I was surprised when this snapshot became my most popular instagram photo.
This photo was taken in five minutes. I was splitting open a pomegranate. I looked down and noticed how beautiful it was. It reminded me of a 17th century still life painting. One of my favorites from Art History. I walked the cutting board over to my sunroom and set it on the table. I took one of the paintings off my wall and put it on its side in the background. I then took a book to block the light from the right side of the frame and adjusted the blinds to give me the light I wanted. It took me a few rounds of photographs with my iPhone to get the angle and exposure I wanted. When I touched the screen at the hottest (brightest) point, I got the light quality I wanted. Click on my diagram below to see how to set this up for yourself. The book placement is the key to getting the shadows right.