2nd Annual Still Life Invitational

[lindyannajones]

Welcome to the 2nd Annual Still Life Open Invitational.

Please come add your Still Life composition to this thread.

When does a photo become a still life? Suppose you are sitting breakfast and you look at your plate of food and find the arrangement rather attractive. If you take a photo of it you might have a nice photo but it won't be a still life. But if you decide to you want to arrange your knife so that it is resting on the edge of the plate because that seems more interesting, you are beginning to think like a still life artist. That is because still life photography is about making a photo rather than taking a photo.

Suppose, now that you are in the swing of things, you also decide to include your cup of coffee in your shot and you notice that the handle is turned outward and it takes your eye away from the food. If you turn it inward because it improves the composition, you are thinking like still life artist. The next thing you know, you'll be considering the light source. In fact, you may have already noticed the way the light is falling on the glass salt shaker and you like the pattern it creates on the table. If you move it into the "frame", it's official, you have just created a still life.

Now to the easy part: take a picture. You see, the work of still life happens before you ever snap a single shot.

The term originates from the French "Nature Morte". Literally, it means "dead nature". First rule then: NO movement, no animals, no people. A photo of a beautiful flower growing in your garden is nature photography. That same flower plucked and placed in a vase? Still life. If you see an interesting arrangement of objects and you take a photograph, it might be a great photo but it won't be a still life until you personally have arranged those objects in ways that are pleasing to you. What if your cat cannot resist your composition and decides to crash your "set"? NOT still life anymore!

Just a reminder, the key thing to remember about still life photography is this: it is not the photo you take, it is the photo you make. Creating a still life is a challenge to your compositional skills and the test occurs before you even snap one photograph. It begins with gathering the items that interest you, things beautiful, odd, interesting, nostalgic and then pairing and arranging them artfully keeping texture, color, shine, and a balanced relationship between your objects uppermost in your thinking. If that is not enough, you also have to think about lighting. Shadows and lit edges are important aspects of the composition.

A still life photo can be a three act opera or a simple arrangement. Does this interest you? Then off you go. Come back and show us what you got!

PS You might want to know that this is an ancient art form. Examples can be found in Egyptian tombs. It was refined by 17th century European artists. You are in very good company.

A note about feedback:

Can we do something different? Rather than have the person who started the thread (in this case, me) be the only person leaving feedback, would you commit to leaving feedback for people who post a Still Life? Typically, a thread like this will recycle many times as people post their photos. Last year it was viewed 6896 times! People invest so much of their time and talent to a still life and it is my hope that the members will take time to let people how much they appreciate those efforts.

[SoxAddict]

Linda, this is fabulous! DPS should use this as one of their tutorials, it's great. I LOVE the set-crasher!

[fstopMike]

I'm in. Does it count if I add an element to some of the wonderful arrangements my wife has lying around the house? Ok, I guess that's cheating. Maybe I could call it a collaboration!

[skyline photo]

Very cool. Love the idea. Very creative

[pjflan7]

The first rule of any still life work is to shoot the cat.....I didn't say that...really......now I have got to go find something to put together

[Glayva]

It's a wonderful idea and thanks for posting your explanation. My only problem, I've now got to go out, or stay in, and use my brain. Is it too early in the year???

[Hayward Taylor]

Double Exposure

[leonaashlee]

What a great idea Linda...your idea on feedback...it's so true, isn't it?
I will make a committment to do just that...and thanks as always for your brilliant take on things. And your photos are pretty awe inspiring.

[SusanH1970]

Once again, with your gift of using words and photos so beautifully, you've gotten my attention!

I agree that this should be a sticky in the tutorials section. Wonderfully done, thank you for taking the time to do this and share your beautiful work.

Love the kitty, LOL!

[lindyannajones]

Originally Posted by SoxAddict

Linda, this is fabulous! DPS should use this as one of their tutorials, it's great. I LOVE the set-crasher!

Thanks, Nicky. It is a wonderful and challenging art form! I hope you give it a try!

Originally Posted by fstopMike

I'm in. Does it count if I add an element to some of the wonderful arrangements my wife has lying around the house? Ok, I guess that's cheating. Maybe I could call it a collaboration!

That is SO cheating! You can hire her as your consultant, though.

Originally Posted by Hayward Taylor

Double Exposure

Hayward...First of all, thank you for kicking off this thread with such a great first entry! A great example of using something you have around the house and you do have quite a lot of photo equipment! You composed your photo beautifully. I really like that you made it simple but elegant. Thank you so much. Hugs.