A few years ago, I was asked to take some photographs of grapes on the vine for a house that was being decorated. Arrangements were made with a vineyard owner in the Long Island wine region. This page shows some of the photographs taken on the vineyard.

The assignment seemed simple at first. However, as I started photographing I realized there are some technical hurdles that made it more difficult than I had expected. These included:

Light

The first few times I went to the vineyard, the light was very poor. It was either too overcast resulting in flat light or it was too hot and the contrast was very difficult. Even with reflectors and diffusers, it was still difficult to get good light on the grape bunches (which are often set back under the leaves of the vine).

Finding Photogenic Grapes

One of the hardest parts of taking these pictures, was finding bunches that looked good. In addition, it was hard to find grape bunches that were not surrounded by distracting elements. I would try to find bunches that had photographic potential during the mid afternoon, record their location, and then return the following morning to take the picture.

Wind

Note: I carry some old wooden clothespins in my camera bag and they are very handy in these situations. The vines are covered by plastic nets to prevent birds and animals from eating the grapes. The vineyard owner showed me how to pull back the nets while taking the pictures. I used the clothespins to hold the nets up until I was finished.