Stacking Blocks

You know it seems to me that upon looking further at these still life shots all over deviant art and on the net, that I should most certainly be taking a step back. I mean still life captures stillness, and I creep in so close because when I started doing photography I lived in its face. Macro is my safe place. Soooo today is another failure to quite capture what it is that still life is, but I do say that I still like these anyway.

Stacks seem to me a very common thing in still life. A stack of books, a stack of dishes, and even stacks of of pens and pencils. So today I tried picking out a few of my old school novels. Moby Dick is the big one. And then randomly stacking them on my side table. Upon this I discovered that books do NOT like flash. Ever try taking a picture of a book while its open? Not pretty I can assure you. You blind yourself and anyone else in the room, on top of that you can't read anything that was on the page. It reminds me of a white out in Antarctica.

By the way, while taking these photos I had to move the things off my side table and realized... I have perfect still life stuff. A random fake flower bouquet, an old looking bowl with some change in it, and little trinkets that look like leaves. So that will be my attempt throughout tomorrow. To manage to take a far away shot of these things on the table... or a table. You know I haven't quite decided where, but I'll figure it out.

Also I realized old things make for a very fine subject matter. Grainy things like wood for instance. Make a very fine texture shot. We'll see if I can't manage to stack some of the long books too for another shot in my spare time. Not for this of course unless it turns out great because we all know what a mood I get into when I photograph the same subject matter days in a row. Soooo here we go. Which reminds me, the photo below... its not some special diary of secrets, it might not look it there, but its just my plant journal, heh. I'm starting this one out to record how my sunflowers grow this year. So its not as secretive as it looks, haha.

So try it yourselves, its rather fun. Making the simple ordinary things look suspicious.

I lead a Still Life...

My goodness could I have dropped the ball any closer to the ground?

Don't answer that! I know I've been a terrible person in not sticking to the plan, but I plan and have great intentions to get the train back on the tracks. The first of those stations being Still Life! Yeah I know I lead a rather boring life myself, and how I could have fallen behind is inexcusable, so I'm not even going to waste my own time in explaining on how bothersome it is because it doesn't matter. What matters is we are back on track and no one can stop me! Even it it means in order to take my next shots I must remain perfectly still....

Now here's what to do! We are going to start of with something exciting! Gather up a whole bunch of random objects from around the house. Right now! Run, run!

Got um? Good. Put them on your coffee table, or kitchen table, or the floor. Whatever is best for you. Now before you get too comfortable with this arrangement, close your eyes and mix them up!! Make a great mess of the whole bunch and just start shooting. Still life is the capturing of usually a ton of little things. A lot of archeologists use this technique to make their exhibits look pretty, but I'm tellin' ya it works for anyone. Now that you've taken the photos of the mess... arrange those puppies however you want. And not that does not mean use puppies, because honestly those don't sit still at all!!!

We want composition now that we've gotten out our creative side and make it... make it mean something without any kind of movement at all. Use some creative lighting and make sure there isn't anything behind your photos when you are taking them because it makes it cluttered and sometimes they reflect light awkwardly, unless of course that's what you are going for. Now upload those lovely photos without a second thought and lets see our masterpieces.


Mine... still and capturing my rolling perfume bottles at the same time. Though I think I need to back out more next time. But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, tomorrow!!!

Yum-O

I'm just going to stop apologizing for all these missed days because its not like anyone REALLY notices that I'm gone, its just a major disappointment for myself. But on that note I will post yesterday's picture at the bottom of this post to prove that I wasn't just not doing it, I actually just didn't have the time to type between work and grocery shopping, and everything else. But yes, on to today's topic.

FooooOOOOoooOOOoooddddddddd!!

Delicious, wonder tasty food. But why wait? grab a snickers! No seriously talking about food makes me hungry and I've been thinking non-stop today about what I want to make. Now, whatever we end of photographing, it should in all respects look delicious. I don't have to think it tastes delicious, but it should make my eyes want a piece. That is the art of food. I mean first the smell, that wonderful aroma. (And if Alton Brown cares to let me barrow this), but if we had smell-o-vision that would be a big part. Then comes the sight of it, it should look like it was made from the soul!

Now I'm aware my food was bought in a box and sold at Walmart, but it looks darn tasty and that's my version of love. Tis called, Monkey Bread. Now as someone already pointed out to me my pictures make things sometimes look bigger, since in the way I started this whole photo love was in macro photography. The art of making the itty bitty, not so bitty. So when photographing, this time around we want to make the food look like... its size and glistening color. Now some of us may be prompted upon seeing the chocolaty goodness of a brownie or some such, feel the need to zoom in on the rivers of luscious fudge, but the point is to show its lovely foodieness as a whole.

So, as you can see, since this thing was somewhat huge... I've done what I can to put it in such a way that we can adore its while. This is because unless your food comes in portions, it should be displayed the way it truly is. I on the other hand its... New York Cheesecake slices, then by all means photograph the slices ^.^ But this monkey bread only looks this delicious because it hasn't been yanked apart yet. But believe me... it was sticky, and it was good.
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baggybunny

O.o

I'm not sure about you, but I am getting so tired of missing my updates. I mean I sit here preaching about how I'm going to keep this every day and then I let work get in the way. Well I don't know about you, but that's just bothersome. I'd get rather frustrated with me. Its like those people that I watch on livejournal and they don't update for a week. Bleh.

Anyway, I was going to tell you all about my adventures at work with possibly the most adorable children known to man! but that was interrupted by the fact that I was doing a lot of driving around once again and everything was interrupted this week. So I'm going to use the weekend like Thursday and Friday. Hopefully that will make up for my stupidity.

Now, today I will be doing placement of subject. In my photos, I find it is best to set things off center when doing black and white. Allowing for the light to enter the frame and bring out both the shadows and the contrast. Sooooo I am going to use this opportunity to get some prime people pictures into the game. The first is of the little girl I watch, because I promised you all a soft now contrasted picture. And then later tonight I will post pictures from the endeavor with my almost new cousin at the dress store. She's getting married and well... we need to document.

Exciting!
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baggybunny

Edit: Well my cousin looks amazing in her pictures that I took, but unfortunately I can not post them until her wedding because she doesn't want her soon to be hub to see her pictures. Understandable, so then I will be adding another picture from the baby shoot. Tada!

Shiney

There is something about metal that is fantastic for taking photos. The reflective surface allows for that nice contrast we were talking about yesterday. This particular piece of metal is a lovely necklace that my amazingly understanding boyfriend gave to me. It is suppose to be a guardian angel. Particularly nice for this photo session because the light and dark play against the metal enough to give that sense of protection already.

Wood, metal, and glass are all very good reflective surfaces, so when it comes to pictures in black and white, when you find something you want in black and white, but you need some way to get light into part of the picture, put something reflective beside your subject matter. They are very interesting shots. Now for the most part contrast is what black and white is all about, but for tomorrow and the day after I think we should try taking some soft pictures, using the black and white to cut out depth. Skin, fabrics, and random objects are what its all about.

Black and white is simple ^.^

Sorry for keeping these so short, but as far as black and white is concerned it isn't tooo difficult. Tomorrow though I'll talk about something interesting, and if there is anything in particular my wonder fans have to say, or ask for... Ears are open!
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baggybunny