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Chocolate Tree


Chocolate Tree
Photo Information
Copyright: Janice Dunn (Janice) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3315 W: 148 N: 6113] (18648)
Genre: Plants
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-06-07
Categories: Trees
Camera: Canon EOS 300D, Tamron 28-300 XR
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/400 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2005-06-08 4:03
Viewed: 1990
Points: 40
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Chocolate Tree
Cocoa ö Theobroma cacao

Yesterday I went with Pam to Auckland Domain where Auckland’s Winter and Summer House Botanical Gardens are. There are 2 hot houses for many imported and strange plants, plus outdoor gardens and even a fernery. There were some everyday plants as well. But one problem was that not many of the plants were named, so I’m struggling to find out about plants that I don’t even know the name of.

But this one is okay as I know its name – our favourite Chocolate - Cocoa Tree.

Although it is unknown exactly how or when cocoa was discovered in the wild, its thought that the Aztec and Maya Indians, who called it the “food of the gods”, cultivated it for centuries before the discovery of the Western Hemisphere. It is also believed that the cocoa tree (Theobroma cacao) originated from the headwaters of the Amazon Basin and in early times was spread throughout the central part of Amazonia ö Guiana, westward and northward to the south of Mexico. Today the tree is also found in other tropical areas of the world.

The first European to discover this delicacy now known as cocoa was Columbus although the Spaniard Cortes was the first person to bring the cocoa seed back to Europe in 1519, where it was considered a luxury drink by the West Europe counts.

The cocoa bean drink was originally roasted and then ground and mixed with maize and annatto, chilli or some other spice, this mixture made a thick drink and was known as chocolatl. Eventually the Spaniards realized that the cocoa bean could be made into quite a delicious drink when mixed with sugar and seasoned it with cinnamon, it was this form of the drink that became popular in Spain and Europe.

www.anu.edu.au/Forestry/wood/nwfp/chocolatetree/chocolatetree.html

This chocolate tree was planted in the corner of one of the hot houses and the sun was shining through the roof. I like how the sun has just captured the trunk and the fruit of the tree. All I have done is brighten and sharpen the photo, as well as resize it for TN. I hope you like it.
mjdundee, dew77, red45, sAner, TAZ, Paulosousa, Runnerduck, hummingbird24, magiqa, Fisher, liquidsunshine, puffy, Comandante, marhowie has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To LCannon: Yummy ChocolateJanice 1 06-12 23:13
To puffy: Cocoa / chocolateJanice 1 06-09 04:04
To malgosia: Yummy chocolateJanice 1 06-08 20:11
To liquidsunshine: LionsJanice 1 06-08 20:05
To Fisher: RugbyJanice 1 06-08 16:34
To magiqa: Thanks MonicaJanice 1 06-08 16:11
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Janice!
Superb shot. I love your last photos - they are mysterious and very beautiful!

Hello Janice,

very nice shot. The BG brings out the different colours of that fruits and the light is perfect to show their surface structure. Very well done.

TFS

Thomas

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2005-06-08 5:48]

Hello Janice!
Very nice picture.Lighting,dark BG and composition are excellent.TFS...:-)

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864] (30243)
  • [2005-06-08 6:12]

Is it real chocolate tree? No way! Janice, it is first tree I want to eat :-) Not only tasty but also beautifull! Great composition with black BG, lightplay and colours are amazing!

  • Great 
  • sAner Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1490 W: 72 N: 1427] (4744)
  • [2005-06-08 6:23]

I love the way light plays a big role in this picture Janice. Simply beautiful ... the shades makes this picture come alive. Good details and very well composed. TFS!

Regards,
Pieter

A very artistic shot Janice. The light against the fruit is stunning.
A great capture and note, thanks for posting.

A well composed shot Janice. The lighting is well handled, and brings out the textures and color variations well.
Exceptional POV and BG.
Thank you for sharing it with us.

I did not know you grow cocoa trees in NZ! Or do you only have them in botanical gardens? I have seen them on the Caribbean Islands. Very good picture, as usual, Jancie!

  • Great 
  • livios Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2156 W: 322 N: 4258] (16906)
  • [2005-06-08 11:04]

Janice, very nice photo. I like the mood, especially because of the dark bg.

A great job with lighting.

  • Great 
  • Nico Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 209 W: 1 N: 332] (1313)
  • [2005-06-08 11:08]

Good shot, proves an eye for beauty. The colors add artistic value. TFS

hello:) what a great shot:) I love eating chocolade:):) a lot :)) sometimes too much;)

I love light here:) tasty work:D

thx

Malgosia

Beautiful capture and well done on the composition.
Congrats, to the all blacks on their win over argentina.!!!!

Mike

Hello Janice,
Great composition, colours, details and sharpness. The sunlight makes this image look really very impressive.
I see the Lions have been roaring to victory so far....!!!!
Thanks for posting

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3067 W: 231 N: 6168] (21076)
  • [2005-06-08 19:50]

Very interesting composition of these cocoa beans with their different shapes and sizes and colors. Crisp image with good contrasting lights. TFS. Janice. : )

  • Great 
  • puffy Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 291 W: 0 N: 339] (1351)
  • [2005-06-09 1:33]
  • [+]

Hello Janice, beautiful shot, great bg to bring out your chocolate tree... (does it really grow chocolate?) :P Shot is great, nice details and clarity... and nice colours contrast too. Well done...

Hello Janice!
An artistic shot again.Well seen and composed.
Thanks for sharing.

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2005-06-09 3:28]

Superb composition ! Beautiful light and colors on black BG. It is a very important tree for me because I love chocolate and eat to much ;-)

  • Great 
  • nofer Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1190 W: 367 N: 803] (2230)
  • [2005-06-09 17:34]

Excelente foto!!! Nitidez, cores, contraste e composição!
Obrigado!
Reynaldo

Janice, Nice effect - nice shot!

Amazing that my favorite food group comes from this! I've never seen one so thanks for sharing this Janice. So does that mean that my chocolate is actually a "fruit" ? Very nicely composed, I love the diagonal of the branch. Well done.

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