In the recent past, I have taken some good photographs that include vegetables or fruit. That I was not able to do so this past week has been a source of considerable consternation to me.
A depth of field just slightly greater would have allowed both the petals of the flower, for which I shall make no more excuses, and the veins of the cabbage leaf to show clearly. As it is, the cabbage ranges from faintly to quite blurry, which leaves one squinting perpetually, trying to bring the thing into focus. The unexpected shadow on the flower — it would be better if I could account for it, but I don’t know what caused it — tones down what would have been far more over-bright. In other words, a mistake improved a flaw inherent in pairing the bright flower with the significantly darker leaf.
Not for the first time in my life, Julia Child rides in with salvation. Her insouciant quotation, one of her many assaults on enemies of proper cooking, somehow rescues a dejected photographer. Her wit, in fact, becomes a purpose for the picture. The blearily focused cabbage leaf, whose highest calling had previous been negative space, now serves up a culinary kick to anyone who thinks that cabbages and chrysanthemums go together.
Merci bien, Julia.
next page: Light-Dark Contrast; Adding Text Using Type Mask or
return to index