Today's Lunch (Watermelon Salad)

[TCampbell]

My other half can't eat anything without taking a picture of it first. It's really annoying. In restaurants it can be REALLY annoying. I strongly resist the urge to create a photographic record of everything I'm about to eat. But today my other half made a watermelon salad. These are delicious but I'm attracted to it because of the contrast... the watermelon is moist, the pistachios are dry, the red, white, and green color contrasts, etc.

Also (and perhaps most of all) I bought a super-fine focusing screen for my 5D II. The 5D III's focusing screen is electronic so it's not intended to be a user-replaceable part (unlike the 5D II screens Canon themselves sell lots of optional screens and 3rd parties sell even more choices.) This particular screen intensifies the effect of any out-of-focus area which makes it VERY easy to visually notice what's in focus (because everything not in focus will be very strongly out of focus.).

Anyway... here you go:


Watermelon Salad by Tim Campbell1, on Flickr


Balsamic Reduction on Watermelon by Tim Campbell1, on Flickr

A few comments...

The first image is taken at f/8... yes... that's f/8 (these are posted at Flickr and they strip the EXIF on the image itself but retain it if you view the image info at their website.) I say this only because it's not always necessary to drop to minimal focal ratios to get background blur. I wanted to get as much of that nearer plate in focus as possible. I wanted the farther plate to fall out of focus and a blurred background garden behind. Anything shallower was leaving me with that first plate going soft on me.

I'm not entirely thrilled about the capture job on this second image. My other half threw lunch together and I hadn't realized what he was making and that he wanted some photos of it -- so I had nothing prepared to capture it (well... cameras are always ready to go, but not the lighting.) Notice the right edge of that plate in the second image is a bit bright (not technically blown out -- but distracting enough given that I want your eye on the balsamic reduction.) The left edge of the plate was in shadow -- that's where my partner was standing as he was applying the balsamic ... a reflector would have helped. I cropped in tight to capture the balsamic pouring out. This stuff is intensely flavorful and doesn't taste like vinegar at all (that's mostly all been boiled away). We make our own balsamic reduction a few times per year and just keep it in these squeeze bottles. Fantastic on fruit such as watermelon and strawberries. Also fantastic on mozzarella caprese.

Oh... the second image was shot at f/5.6... a bit shallower and you can see the back half of the plate already beginning to fall out of focus (and I'm fine with that).

The camera is my 5D II, I'm shooting in aperture priority (Av). I'm using a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro lens.

 

[Designer]

The balsamic reduction looks like chocolate syrup.

I sometimes take pictures of food, particularly if it is a special meal or a delectable-looking dish.

 

[JustJazzie]

I LOVE the colors here! Thanks for sharing your set up. I agree it looks like chocolate syrup. your better half (or did you say other?) ;-) makes beautiful food! I always like to tell people, "I make good food- but not pretty food!" Perhaps someday that will change!

 

[TCampbell]

The balsamic reduction looks like chocolate syrup.

I sometimes take pictures of food, particularly if it is a special meal or a delectable-looking dish.

Funny you should mention that! In the past, we have accidentally grabbed the squeeze bottle with the chocolate syrup -- not NEARLY as good on watermelon as balsamic reduction. They look a LOT alike.

 

[mmaria]

oh... that's nice!

 

[TreeofLifeStairs]

oh... that's nice!

you know it would be better with bacon.

 

[Derrel]

The balsamic reduction looks like chocolate syrup.

I sometimes take pictures of food, particularly if it is a special meal or a delectable-looking dish.

Thanks for captioning it...I too thought, "Oh myyyyy...chocolate syrup added to this dish...here we goooooo, drain-circling already..."

What is the cheese variety, Tim, did you mention that? And the replacement viewfinder screen--which one did you get? KatzEye? Beattie? Other?

 

[sleist]

Not thrilled with the comp on these. They feel "off" balance-wise.

 

[TCampbell]

The balsamic reduction looks like chocolate syrup.

I sometimes take pictures of food, particularly if it is a special meal or a delectable-looking dish.

Thanks for captioning it...I too thought, "Oh myyyyy...chocolate syrup added to this dish...here we goooooo, drain-circling already..."

What is the cheese variety, Tim, did you mention that? And the replacement viewfinder screen--which one did you get? KatzEye? Beattie? Other?

The cheese is chèvre (goat cheese) -- broken into crumples. A few people made the comment that it looks like chocolate or hot fudge and I confess... I'm sure I would have thought the same thing. I mentioned to Designer's comment above... I did once accidentally grab the chocolate sauce (that was when I was drizzling it on mozzarella tomato caprese. Just in case any of you are wondering... tomato, mozzarella cheese, and chocolate are not such a great flavor combination.)

I did not think to add bacon. (My other half is a vegetarian, but will have dairy. He confesses that bacon is the ONLY thing that he really misses having.) ;-)

The focusing screen is the Canon Eg-S "Super-Precision Matte" screen. This is the first time I've tried an alternate focusing screen. I do like it and it really does work as claimed. But they warn that it is only designed to work with lenses that are f/2.8 or faster. I have a single f/3.5 lens (the tilt-shift) and I've tried it. It works but the image is noticeably dimer.

 

[limr]

I love the shots and I also love a watermelon salad. Have you ever tried feta instead of chevre? I've made it with feta and a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil instead of balsamic. Never thought of pistachios, though.