Freesia

Pepper #30

Image ©Edward Weston 1930

Can a pepper ever be more than a pepper? I can’t help but ponder this when seeing Pepper #30, a photograph by Edward Weston, made in 1930. Weston carefully considered the elements of design when he made the photograph. As indicated in the title, Pepper #30, there were 29 other peppers, but this pepper is the masterpiece. Overall composition, balance, tonal range, texture, and light each contributed to make pepper #30 a master photograph.
Pepper #30 is both a realistic and abstract representation. Realistic because when we look at the photograph it is immediately obvious that this is a pepper. Abstract because the pepper was photographed outside of its natural environment. The book Prebles’ Artforms relates to us Weston’s thoughts from his daybook, “A pepper- but more than a pepper: abstract, in that it is completely outside subject matter…” (Artforms 18) Pepper #30 is an object. Although it does not fit the criteria of a portrait, I would call it a portrait, because a portrait is a representation of a subject’s appearance and personality. This pepper is not a person, but it is a living thing, and it does have personality, which is quite apparent in the photograph.

Weston’s Pepper #30 is a black and white photograph. Weston used soft lighting to separate the pepper from the background to give it a three dimensional quality. The background is very dark while the subject itself is illuminated. The lighting emphasizes the organic shape. The tonal range in the photograph is quite vast, ranging from bright highlights to very dark shadows. The visual texture of pepper #30 is vey smooth and fleshy. Weston positioned the pepper so that the viewer sees all the curves and lines. The overall composition is asymmetrical balance because the left and right side are different. The sharpness of the entire photograph suggests that a very small aperture was used while making the photograph.

Is pepper #30 just a pepper, or is there some deeper meaning? I have heard this photograph described as two figures embracing. Some say that this pepper resembles aspects of the human form. When I look at this pepper I first see just a pepper, but with a different perspective I can see that it almost looks like the inside of a wrist and a closed fist. I think that Edward Weston did an amazing thing, the way he photographed this pepper close up. The angle of the pepper leaves it to the viewer to interpret the meaning. The viewer can read so much more into this work of art, than if Weston had zoomed out a little, or positioned the pepper differently.

A pepper may very well become more than just a pepper if all of the elements of design come together. If only one of those elements were not present the master photograph might never have become a great work of art. It is sort of like a recipe, all of the ingredients must be combined for the final outcome to be pleasing. If your bread were missing yeast than it would fall flat, just as if Pepper #30 were missing great lighting it would only be a mere pepper.

A Mountain and Two Doors on the Plaza

I found a little bit of spring

My photograph made the front page

On Monday I was in Tularosa with Roy (Jon's dad). We were driving around looking to photograph "nature closeup" for my theme work for class when we heard sirens and spotted smoke. Fire! My first thought was that I could photograph the fire and submit it to the newspaper. I dismissed the thought at first, and we headed back to the house where Jon and the kids were. I expressed my disappointment at not being inspired by the winter environment. Roy suggested that we go to the creek. So we turned around and headed that way, when We came upon the fire. The firefighters were already there. With a little convincing on Roy's part I grabbed my digital camera and my 75-300 lens and snapped a few photos. I sent some to the editor at Alamogordo Daily News via email. He emailed me back saying they were great. So first thing this morning I checked out the newspaper, and there I am on the front page. They even printed my typo where I accidentally wrote ace instead of ave.

Brush Fire in Tularosa