I should say flowers of the day. Here are some still life photos of the flower bouquet I got myself for Easter. I took these and wanted to play with the idea of creating an art photography type of images.
That was the aim, did I succeed I’m not sure. I had fun editing the images, that I know. The rose captures my mood today, that’s for sure.
I read that , for photography to be Fine Art, it must be more than just a literal representation of something. The image must communicate that it was deliberately curated by an artist to convey an idea, not just snapped by a camera to immortalise a scene.
I was trying to get shots with theme. Create a movie scene – and as I was at it very late in the challenge this was one idea. I did not end up using these, but since I took and edited them why not share them – I did take them and edit them on my mobile.
Last rays of light fell on to the bed, where the lonely lady had placed her loved childhood toys to rest on the pillows. I hoped to create a different mood by changing the colors and contrast and light. The last one is the most positive, the two first ones I wanted a to create a more sad and lonely mood to to them
These bigger and smaller tools are from Verla’s Groundwood and Board Mill, Finland’s first factory museum.
Verla was named a World Heritage site due to its status as a unique and culturally and historically significant example of an industrial settlement from the turn of the 20th century.
This photo cavalcade shows a collection of jewelry and accessories that I have collected over the years. I like the natural materials and colors, such as wood, metal, leather, and stone. I also like that there added some colorful beads and tassels to make them more fun and unique. I hang them on a lamp in my room, so I can easily see them and choose what to wear. I took this photo , using a low angle and a dark background to create some contrast and focus on the jewelry.
I was bored, and this is the continued efforts to fill time in-house – yesterday I posted more “artistic” versions of the these necklaces. Here I did several variations of editing on a singular photo. The change need not be big to change the atmosphere of still life photo.
It is cold and did not feel like going out, so what did I do instead, I took photos of my dress jewelry that is hanging conveniently on my lamp next to my desk.
This image was the only more abstract version, as the focus is on a lamp detail. I am sharing with you the original and three processing versions of it. Is this abstract photo art or not and what do you feel is the best version ?
Jewelry – enhanced blues and reds
Jewelry -Blues and aqua enhanced
Jewelry -Black and white with touch of red and blue
Las but not least the original one. The header is an added plus 🙂
Jewelry -Original
XingfuMamas One-to-Three Photo Processing Challenge: December 2023
This is the topic I return to when I need something to photograph when the weather is bad or I am too lazy to leave the house. This is my contibution this week, enjoy, savour the tasty freshness.
The term “still life” describes a work of art that shows inanimate objects from the natural or man-made world, such as fruit, flowers, dead game, and/or vessels like baskets or bowls. Looked at another way: still lifes depict things that are “still” and don’t move. Still life is a genre that spans art history.
Fact: Food photography is a still life photography genre used to create attractive still life photographs of food. It is a specialization of commercial photography, the products of which are used in advertisements, magazines, packaging, menus or cookbooks.
I am continuing to participate in 52 frames – this week the theme contrasting colors, as its still all snowy here in Finland trying to find contrasting colors in the nature is a real challenge, so I did not take it on.
I had oranges on the table – I have a blue wall in my living room, with light coming in from the side from a big window. I have a matching blue linen dress to place on the sidetable to get my still life props in order, Easy solution from thing found in the house.
As you can see all of them are VERY similar, with slightly different lighting and contrast , as well as the blue looks a bit different in all. This is something I spend too much time at… well that what I do, and then trying to pick a hopefully the best one for the challenge, second guessing my choice all the time.
Since I do post editing on my art, and my photos, I also do several variations of them, so this is great challenge for me to participate in One-to-Three Photo Processing Challenge-October. I used a photo of onions to play the edit game with. #tsc_1to3
Three onions in a color edit done in LightroomOnion in black and white – in old BNW style.Colorful artistic style oil and structure added in Photoshop
Look around and we’ll see something we take for granted – color. Our wonderful world is filled with it, so this week we’re asking you to Choose A Color. Make that color the theme and inspiration behind your image. Colors evoke moods and feelings – how you choose to compose and use them is what will guide the viewer through the image.
Choosing to focus on a single color in particular is both creative and good use of light, contrast and saturation is what can make or break an image. Pick a color and make it the dominant and outstanding and leave no doubt about which color you wanted to make the main point of your shot.
I am having huge problems with my computer, so much that I need to buy a new one, so these are old shots that I have here already used in my previous posts over the years. I am not able to access my computer files, or additional hard drives to add photos or load new ones from the camera disk. I am able to access the internet for now, so I am using these here this week.
Think landscapes of rolling green hills, or food shots of red chilli peppers or the all encompassing golden color at sunset – there’s a noticeable dominant color there and that’s what we’re looking for.
orange
Green
Composition: Compose your shot so there’s no doubt as to which color you’re trying to use. Think about any emotions or moods your photo can evoke and bring that to the forefront. You could use a lot of negative space to direct interest to your subject or go in full-tilt and fill the frame
Lighting: Lighting and shadows add depth to an image and can change an image dramatically. An underlit and underexposed image brings to mind a different mood than a bright, well-lit one.
White Balance: . Using and adjusting white balance while taking your photos will be valuable
Contrast: If there are multiple colors and shades in your image, ensure that there’s one that’s visibly up front and recognizable – it contrasts and stands out from the other shades and tone of the image.
Post-processing: Feel free to go nuts with post-processing and editing to render some cool color effects. But remember, less is more.
This time around, we want you to look closer at a Single Focal Point. This is not a technical challenge, it’s more compositional in nature – guide your viewer’s eye to a distinct part of your image. There are a number of ways that this can be done – depth of field can make it so a subject is in focus while almost everything else is blurred; or you could use negative space and a minimalist composition to draw in the viewer to one part of the image. Sometimes you can also use light as a frame to guide the viewer’s perspective to your subject – think spotlight and light shaping.
These photos I took from a car ferry while on my way to visit a small island of Högsåra were one of my ideas to this topic. Strong Focal Point: This is pretty much the crux of the challenge – but it matters the most: choose a strong focal point that’s easily identifiable as the main point of interest of your shot.
It’s all about tuning out the distractions and taking your viewer to the exact spot in your image you want their eyes to well… focus on. You might also want to consider getting some help from your editing software with vignettes, color pops and contrast to make your desired subject stand out. Even better, use a combination of these techniques and other skills to get this challenge sorted.
Depth Of Field: Use a shallow depth of field to isolate your subject. You might also want to consider getting some help from your editing software with vignettes, color pops and contrast to make your desired subject stand out. Even better, use a combination of these techniques and other skills to get this challenge sorted. That’s what I tried here with my strawberry shots.
Leading Lines: Think of using leading lines to guide the viewer to your intended point of interest.
Leading Lines to guide the viewer to your intended point of interest in mind I took these images of old buildings and this lush road. Consider using some sort of frames to bring in the watcher’s attention – a window, slats of a fence or some tree branches; shooting through something can also work to steer attention to your focal point.
Color Contrast: Contrasting colors help the eye to easily differentiate the subject from the background
I had this n mind when I took this image from an old mill window in Mathildedal, contrasting colors help the eye to easily differentiate the subject from the background.
This week, we’re looking to shoot a Common Object. And isn’t that what photography is all about, really? Taking the mundane and shining a different light on it. Highlighting an object or scene that we normally pass by with no notice, and making it something special.
Think about all the common objects you can see around you right this moment – a bottle, socks, a pen, eggs, coffee mugs, perfume vapor, cell phone – the list of subjects you have this week are endless.
beads
I once again left this to the last minute, being on holiday it is all about being lazy, or not if you are married to a man who needs something done every day. So this week we have re-arranged our sauna / guest room furniture, got rid of some stuff, bought some new to replace the old one. Re arranges the kitchen cabinets, put up new shelfs. We gave a away a car load of old furniture to be recycled to a flee market. A car load of stuff to the be recycle center. Busy with ordinary, common objects, but it never crossed my mind to take photos. Today, last day to give in the submission I took some photos of common objects.
I often wear costume jewelry, so common to me. I drink coffee, wine and my hubby enjoys whisky. These are some finds from the cottage. Also these old glasses I found whilst our cleaning spree.
Now the challenge is to simply make the ordinary look extra ordinary, or at least photographed well. You could try focusing on a particular detail or texture. Or perhaps show how you use it in your day-to-day life. Tell a story about how something mundane and ordinary can be a valuable part of your day.
Sailing at sunset
what is life with a occasional glass of wine or a cup of coffee
Old coffee cups
TIPS:
Selection: Start at the very beginning – pick an object that speaks to you – whether it’s your car keys that you pick up everyday, or the chef’s knife you use to prep dinner.
Composition: Arrange things how you want them – the great thing about common objects is that you can arrange them as you see fit; you’re not restricted by an inability to pick things up and move them around.
Tones & Colors: The overall look and feel of the colors in an image evoke different senses and emotions – do pay attention to the composition of colors and overall tones in your image, in terms of being complementary or adding contrast.
Balance: This is all about the visual weight- obviously, larger objects that fill the frame are meant to hold the viewer’s attention the most. Certain items can add nuance and help balance a frame without taking away from the main subject.
It has snowed a lot lately, today there was a moment of sunshine and went out with an intention to capture Depth Of Field – a super important concept in photography that often separates those photos that look “amateur” from those that look “professional” or as I like to call it, “profesh”.
In my previous post I had taken some shots outside, here are few I took inside still life. Once again I was sloppy, I forgot to dust the table prior the shots, well, so it goes.
Here are some of them, give me once again your valuable input as I try to improve my photo skills.
This month’s theme is peach, in my FB photography group. I struggled with it for a while since peaches where not available in the stores until recently – it was not their season 🙂 Well, anyways I found some peaches in the end and took photos of them. Feel free to comment, I am still on a constant learning curve.
Nostalgic
I tried to create different moods, time periods (nostalgic) and obviously variations in compositions. I was not all that creative this time in that sense, but you cannot always succeed 🙂
My son had this Planters Pyrat XO Reserve bottle that he was about to throw away (some side information 🙂 The Pyrat gets its name from the Old English word for pirate. The stout bottle of the XO Reserve is also a tribute to this heritage.) I looked at bottle a little bit closer, I noticed that this would make a nice vase for few flowers. I washed, it took the labels of and I had a prop for my photo add three roses and lets shoot. Pretty.
Three Roses
A Bottle, Rose, greens and a kettle holder. Shadow and light. Color play.
These are such a contrast to the snow floating behind my window and this being the first day of spring. Today is the spring equinox, when day and night are about the same length all over the globe. As spring progresses, the days lengthen and the nights shorten in Finland and elsewhere in the northern hemisphere. The joy of this 🙂 is enormous!
I took more still life photos of fruits to pass the time
A Granny Smith and grapes and an Orange. Shadow and light. Color play.
Fruits on an oak pot coaster? Is that a right word?
I was reminded that one should not to play with food 😀 , LOL, so I took the advice and instead I did arrangements with fruit.
Granny Smith and Golden Delicious plus Oranges. Shadow and light. Bright Colors
These are such a contrast to the snow floating behind my window. Enough of white already, it is lovely when it first arrives, this time of the year not so much.
I promise this is my last post on lemons for now, other fruits need to be noticed too for they bright and uplifting colors. As you can see I can go slightly overboard when I try to capture just the right shot. Serious business these challenges 😀 LOL ( not! )
Sparkling water and lemons
Lemon, yellow…I bought lemon, lime, sparkling water and set up my project.I took so, so many shots, way too many. Once again I faced a dilemma what to post. So I took macro or close ups mainly of slices of lemon , but you can see lime there too. This first one is my favorite.
If nothing else these are a splash of spring, summer in these photos; Nothing says ‘sunshine’ in the kitchen or on a menu like lemon. One of the quotes i saw about lemon was this, I did not aim for that: One of the negative side, some artists use the image of a cut lemon to insinuate that something is sour, faulty or otherwise amiss.
Lemon, yellow…I bought lemon, lime, sparkling water and set up my project.I took so, so many shots, way too many. Once again I faced a dilemma what to post. So I took macro or close ups mainly of slices of lemon , but you can see lime there too. This first one is my favorite.
One of the things I participate in is a monthly FB group photography challenge, this is my second entry to theme.
This month the theme is Lemon, yellow…I bought lemon, lime, sparkling water and set up my project.I took so, so many shots, way too many. once again I faced a dilemma what to post. Here I am not so limited I might even do several post on this. Trying to figure out the framing, this is in my humble opinion one of the main things, how you frame your topic. I does not matter if it a still life or landscape. Exposure, the light and shadow play, What area do you want to focus on, and how sharp the image is and where to place the focus. Decisions, decisions 🙂
One of the things I participate in is a monthly FB group photography challenge, the same group has been active for a long time, now we are on going strong in the 6th year.. The amount of participants slightly differ yearly, but there has been small group of photographers, mostly women, from the beginning.
My contribution this month
Sometimes it is a challenge, when new arrivals come to figure out what you can say about the photos they post. The idea is to give feedback on the photos other than; Nice, lovely etc. As all photos are not that, they need constructive feedback. I include myself in the group that, we all can benefit from other peoples views on our photos. Well, the ones who have been together, you know that you can give feedback, suggestions without offending them – they know it is one opinion, you might agree or or not, learn from it. Or just ignore it. Some are so opposed to criticism that you either say nothing or give some platitudes, so you have commented on the photo. It takes time to figure out what someone is willing to hear.
As I said, I have been in this group since the beginning. It is run by a friend of mine. This same friend is who got me into blogging in the first place back in 2011, then I posted photos mainly to challenges either photography or art challenges.
One thing that came from it, is my digital art interest and desire to create it and learn more of it, to create my own style. My contemporary art and this blog has kept me on a learning curve. The photos I took way back and was happy about make me slightly gringe and that is certainly the case with my digital art, at the beginning they were just double exposures 🙂
So to sum up this long post, constant learning and opinions have certainly been helpful to me. Thanks Irma for your encouragement and our willingness to keep the challenge going. For me, most of the challenges have been a learning experience, that I would not have tried if not for that challenge.
This month the theme is Lemon, yellow…Here is my take on it. The first image is the one i submitted, other are different takes on it. I always have difficulty when trying to pick one image.
So simplicity and elegance, was my aim as I once again took the task of taking photos of them.
The soft tilting of their heads and elegant lines inspires to try create a mood. Here are my attempt to capture sad, peaceful, or just resting mood. How do you see them, or are they just other pictures of tulips and my trying to capture some mood was in vain 🙂
But I took photos also of the ones that bowed their heads, looking lovely and a little sad.
I love the simplicity and elegance of tulips. I usually not able to keep them looking good for many days. This time I am trying a new trick, I’ve been adding ice cubes into the water and other trick is to have them in snow…
So simplicity and elegance, was my aim as I once again took the task of taking photos of them.
Beauty
I love tulips better than any other spring flower; they are the embodiment of alert cheerfulness and tidy grace. Their faint, delicate scent is refinement itself; and is there anything in the world more charming than the sprightly way they hold up their little faces to the sun, wrote Elizabeth von Arnim and I could not say it any better.
But I took photos also of the ones that bowed their heads, looking lovely and a little sad. I will post them in my next post
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography 