Pear - ing

This didn't turn out the way I expected it to but I hope it has enough artistic merits as it is.

Feedback appreciated.

Peter, I think any tasteless thoughts are in your mind and not in this picture.

Bilyana, What is ugly? Certainly not the model and I think the pears are lovely too.

Kelvin, Thanks a lot. Believe it or not, although I do like to put humour in shots, that was not the intent here. See my answer to Steve below.

Steve, I don't have it. I was trying to show the similarity between the shape of the woman and the shape of the pear. Obviously to do this a little better, I should have been lower. When the model seen the image she said, "It looks like I am poohing a pear." I do have more images from this shoot. I may upload them later.

It appears, in my very personal opinion, that whoever has the nerve to dub, label, or judge a work of art (work of art because it is the product of an artist with a very particular sense of art, and not because you like it or not, Peter and Bilyana) without first trying at least to taste, introspect, analyze and appreciate whatever it was that the photographer was trying to convey, should not be counted or considered as valid (inasmuch as the word valid implies when talking about constructive criticism). The way I see it, no forum is perfect. Even this one, with its thousands of qualified and prominent posters, can shelter the one-worded "comments" of people who, far from providing insight to works as original, innovative and yes, uncommon* as this one, thrust dirt and leave aside the friendly colleague spirit. It is curious, if you stop to think about it, how people who supposedly joined a community of colleagues to provide both helpful insight and share motivating thoughts, use the messaging forum to stick adjectives to fine and original works.

The composition of this photograph is strong, bold, and sensual. The way you used colors and managed the power of light in this picture is also something uncommon to see. As for the message, I had not even noticed the analogy of the shapes of the woman and the fruit. Her pose, her skin and the originality of the work make this nude, in my opinion, a truly revolutionary exponent of its genre.

Keep the excellent, and out-of-the-box work coming. Best regards, Mario.

As soon as I saw this photograph, I knew immediately what your intent was, and knew this wasn't an attempt at humour. I'm in agreement with you that you should have shot from a lower angle.

I'm surprised that a couple of people see this as tasteless and rude. It's neither, nor is it a "bad" photograph...it just didn't work the way you envisioned. I daresay there are a lot of photographers who post on p.net (I'm one of them) whose shots don't always come out as planned.

It's good color work as usual from you. I do sort of question the use of the second pear, though. The pear in the center more closely mimics the shape of the young lady, I think. So maybe you should/could reshoot it? Go for the lower angle and perhaps move the center pear out to the side where the other one is?

Quite impressed by the range of tones you capture and the contrast between them, how you've split in to three groups. Green fruits, skin tones and then the black/browns. I especially like the way you capture dark Asian hair against black backgrounds in a number of your shots.

I always enjoy a rhythm to pictures and the girls body rhymes beautifully with the pear, great use of light! I think you got the perspective right on both, but perhaps he girl should have sat up a little for a deeper shadow in the centre of the lower back. This is minor really, it's something to do with the wiring in the brain that really distracts us from what you've done.

Your chilli logo is a distraction in this one! The flash of red keeps drawing my eyes to it.

Mario, Unfortunately I don't think Peter on Bilyana will see your comment. If they do, I fear they might not reply.

I do not think I can reply to your post as well as I should or as much as I would like to. Please accept my sincerest thanks for your time and thank you also for your understanding.

Jim, Yes! I failed. I consider it a pretty good failure though. I doubt I will reshoot this. I would only want to do it with this model and she is leaving Hong Kong soon. Also the pears seem to have vanished from the supermarket. Sigh! I do thank you for your words of encouragement. I did take other pear pictures with this model. I may upload them later. Certainly I am finding pears very photogenic.

Paul, I think you see more in this image than I intended to shoot. That is quite a compliment and I thank you for that. This particular model has very dark hair. People have commented about my ability to separate the hair from the dark backgrounds before. Quite honestly, I felt I failed here... although not completely.

Thanks everyone.

Well, I think "failed" is too strong a word.

And actually, the more I look at this, the more I tend to agree with Paul that the perspective is right. If you'd shot too much lower, you'd have lost the similarity between the pear shape and the model's shape, especially the legs.

I'm still thinking, though, that the pear on the right isn't really needed to establish the intent of the photograph. It's takes the eye away from the central subject(s).

I take it you have eaten all the pears by now?

Yes Jim, When I said I failed it wasn't meant to be taken too literally. I hear what you say about the 2nd pear. Believe it or not there was a 3rd pear, or half of one at least. I did clone it out. I have removed the 2nd pear for you here.

Yes! All the pears are eaten. The model had 1 and I had 5. I didn't wash mine before eating them.

David, as you now know I appreciate very much your special disenchanted but fond eye. Nevertheless I ROFLMAO reading some of your comments (such: "I failed. I consider it a pretty good failure though" or "Yes! All the pears are eaten...".

I like this picture too.

You should accept, as a matter of fact, that the picture is something apart from you and your intention when you shot it. She has its own life and says what she (I'm sure pictures are female!) wants to say and not only (or merely) what you wanted. I catched immediately you wanted to compare the shapes, but the picture says too that the model is poohing it and, more, the model coul be the pear-tre, since the peduncle is quite connected to her body. All this things give to the picture a soft humour and make the picture very very interesting.

living in HK seems amusing

Ciao

Mauro

Many thanks for the more than kind words. I am not sure I deserve them. Having said that I do have a friend (only one mind you) who follows my work on this site. He is a fan of my comments and finds some of them amusing. I do like to amuse people and I like to do it in as many ways as possible. It really is humbling when someone takes the time to say they appreciate what I am trying to do.

I have never though of pictures having a sex. Even after reading your comment, I can't quite get my head around it.

Thanks again Mauro.