Photography Changes How We Shop

Advertising is one of the more interesting topics within photography, as the products being sold convey messages far beyond the simple products themselves. So often are companies selling a lifestyle, a desire, a persona, etc. rather than the product alone. I am reminded of a commercial for the Honda Civic in which a young, hip-looking man is shown driving his new Civic, describing the previous night in which he met an attractive girl. It's almost as though inherent in the advertisement is the assumption that if one were to buy this exact car, such a lifestyle would inadvertently come with it. The article Photography Changes How We Shop continues this discussion, particularly with the anecdote of the vegetable vendor and his methodology for the presentation of his products.
This Turkish vendor became the inspiration for my photojournal, as he swore by a presentation of contrasting colors, making certain vegetables stand out against each other, while positioning his cart in the sunlight so as to make the product seem more attractive. In taking the photo, the blue water of the pool became and easy aspect to contrast with the very deep and dark red of the wine. Just as well, the bottle holds a reddish tint, and has very vibrant notes of red on the label. These contrast very well with the turquoise of the pool. Off to the side of the glass there is a small glimmer of a bright red ray of light, demonstrating the sun going through the wine itself. Yet, my favorite nuance of the photo is the interesting bending of light within the glass itself, contrasting nicely between the red wine and the green grass.
I feel that this photo succeeded in presenting something in an appealing way, with the contrast of colors and the use of light. Just as well, I think that it conveys a certain ideal lifestyle that the consumer assumes is part of the product itself.