Blowing My Own Trumpet

I rarely . . . okay, never blow my own trumpet. Outside I'm pretty reticent; inside I'm the most self-deprecating person you could ever meet. True.

However, I think this is absolutely the best photograph I've ever seen. It's gorgeous. I love it. I can stare at it and analyse it for ages. It's absolutely the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I love the colour combinations (the black and white versions are okay in a different kind of way); I love the construction; I love the underlying tension (between the red and the black shakers) - there's even a hint of tension between two factions of the black shakers; I love the suggestion of something grand (the frame); I love the shadows hiding behind the vase; I love the Orchid reaching out to touch the red shaker; I love the ledge that separates the image at a third; I love the mystery (what is that shadow on the right? - I know, but do you? You would never guess!) I love the reflection in the shakers (I love "reflections" - they're often a metaphor); just what is that green object behind the orchid?; I love how the ledge perfectly, symmetrically dissects the top of the red shakers; Like the odds between the warring groups - the black's numbers versus the red's size; there's a chess metaphor somewhere here.

I love this photograph!

There was no staging here at all. I was in a little cafe on Sunday with some friends and thats exactly how it was set up. During our lunch a couple of the black shakers came and went. But I took the photograph without moving anything.

I had to apologise to my friends because for a while as we had our coffees and bagels I was utterly distracted by the potential of this scene, which was diagonally opposite us. So I moved the the table next to us, which, fortunately was empty, and took a few shots.

Did I say how much I love this photo?