This still life features mostly shades of orange with some green and yellow on the side. I found a lovely peach and cream vase. I added some gorgeous orange lilies and some mini yellow carnations to a green vase for some contrast.I added some mini orange pumpkins and a wide orange lit candle in keeping with the orange theme. I feel this arrangement speaks Autumn. A delicate blue texture was added which give this composition a soft easy and relaxing feel.
Crepe Myrtle Buds
I came out last Sunday to go walking and I just couldn’t resist going back into the house and getting my camera which already had a macro lens. It had rained the night before, so the buds were so new and sparkling, ready to become blooms. It was a beautiful morning and the sun was just beginning to shine through the foliage. The bright natural light enhances the the vibrant color and detail of the buds.
Roses and Pears
Roses come in many different colors, but to me, the red rose is the most beautiful. I love the way the delicate fragrant soft petals are enfolded so perfectly. I decided to use these beauties in a still life along with some pretty brown pears. I placed the roses into a green ceramic vase to offset the red in the roses. I placed a red lit candle on top of a wrought-iron holder and added a single red rose at the bottom. I arranged the pears at the foot of the vase. The entire composition was situated on a beige table cloth. I then selected purple and blue textures for the background to enhance the vivid colors of the elements of this creation.
Pink Lilies and Pears
I have always loved lilies, the way the buds keep blooming for days. I decided to highlight pink lilies by placing them in a blue ceramic jug. To enhance the beauty of the flowers, I surrounded them with a brown and beige lit candle, and a white and black ceramic vase. I felt that this composition would be enhanced by two green pears. I placed the candle on a black iron ornate candle holder. My creation was photographed against a white background. I added a texture with an orange hue to enhance the beauty of this unique still life.
Raindrop on Flower
As I was leaving to go walking on Sunday morning, I noticed raindrops on my Crepe Myrtle tree. I knew it rained Saturday night so I thought there may be some pretty droplets on the delicate flowers. I just so happened to have a camera with a macro lens upstairs luckily. So I went back in and grabbed it, came out and started shooting. It was so hot and steamy that morning that my lens was getting fogged up. But I kept wiping it off with my cloth and managed to actually see what I was photographing. The background is softly blurred in shades of pink and green which highlight the beautiful droplet on the flower.
Hubcap and Orange Lilies
I was out doing my walking last week when I came upon a hubcap, in good condition. I decided it might make an interesting picture. I tried to use travel as a loose theme, so I added an old New Jersey license plate, yellow sunglasses, and a wrench. In keeping with the colors of the flowers, I included a green apple. I added a candle and metallic candle holder to complete the image. I felt that a black backdrop would enhance the scene.
Sunlit Bridge at Phinizy Swamp
I visited Phinizy Swamp in Augusta, GA, last week. It is a beautiful nature preserve and wetlands. Although it is very lush in the Summer, I still managed to find some gorgeous scenery. It is so peaceful and tranquil along the footbridge, where Spanish moss and lush green trees grow on either side of the bridge. The blue sky was a lovely contrast to the green foliage. The sunlight casts a pattern of shadows on the pathway, enhancing the natural serenity of the scene.
Ruth’s Vase and Green Apples
I went to visit my friend at Brandon Wilde a few weeks ago. I had admired a vase she had on her desk and thought nothing of it. But the next time I went, she insisted she wanted me to have it. I thought it only fitting that I use this beauty in a picture. I had some beautiful lavender lilies so I added them to this porcelain vase with a southwestern motif. I felt that the green in the Granny Smith apples would offset the vase’s design. I photographed this scene against a black background for dramatic effect. I felt the red candle holder and flame would enhance the composition. It was a labor of love for my wonderful friend.
Yellow Sunflowers
I always loved sunflowers; all different sizes. The blooms, bright yellow, are so beautiful but the backside of the flower is exquisite. It is just as expressive and lovely as the front. I decided to concentrate on doing a close up. I had not used my macro lens lately, but I found the closer I zeroed into the lush, complex, green petals of the backside, the more excited I got. I always think an image, especially a sunflower, is so much more dramatic when moving as close as possible and photographing just a portion of the flower. I think this vivid picture was exactly what I had envisioned.
Green Grapes and Pears and Table
I decided to do a still life with the color theme green and brown. I like those earthy colors because they blend so well together. I already had a small, green ceramic vase, and rather than my usual red grapes, I felt that green grapes would be in keeping with my theme. I bought some yellow chrysanthemums to offset the green and brown tones. Once I had the specific composition mapped out, I assembled my vision on a shiny brown reflective desk. The brown pears, green grapes and all the elements came together. For a dramatic flair, I photographed the scene against a black background.
My second image is similar except it is assembled on a wooden board, taken against a white background. I then used a texture in Photoshop to add the blue background. It is similar to the first, yet different.