3. Find a piece of glass, maybe from a photo that's hanging on the wall if that's all you can find. Set it atop the flat laid mat.
4. Cut some veggies and eat some for nourishment before attempting this fete.
5. Place remaining veggies on the glass and set up your gorrila pod precariously near the edge of the table. Add camera.
6. Attach shutter release to camera and set to "bulb" mode.
7. Compose, set desired aperture, ISO and focus.
8. Turn off all lights in room.
9. Turn them back on so you can find your shutter release and a flashlight.
10. Turn them back off when you have above items in hand(s).
11. With flashlight in one hand, turn it on and start "painting" the veggies from above and to the sides, making sure to light up all those pesky shadowy areas.
12. Press your shutter release and hold it open for a count of 10. Or 15. or 35. or??
13. Still with me??
14. Cool. Once you've found a reasonable exposure, bring pixels into editor and remove all glass smudges and dirt streaks. Tone down or clone out any highlights on the freakin' shiny veggies. Adjust curves for contrast and color.
15. Basically, just edit the beejeebers out of it as needed.

Got it?! I trust you will keep this incredibly sophisticated secret just between us... ;-)
February 10th, 2011  
@aikiuser LMAO! thanks for the illustrated version on how to do that fabulous picture!!! Made my otherwise boring evening!
February 10th, 2011  
@aikiuser This is just about the best description I've heard - ever!!! hahaha thanks for sharing-will definitely try it out one weekend!!! :)
February 10th, 2011  
@aikiuser We are all now so much better off from your wisdom ... and thanks for the giggle :) he he!! (P.S - I'm inspired to give this a try.... I KNOW I definitely have laundry piles and I'm sure I can get a very dusty piece of glass somewhere!)
February 10th, 2011  
@aikiuser Just simply have to cut n paste your brilliant explaination to save in my folder of photography treasures!
February 10th, 2011  
@aikiuser Hilarious, and written in a language we can all understand. I'm with Catherine - this deserves begin saved. Flashlight, huh? Who knew.
February 10th, 2011  
@aikiuser oh my god - you are hilarious! i just read your instructions. i've got dirty mat board and dusty glass. I feel good to go! :)
February 10th, 2011  
Really nice, great reflections!
February 10th, 2011  
@aikiuser Now that is one explanation I love. Will really need to try this out. Fantastic!!! Don't worry, always have loads of dirty laundry lying about, lol.
February 10th, 2011  
nicely lit.
Looks great!
February 10th, 2011  
@aikiuser not only cute but funny too. >-)
February 10th, 2011  
love this! very nice photo! the composition was just perfect. sometimes or most of the times beauty comes in simplicity! love ur photos!! :)
February 11th, 2011  
Thank on the comment on my photo, coming from you is extra special because your photos are awesome!
February 11th, 2011  
Haha, great instructions. Can totally relate to some of those steps :-)
February 12th, 2011  
This. looks SOOO professional!!!
February 13th, 2011  
looks really nice, love the reflection too!
February 13th, 2011  
If Edward Weston had been able to study your 15 steps to pepper photography his life would have been so much easier in creating his own works of art. A FAV from Fairfield County. It's never too late!
September 26th, 2011  
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