still life # 11 ~ simple and direct
Tuesday, October 13, 2009 at 09:44AM 
More signs and colors of Autumn • click to embiggenIn response to yesterday's still life # 10 entry Anil Rao commented:
... in most still life photographs that I have come across, the backgrounds are very bright or very dark, and seamless, with little to no detail and the emphasis lies on the main elements that make up the composition ... [A]s a result, no matter how beautiful the subject, how perfect/suitable the light and how creative the setup, I cannot bring myself to get over the sterile studio like environment that these photographs remind me of. Still life paintings, on the other hand, often show very natural settings (like the interior of a real home for example) which allows me to really enjoy the work ...
my response: When it comes to still life pictures, I swing both ways photography-wise. As is evidenced by my decay series, I like to include "natural settings" in my still life pictures when the intent of the picture(s) calls for it. On the other hand, my emerging gourds pictures - wherein I want to illustrate the natural beauty of the gourds and just the gourds - a plain draw-no-attention-to-itself background and soft all-enveloping light seem best suited to the intent at hand.
FYI, I am not suggesting that this is the only way to do the deed. It's just the way that I see it.
Reader Comments (2)
As I mentioned yesterday, you are not allowed to start this new series until all of your decaying material is thrown away. Not incorporated in to this new series, as you seen to be doing.
I would ask all viewers to delete this series of photos until further notice.
I shall heed your request "Wife". Although I am really digging this series. Since I can't afford prints maybe I'll down load them to use as wallpaper for my desk top.