HOW I GOT THE SHOT: Photography often requires finding order amid chaos and distraction. It takes a sophisticated eye to see what doesn't belong and to compose by exclusion. And it's never a simple matter of left and right, but also over and above, and often most importantly, what falls in the background.
I appreciate merchants who take pride in displaying their wares with an artistic flare. If you arrive early enough at Jerusalem's Machane Yehuda market, you can see vendors stacking fruit with a purpose beyond mere profit. The efforts of these stall owners made capturing this week's photos a lot simpler.
The upper shot caught my eye in the way the rows of round, dried figs seem to dominate their surroundings. I don't know if the vendor intended it, but he alternated light colored and dark colored fruits so that no two similarly colored fruits occupy adjacent bins. That makes the whole setup more visually appealing as well as aiding the shopper to see and select from the many different choices.
The lower photo features fruits closely related in color. This shot was taken in open sunlight, and I used the play of shadow and light, as well as selective focus, to emphasize the papaya in the foreground. Today is Tu Bishvat, the new year for trees in Israel. May we merit a bountiful harvest in the coming year.
Technical Data:
Left Photo – Nikon D700, 28-105 zoom at 55mm, f11 @ 1/80 sec., ISO 500
Right Photo – Nikon D300, 18-200 zoom at 46mm, f13 @ 1/160 sec., ISO 400
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