Research

High Key 

David Thomas

Quentin Tarantino for Esquire magazine

I remember seeing these images years ago when the image on the left was the cover of esquire, the pure simplicity of it astounded me. I didn't understand how you could make an image so interesting with such little content or colour. 

I have alway been very much dismissive of high key photography, thinking it was dull, uninteresting and soulless and for the most part I stick by this. Not to be nasty or dismissive of a whole genre but I don't think there are many young aspiring photographers that are enthralled by the idea of shooting portraits on a pure white backdrop with no shadow and very little to work with but then you come across images like this and opinions can be changed. 

I wasn't planning on making much of a like between the Hi key images and the rest of my images but after rediscovering these brilliant shots and realising the way high key can pick up the detail in henna I am reevaluating that decision. I am going to experiment with a two tone colour way much like these images and the straight up style of the cover. I think this could create an simple yet interesting piece. 

Jim Naughten

I once again had to eat my words when I looked through Jim Naughton's catalogue of work. Instead of using the high key lighting to convey happy workers in a totally transparent and forced setup he uses it to create a chilling stillness. He uses the lighting to freeze his subjects, capturing all the emotion or lack of it in that split second something that many people would see as easy but many photographers don't seem to be able to do. 

Upon looking at Jim's work I have had many ideas of how I could incorporate his style into my own work. My first idea was to photograph use it as a documentation of my artist, to isolate them in a totally empty space and then contrast it with the much more expressive work that will be shown in my Low key image. 

I also had the idea of taking a single item from my artist kit and photographing it on its own, looking at it in a forensic scene much like how he has looked a the animals and skellington's.  

  I would also like to experiment with photographing the work my artist does once it is finished. As the work will be on a person I think it would be interesting to see is I can photograph them in such a way that they become more like a canvas than a person. Taking them images in a forensic sense, it will be interesting if I can isolate them to the point where they seem more like a mannequin than a person.

Low Key 

Henna Lounge

http://hennalounge.com/

Henna Lounge is the website of Henna artist Darcey Vasudev, the site is mainly to promote here services as a wedding henna artist. Doing huge intricate pieces for Indian weddings all over the world. Although she is mainly a wedding Henna artist her website features a portfolio of different henna styles and the images have been shot in different styles to portray this. I found these images very interesting as they show shooting in a different way can really change how you view the art, the crop, temperature, intensity of the colour, backdrop and positioning of the work really changes the way the work is viewed. 

Black & White

I first I thought that shooting in black & white would wash out the henna, making it dull and harder to see but these images prove that I was wrong. Shooting in black & white really picks up the contrast between the skin of the model and the dark gel of the henna. It makes the henna pop and lines look much harder than if they are shot in colour. This could be quite useful if I was trying to make the henna appeal to a male audience, as the desaturated effect makes the lines harder, starker & bolder. But saying all of this I think it is quite dependent on the model too, if the model is fair skinned the henna will stand out more. 

I much prefer the top two images, the wide crop in my eyes works better it gives the viewer a lot more space to observe the image and I actually think it makes you focus on the artwork more. It pulls you into the image whereas the lower image are taken to close up, squashing everything in although I do like the composition of the image in the bottom right. 

Natural Light

I find the beauty of these natural light images amazing. They are a lot more artistic in style not focusing on the work as much on the work but creating an atmosphere around it. The stripped down models and soft natural lighting creates a calm and tranquil environment. I really like the lighting in the image on the right, the beautiful cool tones work perfectly with the piece, the light is very reminiscent of modern british photographers such as //. I hold the line between hard and soft perfectly, I will be attempting to employ this technique while shooting. This sort of light can be achieved by shooting a light source through a diffuser (grease proof paper) directly toward the camera, creating an ambient natural light. 

The image on the left is slightly more understated, the whole image is slightly over exposed, you could almost consider it High key (but I think the use of a textured background goes against this). I love the calm beauty of this image, the fact it has been shot once the henna has faded slightly makes the images all the more beautiful and pure. 

Vibrant

This vibrant style of photographing the henna was the most common on the website. Although it works well in the sense that it captures the spirit and history of the art form, whilst also showing that it has been done to a bride and how it works with their dresses (the main source of this artist income) it seems to me that you have to do such a tight crop on the artwork. This isn't necessarily a bad thing but I just don't think it looks as interesting or creative as the other work that I have observed. Lighting and composition isn't really taken into account in these images. 

Although I do quite like the image on the right, the choice of backdrop is interesting as it contrasts the the artwork instead of completing it. I do think they should have heightened the contrast on the arts work though as it is slightly overpowered by the brightness of the backdrop. 

Joy of Henna

http://joyofhenna.com/

After looking at the 'Henna Lounge' website I decide to look at a few different websites to see the difference in portfolio images. I found 'Joy of Henna' this site i more of a henna appreciation website with the majority of its images coming from pinterest. I found the images were of a higher standard on this sight.  

Black & White 

The black & white images once again showed how powerful desaturating the image could be. You can really see a pop from the designs. Although these images are quite different compared to the images that I saw on the henna lounge. Instead of just being desaturated these images have been shot in a much higher key lighting setup, with much starker lighting and all around slightly over exposed aesthetic.  

I wasn't really planning on shooting the model or artwork in high key but after seeing this work I am now quite inclined to shoot the work after it has been finished in a high key lighting set up as it really accentuates the intricate work.  

Natural Lighting 

The use of natural lighting is also quite different in these images, instead of using it to strip down the models and make them looks extremely natural, focusing the eye on the artwork as it contacts the skin. These images take a different approach, the lighting is much warmer, this in turn warms the skin, giving the models a rich warm glow that complements the colours of the art work. The models themselves have a richer skin tone than the models used in Henna Lounge and even the backdrops add to the warm glow of the images. I personally don't like this effect and will avoid using it in my work. 

Vibrant/Interesting Backdrop

I much prefer the use of coloured backdrops in this site compared to the ones on Henna Lounge. They have been considered and haven't just been used to show that they were done on a bride. Everything about them is better, from the choice of backdrop to the general composition of the images. Although I haven't been that keen on the close up shots of the henna arts work mainly done on hands in these shots it works, the depth of field works perfectly and the backgrounds complement the work instead of matching it which creates a confusing mess. 

To avoid

This is a style of image taht I have seen time and time again on henna blogs and websites and it looks awful every time. It's so clique and boring to see, I will be avoiding creating images in this style at all costs. 

Comparison of Henna Lounge & Joy Of Henna 

Both websites gave me interesting ideas of what can be achieved while photographing henna, although both sites only really showed images of the end product besides one example that wasn't really what I was looking for. All the images were helpful, they gave me a real idea of the types of lighting that I colored use and the ways in which it looked best for instance if I decide to go for a more natural approach I will use a colder more striped down light source or if I decide to use a vibrant coloured backdrop I will really need to consider what the way I construct the images and make sure the artwork and backdrop don't clash. Overall both websites were very useful and the contrast of images gave me a much deeper insight into the way I will be shooting.

Photographs of people being tattooed

I spent ages trawling through the internet looking for images of henna artwork being done and every image that I came across was either shoddy or just not right, so I thought for a while and then it hit me. Why not just search for images of people being tattooed, its basically the same principle just ones permanent and one isn't. So I did a google search and after a little searching I found what I was looking for. Although these images have a much harder/darker aesthetic than them images I will be creating, I am using them for their compositional value. I really like the way these images have been constructed, they take into account both the artist and there canvas equally not only focusing on the work being made but the artist making it too. This is the way I want to compose my image. I want to take a step back and convey to the viewer the process of the art and how the artist works, how they interact with the subject/their canvas. I almost want to say more about the artist than the work they are creating.   

Still Life 

Spanish Still Life 

Juan de Valdes

• Complex levels of layers and textures 
• Use of the human form 
• Deep rich tones 
• Interesting use of composition and levels

Juan sanchez Cotan

• Very simple yet interesting composition 
• Good use of space 
• Light is use well 
• Perspective and size is use in an interesting way, what does the distance/spacing of each object say about the images. The juxtaposition of each object could hold relevance to it importance.
• Very formulaic work, everything looks placed and organised 
• neat
• Lit from the front and slightly from the left 

 

Felipe Ramirez

• Very similar to the work of Sanchez Cotan, not to say this is a bad thing but the point are the same for both artists and their work 

• Lit from the front and slightly from the left  

 Juan van der Hamen

• Very formulaic 
• More stylized than the work of Cotan & Ramirez
• Quite flat 
• Very linear
• Lit from the front and slightly from the left  

Unknown

• More realistic composition, the shot falls on the line of looking realistic yet constructed 
• Really interesting compositions 
• Flowing 
• Harsh 
• Dark 
• Fully blackout backdrop, this has been a theme throughout the formulated still life's

Mateo Cerez

• Rich, bold, warm tones 
• The temperature and colours of the image contradict the subject matter
• Although the image is full of content it doesn't seem too busy 
• I don't know why but the image has been contrusted in such a way that the dark and unsettling subject matter has had its edge taken away, it seems softer for some reason. 

 Tomas Hiepes

• Simple yet very effective composition 
• The lighting is once again the same as this is a formulated and largely constructed image. It has been lit from the front and left side, with the background fully in darkness. 
• Very constructed
• Quite bland 
• 
  

 Correa

• Really interesting composition 
• Workings with lots of different textures
• Interesting use of distancing 
• On the line of realistic and constructed 
• Holds the realistic stillness that a lot of still lives don't capture 

Bernardo Lorente 

• Very similar to the work of Correa
• I really like the idea of images within images, creates an interesting aesthetic
• Strong composition, although slightly cluttered  

 Luis Melendez

• Rich bold tones 
• Full compositions 
• Focused on the subject matter
• On the boarder of natural and constructed composition, almost looks as if its thrown down instead of placed 
• Very Intense imagery, each item seems to be hyper realistic 

Jose Lopez Enguidanos

• This shot follows a lot of the same principles as Luiz Melendez's image
• Although this image seems more constructed but not but the painter, it looks as if it is someone's work space that has just been left meaning the image looks a lot more realistic 

Still Life Painting 

(C.Sterling)  

Jean-baptiste Oudry

•  I love the sollum beauty of this shot 
• The complementary colour pallet 
• oppositional leading lines 
• Minimal 
• Calm 
• Soft 
• Rich, yet understated 

Jan Davidsz

• Hectic 
• Bold 
• Rich 
• Powerful/wealth 
• Quite obviously constructed 

Willem Claesz

• Calm 
• Quite similar to the work of Jose Lopez Enguidanos as it looks like someone has just left this composition but the image hasn't been pulled off quite as well.
• Subtle tones
• Rich tones 
• Connotations of wealth 
• Could work well with a modern twist    

  

Harmen Steenwijck

• Really interesting subject matter 
• Dark
• New interesting angle 
• Light being shon from above and slight forward 

Jacopo De Barbari

• Beautiful composition 
• Interesting use of space 
• The wall hanging work is really interesting, I really like they way it positions certain things 
• The juxtaposition of certain items are really interesting 

Barthel Bruyn

• Dark 
• Spooky 
• Reminiscent of classic horror
• Interesting use of size and distance 
• I like the use of the box and shelf as the backdrop 
• The candlestick looks quite strange and uncomfortable

Still Life 

(Norbert Scheider)

Francisco Zuraban 

• Very linear composition 
• stagnant 
• lit from the front and the left  

Unknown

• Rich bold tones 
• realistic composition 
• Cluttered 
• Tight crop 
• Flowing  

Pieter Clasez

• Atmospheric lighting 
• Sepia 
• Realistic composition 
• Interesting full lighting, full yet ambient
• Well composed 
• Good spacing between items   

David Bailey

• Use of a human in still life
• Good use of other imagery 
• Well composed 
• Flowing 
• Interesting leading lines 

Philippe de Champaigne

• Simple 
• Linear composition
• Interesting connection between the items 
• Lit from the front and the left 
• Fully blackout backdrop 

I've found looking at these classical still lifes really beneficial. They have given me a deeper insight into many of the original ideas attached to the still lifes. Observing these images has helped as they've not only given me strong ideas of what I want to attempt and ways in which I can do this but they have also shown me things to avoid. I will be attempting different styles of still life to see which one will work best, the ideas that I will be incorporating into my own still lifes are listed below: 

Calculated, spacious compositions

 

• E.g. Philippe de Champaigne, Juan sanchez Cotan, Felipe Ramirez, Correa & Barthel Bruyn 

For this I idea I would like to organise all of my artists equipment and photograph it, I may present this in a extremely formulaic, linear fashion similar to the work of Philippe de Champaigne (top right) or Felipe Ramirez (bottom left). Top do this I would organise each individual item, considering space and proxemics while placing each item.

or 

I may take a slightly more relaxed approach, still considering space between items but placing them in a more humanistic/natural way similar to the work of Barthel Bruyn (top left) and Correa (bottom right). I prefer this style as it makes the images look less stagnant but I will have to see which work the best in practice as  my artist's equipment will be quite different to the subject matter of these paintings e.g skulls, dead birds etc.

Realistic work spaces 

• E.g. Jose Lopez Enguidanos, David Bailey, Pieter Clasez, Harmen Steenwijck, Willem Claesz

While searching through the many different still life's I noticed a large similarity, many pieces were comprised of various items scattered over a table and although many of these images are very interesting and beautiful to look at they lacked substance (e.g.Jan Davidsz) these images were merely a way of showing other people the amount of money and power that a person held, similar to the braggy instagram posts of today. Then i noticed a sub genre in this style of painting, instead of just looking at people's painter were looking at there own work spaces of the spaces of their peers and although a lot of these pieces were created in similar styles the content has a lot more substance and value in my opinion. 

These images hold much more realism and meaning than the aforementioned formulated still lifes. Although they have less of a message they say more about the artist and or painter. 

I think it could be really interesting to do a still life in this style, either during or after the piece is produced by my artist I will ask them to get up and leave everything as it is and them just photograph their work space and equipment as they have used and left it. I may also leave the work they have created in the shot but I am unsure of this at this point, I will try both ideas and see which works better.    

I may get them to use a table of some for to rest their equipment on to make this more like a classic still life as all of the examples have done so.  

What's in my bag?

What's in my is an online series started a few years ago looking majoritively at creatives and the contents of their bags. Usually done in very formulated and controlled manner and shot from a bird's eye view. These images are usually constructed at the start of the subjects day with each items taken out of the bag and laid out in columns. The images are constructed in an almost forensic style differing from person to person, they are an interesting look into a person's interests and or passions. 

As the project has grown and been adopted by various people the style in which the images have been constructed has changed with different people adding there own twist to the images, using different backdrops (most commonly a full white floor or wood flooring), a varied collection of items (adding clothing, the bag itself of just sticking to the content of the bag) and also the way the items are laid out (with some people sticking with the extremely precise forensic style and other going for a messier style). 

I think each element says a lot about the artist themselves as much as the items from inside the bag do. For instance you can imagine a graphic designer creating a much neater and cleaner layout than say an oil painter.   

I really like the way these pieces are constructed and I will definitely be taking them into consideration when I am producing my still life. I think it could look really interesting with all of my artists equipment laid out in a sort of forensic style but on to of an extremely busy and colourful wall hanging. 

Modern Twists on Classic still lifes


Rebecca Rutten

Enamored with the paintings of the Renaissance Period, German photographer Rebecca Rütten created “Contemporary Pieces,” which puts a modern humorous twist on classic Renaissance paintings through its focus on fast food culture.

Rütten says she became interested in the project because of the parallels between class divisions featured in Renaissance art, and the divisions she saw in her own life: “In the Late Renaissance, Italian and Dutch painters dealt with the middle and lower classes. In my opinion, Fast Food Culture represents these two social classes in the United States today. To eat healthy is expensive. However, one can buy large amounts of food at a fast food restaurant for a comparatively low price.” - Lifted from Rebbecca's website 

I find this type of photography really interesting, I really enjoy the revitalisation it gives to the classical practice if still life and the style in which they were produced. Although I have seen this type of thing in the past and by no means is this particular idea that new, it  is interesting and this is a very well produced piece. Although It could have maybe been made to look slightly more like the classical pieces, for instance ageing the image slight or adding a more modern instead of just changing the food. 

These images do have a definite connection to the classical paintings of Jan Davidsz & Luiz Melendez and to be honest these werent my favourite classical still lifes. I thought they were stagnant and didn't really serve much purpose so actually I suppose these images are spot on as they near enough make me feel the same way. 

Although these images aren't that brilliant in my opinion, they still inspire me. The show that it is possible to create modern images that create the same feeling as the classical still life's.

Interesting student work 

"The task was to make a paraphrase about a baroque still life. My chosen baroque still life (Floria Van Schooten, Louvre). My insparation is from facebook posts about dinner arrangement. My concept was change the foods to present-day foods, objects like on the facebook post" - Lifted from the students web page.  

After Looking at the work of Rebecca Rutten I stumbled upon a students blog in which he has been set a task to paraphrase a classical still life. I instantly liked the work and in my opinion I think this is the best recreation of a classic still life I've seen done be any artist  or photographer. 

The collection of objects he has chosen to replace the old fashioned items work perfectly. He has managed to stay respectful to the artist but also bring the work into the 21st century while maintaining its classical roots. 

I had started to go off the idea of attempting to recreate something like this while looking at Rebecca Rutten's work but seeing this has given me a different opinion