Artists have been drawing bowls and/or baskets of fruit since the beginning of time. So whenever I see a few seeded wonders hanging around the table or counter just waiting to be eaten, I feel a somewhat historically-based need to remember the moment.
I captured this image a few months back. What I liked about the apple was that it lacked virtually all the trademarks of a classic apple. No brilliant red, no shiny sheen. Just a basic shape that didn't visually jump out of the basket at me. The lighting was also somewhat low-key - all the right ingredients for the kind of picture where composition matters more than the wow factor of color.
Which is why I captured it. Philosophically speaking, of course, I'd also be bringing home pictures of Betty long before I'd take any of Veronica, Mary-Ann instead of Ginger, the Chrysler Building before the Empire State, and the plain, sweet little used Mazda that was my first car instead of some Ferrari. Flash isn't always more interesting to look at. Once you get past the superfluous bling, there often isn't a whole lot there.
Your turn: I'm still leaning heavily toward more basic themes in my work (see here and here for more background.) What do we miss when we ignore the more subtle scenes around us?
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19 comments:
It's always about the little things...when you don't pay attention to the small nuances of your every day life, you miss a LOT!
If you're too busy to see the small stuff, it's time to take a breather. Having kids really makes you appreciate the little things. Have you ever seen a grasshopper up close? Or explored the underside of a Praying Mantis as it climbs up your screen? How about seeing the "heart" in the strawberry? That's my daughter's all time favorite - she LOVES to see if she can find one!
The every day mundane is better than the flashy once-in-a-while....
it all goes back to the old saying, "it's the journey, not the destination, that's important" Same thing with the little things around us.
Of course it is the small things, small joys, small surprises, small blessings that make the difference! I saw moss growing on a very old brick wall yesterday, not just one type but many, all shades, different colors and I wondered... how many people have passed this way, did Jefferson see this wall, has anyone else taken this picture? Of course, "wondering" is my middle name. (Not really but it could be.)
BTW - You will never in a hundred million years guess what flashed through my mind as this picture loaded. Not only will you not guess, but I will never tell... blush!
I think we often miss the idea of what the image could be in the end, we think too big... we think too much in the now and not really think about the outcomings afterwards perhaps, and we see the big picture but miss the detailings on how to get there: like travelling anywhere - how much of the getting there did you see or did you manage to catch some z's instead???
But i really want to tell my about my first impression of this image.
Pregnant belly.
Try looking at it for the briefest moments, and for that split instant the only thing you see in that blur of a moment is the fruit, and it just looks like a tummy with a bun in the oven...
dont you think?
I loves it anyways...
Thanks Carmi Cameleon :O)
Is it just me or does the apple pic look like a belly taken with a fish-eye lens? :D
(Only momentarily of course)
That's a beautiful, beautiful picture.
WOW!
Hi Carmi, Michele sent me :)
People who can't see beyond the flash & sizzle have "surface sight." It's a shame.
Re: the apple. The shape and angle here reminds me of a very pregnant womans belly-- minus a stem of course ;)
Hello, Michele sent me.
Nice shot. I especially like the 'plain' apple in context of the bright stuff around it - kind of surreal. What I like about observing the common things is how complex and exciting they are at a deeper level. We're dazzled by the butterfly's wings but it's body is where the complexity really is.
I have never seen an apple with so little color before... but now I want an apple, a giant Fuji apple, and dangit I don't have any.
Michele sent me this fine morning, so it's her fault I'll probably be going to the store today to buy apples.
I think that it looks faintly erotic, or have I a fruit fetish without knowing it? :-)
Here from Michele's today.
i've never seen an apple like that. but i love the composition of the photo.
michele sent me today!
Here from Michele.
Well, I'm glad to know that everyone else has a mind that is not totally on "apples". Whew!
I love the Chrysler building. There's just something about that top that appeals to me.
As for the apple--is it albino? LOL The poor thing seems to be completely without color.
Michele sent me over for the first time this weekend--but I suspect there'll be other times to come.
I try not to overlook the small stuff, because when it's gone, I find it's what I miss the most.
My brother had a thing for Janet from Three's Company.
Where do I begin? I'm always flipping rocks over to look at the bugs underneath. Sure, pizzazz is nice once in a while, but after a while you realize that underneath the window dressing... ho-hum.
here via michele today.
p
I think we miss the building blocks of our lives.
Great photo. I love the curvey stripes of color created by the wire. And the apple... kinda looks like a belly. :)
~S
I've started a series of still life paintings featuring piles and piles of stuff. The more, the more successful. But I really like the minimalist route. Your photos are very interesting.
The series I am working on are a response to 9/11. That would only register with me, probably. But there is chaos and one "featured" item with a face.
It's quite lame that I only swing by when Michele sends me. I'll try to come by more often.
i think the best part of this is that you captured something that you can never capture again... it's a unique apple for sure but it will either be eaten or thrown out so you def took advantage of a one time shot!
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