This could very well be the most famous fork in photography.
And rightly so: in this picture by Kertesz from 1928 so much is achieved with so little.
An overturned fork rests on a bowl, in harsh light.
That would be a factual description of this picture. But look at everything that is going on.
The shadow of the tines droop down the side of the bowl in a rather melancholy fashion.
The shadow of the bulk of the fork forms becomes a diagonal dividing up the frame.
Original and shadow seem to take on completely different lives, showing aspects of two different worlds.
Our eye travels along the fork, down into the bowl,: and then back again via the shadows.
All this with a fork and a bowl.
Now this works not only because Kertesz has a great eye, but also because the design of the fork lends itself exquisitely to shadow-play.
And that is what I’m inviting you to play with today: grab a fork and experiment with light and shadow.
Fork and shadow - Else Kramer
You’ll need some hard light to do this - sunshine will work but failing that you can always grab a spotlight.
Place the fork on a whitish background and look at what happens to its shadows as you move it around.
What kind of different shapes and compositions can you create?
How can you fill the frame and direct the eye of the viewer?
What stories can you tell using a simple fork and its shadow?
Have fun playing with forks today and do share your shadow work on Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #kramerseye - I can’t wait to see what you’ve created.
And if you’re Dutch do check out this short movie I made a while ago with some practical tips on playing with forks and shadow.