Pureed Pears

Reading your comments on the openphoto forum, it surprised me that you're shooting at f9-11, and for a closeup at that! I find I never go below f45, and when doing closeups usually have to close up to 90. Are you getting enough dof? It's hard to tell from the computer screen.

I like that you've used a lighting scheme that reveals form and the 'metalness' of the bowls. However, I'd like my eye to be drawn more to the pear since what is going to happen to it is the point and the fun of all that machinery. It would also be nice if you could generate some highlights on the near side of the pureer and motor since that whole area is a bit flat, while still keeping the sides a few tones darker than the front and top. Since the BG is so nicely blurred, you could cover the electric outlet with a large piece of white or colored paper the edges of which would probably disappear. Sounds like an interesting and tasty project, David. Good luck.

I'm trying to keep DOF short to get that "Heliar look," and I particularly wanted to blur out that electrical outlet in the background, but after looking at the transparencies, I think I could have gone to about f:16 or 22 without getting more in focus than I wanted.

Since it's in the critique gallery I'll offer my best.
I think the highlights should be the raw product, which is the pears, and the finished product, which is also the pears, albeit in an altered state. They don't stand out enough. I like your use of a larger aperture, the Heliar really is a beautiful lens.
I second the opinion that the electric outlet should go, if you can re-shoot. John's suggestion really is a good one.
Other than that: beautiful colors, outstanding sheen on the chrome and a tight and functional composition.
- Thomas

Yeah, I've been looking for a better spot to set these things up without having any distracting elements in the background, since the space is a bit cramped for a background stand.

tape some white seamless to the wall? the electrical outlet is a little disturbing to me, but I like the depth of focus on the shot and don't see any need to stop down further (unless you want to, of course).

I like your dof concept and going to f/16 might be as far as I would go. The above comments pretty much cover other things I would say, but with regards to the electrical outlet, I wonder how it would work by keeping it, and repositioning it, within the frame? Because it's part of the process of supplying electricity to things like the Kitchen Aid processor that is in your photograph, I don't find it excessively distracting.

Just for reference the DOF range in this shot (f:11) is about 2-1/4 inches, f:16 would be about 3-1/4 inches, and f:22 would be about 4-1/2 inches. I'm using camera movements, to manipulate the plane of focus as well. If I didn't have to worry about the distraction in the background (which I shouldn't in the future), I would have used f:22, two stops down from this shot.

I should have said that I like your 'plane of focus'. And I admit that using your current pof with a slight increase of area at f/22, along with the outlet disappearing, would most likely look better. This is fun stuff you're doing.

Marc

For food, you gotta shoot open! This is good David, hope to see some more.. Food is what I shoot "for money", it can be pretty complicated but a ton of fun!