I was surprised by the number of comments this kiwi fruit photo received, so I decided to blog about how I did it.
This was my first attempt at photographing a thin slice of fruit with a light source behind it. Here’s a photo of the set-up I used since I don’t own a light-box. I bent a table lamp so that it pointed upwards and I placed it on a chair. That’s the light source. I placed a pane of glass on the edge of the table with something heavy to anchor it. (I used the sliding panel from the glass box that holds the oil lights that I light for Shabbat; in the old days, the wicks used to splutter and occasionally a cup would crack, so the glass box prevents fires and oil damage.)
A sheet of printer paper was placed on top of the glass and underneath a very thin slice of fruit. Next time I plan to use tracing paper because it will let more light through and probably has less texture.
One last thing — I’m quite short, so I had to stand on a low stool to take the photo. The camera was handheld (I don’t have a tripod with a tilting column). Focal length was 135mm with an ordinary telephoto lens (Canon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS), not a macro lens. For such a long lens, it can focus fairly close, so I use it for these macro-like shots.