Project avocado

I am beginning to have to think outside of the box when it comes to my next photo challenge.
I don't want to you be visually bored and I want new things to see through my lens as well.

So today as I was cutting my avacado for a midmorning snack I decided it would be the subject of my official photo blog of the day, and unofficial food blog of the day.
I really want to blog about homemade granola bars, and may yet...but the day is going by fast and I have lots to do.
We shall see.
My goal was to work on manual with my camera in my kitchen with only the natural light from the window coming in.
So here is what I got.
Oh, and just for kicks we will also make this an avocado tutorial of sorts.
I will put my photo information at the top of each picture and whatever else I want to say in green at the bottom.
We shall see how that pans out!


I learned just last week that I can look at the exposure level in my lens while focusing a shot.
So I zeroed in, adjusted that and clicked.

Cut a ripe avocado in half and remove the seed.
Next begin to score the fruit, in half inch increments all the way down to the skin.



Thankfully my knife would balance just fine while I snapped this next shot.
I was practicing adjusting the focal point here.

Now, score in the other direction as well. Maintaining an approximate 1/2 inch grid.




I tend to have a natural tremor all my own, so this was like a double challenge holding the fruit as well as snapping the shot. I found that as I tilted toward the light my exposure level changed quite a bit. Interesting!!

Now, put your knife down and pick up a spoon. Gently but firmly scrape all of the chunks from the skin. If you have scored it well, they will separate nicely.



Adding this other color in really brought something to the party! I love color.

Add a dollop of your favorite salsa!
I made this hastily last night from a can of rotel, a can of diced tomatoes, (both drained a bit), the juice of a lime, a hearty dash of cumin, a generous dose of garlic pepper, and a shake of salt. Oh, and of course cilantro!



just still concentrating on focus here

Now take your fork and smash it, and smash it, and smash it, smash it, smash it.
Gua-ca...Gua-ca-mo-le, guacamole!!
Ever heard the peanut butter and jelly song??
Yes, I have too.
Like a bunch these past couple of days.



The light was exceedingly different when I opened my back door to head out.
It was precisely at this moment that I remembered ISO.
Hello...ISO!!! The last time I shot was yesterday afternoon outside, so my ISO was still set at 100, which I just learned is the average number for such things.
Inside, with low light conditions 400 would be much easier to shoot with.
Duh!!
I could not go back and redo all the cutting and smashing but learned a very valuable lesson about checking my ISO first thing!!!

The next step in the process is to hail your trusty companion for a trip out to the herb garden.
Seeing as how you are still dressed in your pj's and cozy socks, you will find it best to slip into a pair of backless shoes. Do not be concerned if your feet don't go all the way in...those socks are thick after all.



Yes, I did go into my backyard in my pj's at 10:30 in the morning to pick cilantro because I am just hanging out at home today, doing laundry, cleaning house and worst of all bathing the dog, and so there is no way I am getting dressed until all of that is accomplished.
And, I overexposed this shot. Soon, my Gimp tutorial book will be arriving and I will be able to fix such things.

If you happen to have a cilantro plant then pick a generous amount to give this guacamole a boost. Of course, the other option is to use dried, but I wouldn't. I am never going back to dried cilantro and you can't make me.



At this point, I remembered that I had also changed my white balance setting for the pictures yesterday as well, and shifted that too.
Someday all of this will be second nature. Sigh!!

Chop the cilantro, roughly or finely...it matters not to me. I chopped it roughly because I am a meany and I was in a hurry. (It is 10:30 and I haven't eaten anything yet!)



I thought moving the guac to a white bowl would make it more visually interesting.
It didn't.

Now, eat. And clean up that cilantro mess that you left on the counter top!

Please remember that an avocado while healthy, is also a fatty food. Do not by any means follow it up with a chocolate chip cookie.

I will be here all week folks!!