Creating Still Life Images

Winter... it sometimes drags.  Yucky days and cold weather leave me inside much more than I desire.  It can be difficult to grow photography skills when you feel trapped.  Then I began to shoot still life photography.

My little dog snuck into this photo because she wanted to lay on the blanket.

I am a visual person.  I used to work in a retail shop.  Creating displays was something I did weekly.  I learned to make the displays eye-catching and attractive.  I was able to take those skills and apply them to creating still life photos.

With the announcement that I have two new grandbabies on the way, I was in a baby mood.

They aren't the photos that get the most likes on social media.  Honestly, I think most photographers think of still life photography as silly.  Unless you are making a mint in advertising, photos of random items don't pay.  However, this is an area that has taught me a lot about lighting and composition. 

The beach is a favorite place of mine.  If I can't live there, I will honor the love I hold for her.

It is through still life photography that I have gotten to play with the LED light and the different gel colors.  I have gotten to work with reflecting natural light and even when the speedlight works better than the LED. 

Feeling romantic with candles and rose petals around Valentine's Day.

I have even gotten to play with candlelight, which cast some interesting glows at times, such as the photo below.

I edited this photo to hold a "painting" vibe.

The candlelight isn't visible in the picture above, but I lit the entire scene with various candles.  The glow can be seen in the wood background.  I kept the orange tint the glow created because I thought it added to the rustic element.  I was just learning about white balance and how to shoot in Kelvin.  I could have turned down the warmth, but decided to leave it.

This homemade waterglobe is around 100 years old, made by my husband's great-grandmother.

Still life photography has helped me learn about shooting various textures, colors, and contrasts.  I have also learned to create meaningful themes where every item matters.

Every aspect of this picture, except the pen, was my grandmother's, from the tray to poetry book.

I participate in Photoblog's photo-a-day challenge.  Sometimes I struggle to fulfill the prompt for the day.  Other times, something comes to my mind and I run with it.  The prompt for January 22, 2019 was "handwriting."  I wanted to do something special.  I instantly thought of how personal handwriting is and it means so much to see a familiar scrawl on letters or cards.  That is more rare in this day and age.  I had spent years making scrapbooks, and I had kept birthday and Christmas cards from some loved ones.  Inside was the precious handwriting of my grandmother, who has gone to be with Jesus.

I wanted a country-ish theme here.  The tea kettle is an antique and added to the photo nicely.

Not every still life photo I take will hold deep personal meaning.  Some are just ones that come to my mind.  I love antique items, and mixing them with a bit of lace or a candle, perhaps some flowers, always makes me feel creative.  I can move things around, play with the lighting, change backgrounds, add some trinkets, or remove things that are distracting.

Again, I mixed modern with antique.  The leather-looking journals went well with the antique knickknacks.

I think being a photographer that can shoot in all sorts of environments is important.  The only way to gain the skills to do so is to actually gain experience in all sorts of environments.  When that can't easily happen with the long, cold winter days, I have learned to take advantage of what is around me.  There is something to be said for being prolific.  Photography is a skill that requires lots of practice.  Learning the technological aspects involves trial and error.  Yes, there is room for artistic interpretation, but to be technologically proficient at composition, lighting, and the different ways to manipulate images IN CAMERA is important to me.  I look forward to many more still life images.