Tribute to Edward Weston, specifically his Pepper No. 30, 1930
Two word summary: very difficult!
One of my teachers from the Academy of Art said that the way Weston achieved the luminous effect in his Pepper No. 30 was by putting his pepper in a metal bucket. So I put mine in a metal bucket as well, with sunlight reflecting onto the pepper.
Getting a good angle was tough. So was getting the pepper to balance.
During post-processing, the more I worked on my own image, the more I developed an appreciation and respect for Weston's own photograph. He, aside from having found a particularly interesting pepper, was able to produce a beautiful image without the use of either black or white. That is really amazing and very difficult to replicate.
I have attempted to do the same here, and neither pure black nor pure white is present in this image. My tones run darker and lighter and over a broader range. I cannot get significantly closer to his style of processing without much more extended study.
Viewing the two side by side, I can't in any way pretend I've attained anything so artful as Weston did. No longer will I see Pepper No. 30 as 'just a photo of a pepper.'
Good challenge, this one
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I think you did great finding a pepper that was twisted and contorted like a human body. Weston loved that. I can't decide about the background. I think I'd like it better if it competed less overall. Still a nice conversion to B&W.
Excellent shot. I am always intrigued by these little deformed, under-developed looking peppers inside the pepper when you cut it open. Almost like a twin that was absorbed wothin. Very nice textures.
kind of looks like a melted hershey kiss and a deformed human ear all in one.
yet I still like it and it is amongst my top votes for this challenge.
sorry I couldn't give any constructive help with my comment.
Probably the best of all the Weston takes! Gotta love the look of this pepper and the shadows and background really makes this image a true tribute to Weston! He would be proud ;) Great image. 7
You nailed it..By far the best Weston "Pepper" entry. Good use of a flawed pepper and the BW conversion is one of the best Ive seen on this site! Upon review..I had to bump it up....
A fine tribute photo in the style of Weston. Well conceived. Well composed. Well executed, especially the texture. Conveys well the sense of mystery I associate with Weston. Thanks.
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