I came upon a Chinese guardian lion statue which I originally thought was a gargoyle. I had never seen this before but it looked intriguing so I picked it up. On the same day, I found a zebra bust that someone had discarded. But, another man (or woman’s} garbage can be another woman’s treasure so I bought it too. I also found an animal print vase that spoke to me. I wanted to incorporate these three elements into a a fantasy still life using flowers and a candle. I arranged these items on a beige cloth and photographed the scene against a white backdrop. I then turned the white background into a texture befitting the image. I think I achieved my vision of creating a beautiful fantasy still life.
Baby Elephant in Wonderland
I came upon a baby Lenox elephant while looking for inspiration at Goodwill. I wanted to create a serene scene by using soft muted colors of green, blue and beige hues.I added two candles of green and beige, matching the color scheme. Light yellow/white carnations, in a green glass vase, added to the serene and peaceful atmosphere. In addition, I added some pretty rocks surrounding the elephant. It is abstract, something one would not normally find in nature, but that is my interpretation. I enjoy placing objects that don’t go together in a beautiful cohesive scene. It is amazing how that works to create a lovely and unusual fantasy still life.
Green Hat, Yellow Lilies, and Chess
I love putting together lots of different props to create a cohesive composition. I gathered a brown candle, green hat, vases, a chess piece and yellow lilies. Who would think that these unrelated items could come together to form a masterpiece. My composition was arranged on a muslim cloth featuring yellow lilies in a terracotta vase. I positioned a green fedora hat, between two vases containing the flowers. An ornate candlestick holder holds the brown lit candle. The objects are arranged on a textured surface against a muted backdrop, creating a serene and balanced scene. The two images are different in that they both have different background colors.
Mardi Gras Masks
I came upon these two Venetian masks in Goodwill. I was drawn to them and felt these beauties would make an unusual and vibrant image.These pair of Venetian-style masks are displayed prominently, one adorned with colorful details and the other in a stark black and white motif. A bouquet of red alstroemeria flowers and a single red rose add a vibrant touch to the composition, while a lit red candle provides a warm glow from the side. I placed the red candle atop an hourglass containing white sand. I photographed this arrangement against a white backdrop and added a lovely blue texture to create an etherial, otherworldly look.
All of these are somewhat similar, but different. Some have skulls, some have flowers or candles, yet all show the beauty of the masks displayed different forms.
Retro Cameras and Candle
In keeping with the vintage theme, I decided to rest two film cameras (Canon and Minolta) on some old photo albums and newspapers. I had these albums tucked away in my closet. I recently acquired a candle holder and candle at a consignment shop. I decided it belonged in this image. In creating this composition, I tried to convey the beauty of these treasures that took such beautiful pictures in the past, but can still be used. A fresh green apple sitting in the front adds a pop of color to the arrangement.
Joyce Portraits and Identity Crisis 2020
I had an assignment for Chicks that Click photo group to come up with an image representing Identity Crisis. I enlisted my friend Joyce who is a wonderful model and had her pose gazing into a mirror. I did this in my studio upstairs and put the soft box with my AD200 strobe light on the left side with a grid over the box. This was done to achieve a low key effect. In editing I added both a blue texture to the mirror and then I added a shattered glass brush over it.
I like the effect–it looks like an identity crisis to me. Then Joyce wanted some portraits too. She is a great model and doesn’t require too much instruction on posing.
Wet Glass Portraits
I did some experimenting by taking my own portrait using the self-timer in the studio with strobe lights. I then edited the photos using Light Room, Photoshop, and NIK. I then applied a texture called Wet Glass on top and edited the image using the Blend Modes (Screen) in PS with lots of manipulation of the layer. Finally, I used NIK – Brilliance and Warmth, and NIK Center luminosity. After adjusting everything, here they are. The first one is me “trapped” behind wet glass. The next one is somewhere maybe in the shower trapped too.
Pink Flowers and Reflections
I have an endless fascination with flowers, particularly pink ones. My friend Fran had these gorgeous pink flowers blooming right on a bush in her back yard back in late February. She gave me permission to cut a few off the bush. In the studio I placed the flower against a black reflective surface and used my strobes. The other shots were lilies in my studio in March 2019, again on a black reflective surface. The flowers in the saucer were on a white background so I added a texture to punch things up.