I had an old silver teapot that I had sitting on my credenza. I polished it and filled it with vibrant orange Peruvian lilies. I placed three green pears at the base of the teapot. I placed beautiful yellow lilies in a green glass vase. I placed a fat orange candle on a pewter decorative candle holder and I added an orange/brown texture to give the arrangement depth and warmth.
Teapot, Reflections, and Pears
I had an old silver teapot on my credenza, just gathering dust. I bought it years ago in Charleston thinking it might be worth something. I still don’t know about that, but it was pretty. Before using it in my image, I first had to polish it. I always wanted to use it in a still life, but didn’t know what to do with it. Finally, I decided to add some Peruvian Lilies to the opening. I love the look of pears so I added them as well. I added a lovely ornate candle holder with an orange and yellow thick candle to offset the orange in the flowers. The background is a texture I added in. i think the darkish background brings out the beauty and drama of this arrangement.
Candles and Pears
I did a number of similar still life images–similar but different. They all utilize the candles of green and orange, but the vases are different. I used the tall blue vase in some and the red vase in others. Although the theme is similar, they stand on their own as a separate piece of art.
Red Apples and Orange Lilies
I wanted to create a scene using red on red: I bought a red glass vase and I pared it with two ruby red apples. I created a staircase of candles- each one lower than the previous one. I added beautiful orange lilies to the red vase, I also placed some lovely mini yellow carnations in a small black and white ceramic vase. I added a rustic texture to the background. The scene exudes warmth and calm, complemented by the earthy tones of the setting.
Oranges, Lilies, and Blue Vase
A vibrant arrangement features orange lilies in a blue vase, accompanied by a woven basket of mandarin oranges and three lit candles. The calm composition is enhanced by the contrasting colors and soft lighting. The orange and green candles add to the calming atmosphere.
Pine Cones
Where I live, there are many pine trees. I always see the standard pine cones all over the grass and wooded areas, but I never knew what they look like before they mature. I was out walking when I noticed these interesting growths on the pine trees and I wasn’t sure what they were. They were skinny and some very long, so I did a search and found out that these interesting yellow and green cylindrical growths were indeed baby pine cones. I came back with my camera and macro lens and took many shots. The wind was whipping the tree around but I managed to get a few good images.
Since the hurricane in September in Augusta, GA, there are so many downed pine trees. These have mature pine cones–the kind I am familiar with. The second picture is a macro shot of one of these beauties.
All About Orange
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.
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.
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.
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.
