The low here this morning was 1.  With a few high clouds but mostly sunny skies, the temperature is already up to 10 degrees.  Checking the weather map and temperatures around the country, I know many of you are experiencing teeth-chattering, potentially deadly temperatures and icy conditions.  With a bitter wind pushing the edges of a nation-wide polar vortex into northern New Mexico, and temperatures in the teens, I capitulated to nature.  After trying two different outside setups, I discovered neither my constitution nor equipment was prepared for the cold.  Thus, there are no grand snow or ice images today, but still life photographs produced in house. For a photographer, this offers  challenges of doing slightly different things with common objects, and introducing color.

One of my favorite fruits to photograph is the gnarly and fascinating pomegranate.  Outside, the beautiful and rich red stippled skin, almost reflects a rock-like texture to protect its fruit.  With an oak backdrop, it carries a native look.  

Each backdrop brings different tints of the fruit to the foreground. 

Using black and white for the image alters the pomegranate dramatically.  Except for the stem area, it looks more like a rock or dung, but the sheen remains. 

We are extremely lucky to have access to fruits like pomegranates and oranges in the middle of winter.  Below are two photographs of a simple orange - lovely and reflective.  It did not take long for the oranges to freeze solid during my outside setups.  

Thanks to Lisa, Victoria, Terry T., Elida, Barbara, Christina, Connie, TTT, Wayne, Diane DR, Steve, Jean and Sam, Dianne, and Char for your input about last week's blog.  I hope simple things bring you delight this week, with or without your cameras or smart phones.  

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the [email protected]