I think it takes a special sensibility to do still lifes, and you have lots of it, the more you do, the more amazed you will be at the results. I'm just starting to shoot a few, and the success rate is 1 in 50 maybe for lighting and sharpness, and with a lot of post processing. This is much harder than it appears :)
Thanks for another astute commantary Ina. I started out trying to make something interesting of the teapot handles, trying to make them look interlocked, but there wasn't really enough light in the room to make the teapots themselves be the focus of the image. As you have observed, it turns out that the reflections are the most interesting thing going on here, which I realized once I started shooting.
I did not want a reflection of myself taking the picture. Most painters do not paint themselves into still life reflections (MC Escher is a notable exception) and I wanted a painterly look. So I placed the camera on a tripod at an inconspicuous location (low and to the left in the reflections) and then took the shot using the camera's timer and walked out of the shot before the exposure took place. (I wish the timer could be set to a shorter duration, it's time consuming to take many shots this way!).
The wooden frame you see is actually the bottom of a large framed wall mirror. I had left it in this shot to add some interest and balance, but going back now to look at this image after not having seen it for several months, I think your suggestion of cloning it out is excellent. That would add some depth to the shot and also focus more attention on the main subject. My eye has developed quite a bit in recent months of image peeping at Usefilm, vastly aided by the fantastic commentary of yourself and other fine artists and helpful people here.
Thanks again for this very much appreciated comment, Ina!
Going back through your silverware still lifes, Mark, I love this one. Especially the way you arranged the handles, the ping pong ball for color and the reflections in the tray and marble top. The ping-pong ball double reflection in the teapot is fantastic, and the double view of the room in each of the silver objects is extraordinary. What a great composition! One that I really like from all aspects, including the warm browns and limited pallette of colors, even the room walls are in the same pallette. The only thing I would do is to clone out the wooden top above, I like its color and profile, I'm just not sure about the angle and you can't crop it out, because it cuts the negative space above the objects. A great still life, and fantastic study in reflections! Best regards, Ina
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