An Apple A Day…
That’s our focus in this assignment.
“Apples” or a single apple. A bushel basket of apples. Ingredients for caramel apples, or cinnamon apple sauce.
The old saying “An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away” is the theme of the food magazine spread. And they need a horizontal image to go as a full double truck (two page spread). Now here is the fun part. No worries about type. They will handle that part, and will work with what you give them. They are planning on color bars around the typography, so no worries about readability.
However, this shot is the opening spread of a big article on apples… nutritional benefits, fun food stuffs that can be made with them, recipes, and some folklore as well. You can add a bit of either of them to the image.
If you go for recipes, you could add some cooking utensils. If you go for folklore, some “Johnny Appleseed” books or maps may come into play in a small way.
But the key to this shot is light. We want a strong light presence – whether big and soft window light or multiple grid-spots. We want a very exciting approach to the ‘apple’ – and if you are a people shooter, no problem. Hands, body parts, even a beauty shot with apples in the hair would be cool…
Shoot to your strengths… shoot for your book.
Please do not shoot an apple sitting in a store apple case… DO something with it. Push your brain to think of how else to shoot an apple or apples that can be more interesting than that. Mirrors? Shiny boards? Incongruous surfaces, or fancy plating? Styling and props?
Apples.
The Silhouette Shot: Light from behind. Apple’s outline only. Create mystery, intrigue.
Macro Extreme: Tight shot, just apple’s skin texture. Make it feel like a landscape, a world to explore.
The Dissection: Cut the apple into thin slices. Arrange them from whole to thin layers. Progression, an anatomy lesson.
Floating Apple: Use invisible thread. Hang apple mid-air. The right light. The right angle. Levitation. Magical.
Glassware Trickery: Shoot apple through a wine glass. Warps and refractions. An apple as seen by a fish.
Smoke and Mirrors: Use a smoke machine. Hazy background. Apple in sharp focus. Mystical, almost forbidden.
Water Splash: Half apple submerged in water. Capture the splash. Perfect timing. Nature meets action.
Apple Noir: Low key lighting. High contrast. Only highlight the curves. An apple in the dark alley.
Mirror Image: Use a mirror. Half the apple in reality, half in reflection. Question perception. Question reality.
Multiple Exposure: Create a double-exposed image with an apple and a city skyline. Urban meets rural.
Experiment, break rules, push boundaries.
That’s the P52 way.
Your apple, your story.
Now, go make it happen.
Inspiration from former students.
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