Wanna learn? … Put down that book and grab some fruit …

I personally love photography books.  Probably because there's less reading than most books.  Anyway, this article isn't about books.  It's about putting down the book for a moment and learning by playing … and occasionally, referencing a book.

Maybe you can guess my favorite subjects to photograph. They have a great shape. They are curvy and complex. They have beautiful skin. They have so many fine details and tend to be very cooperative if cared for.  They don't mind working in the dark. And when the fun photos are over, there's still a very fulfilling moment remaining.

Yup, you guessed it;

PEARS! …

So here's an assignment for any beginning photog that would like to learn more: 

1. Take a bowl of pears (or whatever interesting natural objects you have sitting around the house) 
2. Get some not-necessarily-photo-specific sources of light (flashlight, desk lamp, laser pointer, cell-phone, or whatever you come up with)
3. Put your camera on the "Manual" setting
4. Set up the camera, a tri-pod, and the pears in a dark area of your liking
5. Take interesting photos using the above items
6. No 6 … That's it … 

WHY is this a good project?

This sort of open-ended project requires two things not listed in the set-up:

• Going beyond typical point-and-shoot, the photographer needs to learn how to use the camera … and a tri-pod.
• A creative, thought out process is the only thing that will give good results.
• Photography is all about light.  This project is all about working with light.

Above: An iPhone using the "Flashlight" app with different colors (30 second exposure).

Above: A laser pointer creates the illusion that the stems were just blown out like a candle.  A little poof of smoke was created using a cell phone diffused with tissue paper.  The pears are lit with a snooted desk lap waved over and around away from the eye of the camera.  Yes, cameras have eyes ;).

Some additional thoughts on this project:  You may actually need to read the camera's manual  to get the result you want.  That's a good thing.  You may also get hurt playing in the dark.  That's not really a good thing.  So wear a helmet if you need one.