Last week we explored architecture and judging from the photos I saw when I searched the Flash of Red tag, there were just as many types or architectural shots as there are photographers. It was fun to see the range of pictures that caught your attention when capturing buildings or their details. I hope you enjoyed the week as much as I did.
This week we’ll endeavor to capture one of the more artistic genres in photography at large- still life- with black and white adding an extra challenge into the mix. Most of us would consider shooting a still life in color but black and white can add a great deal of mood and atmosphere to a still life (Think Vintage!).
First an official definition: A still life is a painting or drawing, or photograph of an arrangement of objects, typically including fruit and flowers and objects contrasting with these in texture, such as bowls and glassware. The most well-known artists in this genre were the Dutch Masters- Vermeer, Hals, Snyders and Ultrecht but others had used it before them and have continued to use it since. While most still life pictures seem to be a brief capture of a moment in time, they are actually well-thought out when it comes to balance, color, texture, shape and line- even if they’re not specifically set-up in a studio. Here are some resources to guide you this week:
My apologies for the lack of videos- several that worked in my computer would not link here. However, if you go to Youtube and type in Still Life photography in the search bar, several good videos will pop up.
You might be a little challenged with this week’s topic if you don’t have lighting or the ability to set up an area to photograph an arranged still life in your home. Don’t worry- I don’t either! But as we’ve already mentioned a still life does not necessarily have to be contrived. You may see the light coming through the window in your kitchen and falling on something like a spoon or bowl on your countertop- that’s a still life. You may be taking your dog for a walk and see a glove that was left behind by a playground swing. That’s a still life. Be on the look-out for natural settings that reflect the type of still life painted by the Dutch masters. You can take whatever leeway you’d like to achieve the task at hand, but most importantly, have fun exploring this genre. Give us a glimpse into your world by capturing a monochrome still life around your home, at work or in your neighborhood.
Hey all, I feel a caffine-fuelled excitment about next week's topic - it's Half Term here so I will have time to play loads! Amazing how good a photographic challenge and the time to do it is for mental health!! :-)
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