Still Life week 8

I am working with this self 'instructed' class to better some of my photography skills.  I was not an avid fan of Still Life before but I am finding that I enjoy it now.

I am constantly trying to come up with something interesting without getting too heavily invested in things like a light box [although I may build one myself] and other fancy studio things.

Most of the images I try to 'make' or shoot are simply done on the living room floor and with things I find around the house.

Last week I used a rug for a backround and draped it over a board. I wanted a soft white textured backround for the shot.  

This wasn't what I considered a keeper.  It was however interesting to work with the light since it was heavily overcast that day and I didn't have to deal with harsh sunlight coming through the window behind me.

I took out pages from my grandmother's old diaries and set them up with some beads, coffee and my old glasses. 

Somehow, this shot looked much nicer in black and white.  The pretty colors on the cup seemed to clash with the different colored inks in the pages.

Eventually I tossed everything on two wooden boards I'd gotten at a flea market along with my father's wedding ring.  After several hits and misses, I ended up deciding that this was the photo of the week.
I was very satisfied with it. I simply edited it with a white vignette around the edges and left it be.

I took this shot below while I was at it and loved all the patterns, but needed to mute the bright red carnations and ... well, it was almost too busy with textures.

This one in color:

This one in muted black and white:

Better but still too busy. And my assignment was for backlighting anyway so I had to go back to the drawing board.

I had to wait for some sunlight and finally we had some.  This shot was an accident.
I edited it and added a textured backround to it.

It didn't have all of the elements in it that the assignment suggested so I tried some other things.

This ended up being colorful and soft, more like what the assignment had been.


In the 8th week we are to review what we have done so far. 
Apparently I should be able to decide what sort of items work best for me and decide what I need more work on.

However I am still seeking that perfect way to take photos in the living room using available light.

I also need to mention here that I have an assistant who seems to have to inspect everything I do.

Next, I'm going to do some 'dark' work. I really like black and trying to figure out how to use simple black matte cardboard, some glass and figurines to make something interesting.

Sometimes it is more the challenge than anything else.
Thus ends week 8.  And no, I haven't found my 'niche' nor have I figured out what works best for me.

I am still experimenting because light and dark fascinate me to no end.

Be Still Week One

I did something I didn't think I'd ever do at all...

Take a photography course.
Something about Kim Klassen's work has always had me intrigued.  I have followed her blog for quite some time now.  She used to make textures and I used to admire her beautiful still life work and the textures she used.

So, I signed up for a class.  Be Still 52.
And yes I am going to work at it.  Still Life has never been anything that interested me so I figured, why not?

Why not reach out of my photography comfort zone and ... do something different?

And so I begin.

Be Still And Be...

or with the words added...not sure if I like the words added.

I picked this shot today because of what we are going through and have gone through in the past year.
Everything was put on hold last year due to Rich's diagnosis with Throat Cancer and we are now forging through with a house remodel.

Patience is something I am learning.  I am pulling wall paper with a vengeance and it is a messy awful job.
When the job is finished I imagine we'll have taken a sow's ear and made into something lovely.

I took a series of shots.  My makeshift studio included a white foam board, a south facing window, an old chair, an old white sheet, coffee cup, shredded wall paper, beads, chain, and of course the scraper.

The day was overcast so the light was very subdued and I tried to go for the high key sort of look.

The second shot I liked was with a carnation bud, a dried up amaryllis flower that I'd kept for some reason, the white sheet, cup and well, there it is.

I took time just looking and from my first week's lesson.
Breathing. Pausing. Relaxing.

I practiced a some Tai Chi and then got to work on this thing I was certain I could not pull off.

Old and New

I have one very similar to this shot that doesn't cut off the petals on the top of the flower.  I need to look it over a few more times to decide which of the three shots I like the best.

That is it for now.  I'm looking forward to working with this.

Be Still.

It is something I often do in the woods, to hear the nature around me and to appreciate the sounds of the forest.

Now I can practice this in a different sense.