“I did not see this image as becoming a finished print when I was photographing it as part of a still life of a fruit bowl. The final image arose from a set of proofs that were both dark and light. I usually make contact proofs of all my negatives for dating and filing. Although I had planned to make a print depicting the simplicity and beauty of the Red Delicious apple, which was dark red and randomly covered with white spots, another idea occurred. Within the set of proof prints, my intuition or inner eye spotted a darkly printed proof that suggested exciting potential. Because the print was dark, the shape of the apple was subdued, causing the points of light and other reflections to stand out like stars and a moon. By manipulating and playing with the dark and light tonal values of the printed negative, I had unknowingly arrived at a photograph that expressed the drama of a night sky or galaxy using a simple apple. It was a reminder to stay open to the potential of the medium of photography and what it was able to teach me.”
~ Paul Caponigro
(1932-2024)
I am lost in this image. I am trying to navigate my spirit. My head is up, and I am looking at the stars. It is a perfect night. I now understand what Van Gogh must have felt when he too looked up at the starry night. I am connecting with the spirits of lost loved ones. We are talking again reunited, as the memories flood back and fold me into myself.
