Martina Ridsdale, Pears on Pedestal (MINIMALISM - Entries close 31 July 2026)

In the makeshift studio in my front room, that is situated next to a large window, I placed two large black squares of MDF as the backdrop, with one on the bottom and one on the back. I placed three pears on top of the brass pedestal, and before I placed the fourth pear that was laying down, I noticed the pear had some light reflection on the black board, so I left it there. The light reflection and the casual way the pear landed added to the balance of the image. Camera – Nikon D7200 Lens – Nikkor 40mm 2.8 macro Focal length – 40mm Shutter speed – 1/50 Aperture – 2.8 ISO – 100 Tripod? – Yes Edits – Crop Gradient masking to - lighten shadows Highlight colour Blacken the background

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