A bad fit ....?

[Clicker]

I had these two pieces of pottery  given to me as gifts from two family members ... At first the huge  Aloe Vera  sculpture ( 16" wide x 12'  high ) looks like a mismatch for the tiny mis-shapen imperfect pot (4.5" high) but  to me they just look great  together  .... looking where  to post this made me realise how little Still Life photography  is posted on this Forum  ... 

[Les]

Interesting. Never really considered still life photography, may give it a go with some of the nik naks I've collected from charity shops over the years.

[Clicker]

Thanks Les … I hope you do have a go … it’s surprising what random items and dramatic lighting can result in…. Look forward to seeing  what you come up with.

[Denis]

How do you get the dark background Polly ?

[Les]

Thanks Clicker,

I have a brass something or other with a lid and spout which may be based on the sort of vessel you see people in Arab counties to pour tea. I got it from a charity shop and I think it would make a good candidate for my first try at still life. I'll have to gather up all my gooseneck lamps and experiment with different lighting angles. A bit Heath Robinson but sounds like something new to try and have some fun with.

[Clicker]

That sounds like a good idea Les ... I have a  Syrian coffee pot in a similar vein that hubby brought back when he worked over there  in the 80s ...

Denis ... I switched all the lights off !!  seriously...  I did ...and then shone  a torch from my iPhone  at various angles till it looked right . I edited the RAW in photoshop and used the neutral density filter  to darken the bits of the background that  were still vaguely visible  and  reduced some of the shadows on the Aloe Vera  sculpture  where they were a bit too dark ... here are some others I did over the course of the day ...just experimenting ..

 

[Clicker]

We don't have many Still Life   images  posted on the Forum Les so I hope you have a go ...As you said it can be  any inanimate   object  really , making an interesting  shape or composition  with lighting and  depth of field playing a part if  necessary ... I hope a few more of you  might give it a try . Still life was probably  one of the first genres of photography  as  photos required long exposures  in those very early days ....so bowls of fruit and flowers   were  obvious subjects ,  well  known  for keeping very still .... .  There are  lots of items  objects you will be able to find about your home that  you can use from the exotic to really mundane  that lend themselves to making interesting shapes or throwing  unusual shadows.. 

Here are  a few tips I found that may help ...  I hope some of you will give it a try ....

https://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/10-tips-to-get-started-with-still-life-photography--photo-8278

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwV9m1NlP0I

 

[Ryewolf]

Nicely shot Polly. When I first got my digital camera in 2014 I did a lot of still life images, I don't think I've ever posted them on the forum.

[Clicker]

Well maybe you should post them now Rye .....  there  is no rule saying that  posted images have to be taken recently . I do remember some pics of articles in your home  in the first year that you  joined the Forum ...