Black and White Still Life - DPChallenge Forums

08/10/2010 05:08:54 PM · #28

Originally posted by yanko:

That's great and all but can someone explain black and white please?

The challenge description says "Create a still life photo that is black and white." I would interpret this as the photograph should be black & white. And strictly speaking, black and white means that the image should contain only these two colors, or better non-colors. But I say that because I do image analysis as a part of my work, and there is a clear difference between black & white and grayscale, where the latter is in fact what photographers describe by black and white. So I would say that the photograph can have also gray tones and won't be DNMCed :)

Originally posted by posthumous:

This is so well said that should be added to the Wikipedia entry about still life!

rooum

08/10/2010 05:13:17 PM · #29

I think in traditional photography toned images such as sepia and selenium etc are also classed as Black & White. Thats always taking a risk with DPC voters though.

fridjo

Canon EOS-5D

Carl Zeiss 50mm ZE f/1.4 Planar T for Canon

08/10/2010 05:15:31 PM · #30

Originally posted by clive_patric_nolan:

I think in traditional photography toned images such as sepia and selenium etc are also classed as Black & White. Thats always taking a risk with DPC voters though.

I agree, and probably subtle duotones will be well received.

yanko

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

08/10/2010 05:46:47 PM · #31

Originally posted by Jac:

Originally posted by posthumous:
A still life is a beautiful image created by placing objects. The composition must make full use of the frame.

A product shot is an image of a beautiful object. The composition is centered and boring.

Sorry Don, but this just doesn't make sense. It's your interpretation and not necessarily right. What's a beautiful image and why include that in your assessment of what a still life is?

You've just f***** this challenge up for many people dude, I wish you wouldn't do that. Now ANYTHING that MAY appear in a catalogue will get hammered by the Posthumous Police, who are the third cousins of the DNMC police. This is bullshit!

I think he's saying a product shot displays to the viewer an object that is already beautiful. Its' purpose is merely to show the details of the product so it may convince the viewer to purchase said product. A still life (i.e. art) is something that goes beyond that. It is not trying to sell anything except to convey a sense of place, mood or initiate some dialog. The beautiful image happens as a result of the artist's ability to convey such things through composition, light and intellect. So as you can see the purpose of the two are vastly different and it is in how you go about it that will determine what you ultimately achieve.

ETA: Now, granted I can see why you might be upset since many in the commercial world refer to their product shots as still life but it's more of a marketing thing than anything else.

Message edited by author 2010-08-10 17:58:46.

NiallOTuama

Google Pixel 2

08/10/2010 05:53:30 PM · #32

I've never done any kind of still life before.
Does anyone have good links for what is/isn't still life? I'm currently reading some Google results, but figured some here might have some gooduns about setup/lighting/etc/etc/etc.

Yo_Spiff

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

08/10/2010 06:51:19 PM · #33

Originally posted by clive_patric_nolan:

As it happens i tend to agree with posthumous on this one and will automatically give a score of 1 to anything, be it digital watch, calculator or coffee maker, that has the stench of Mammon to it. Let that be a warning to you all.

Kinda limits us to flowers and fruit, then. But, I have also seen those in catalogs. So.... everything gets a 1? This shoul be interesting.

fldave

Pentax K5II

Pentax DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6ED AL [IF] WR DC

08/10/2010 07:08:34 PM · #34

Originally posted by NiallOTuama:

Does anyone have good links for what is/isn't still life?

Flickr search for still life...

bspurgeon

Fujifilm x100

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

08/10/2010 07:09:08 PM · #35

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

Originally posted by clive_patric_nolan:
As it happens i tend to agree with posthumous on this one and will automatically give a score of 1 to anything, be it digital watch, calculator or coffee maker, that has the stench of Mammon to it. Let that be a warning to you all.

Kinda limits us to flowers and fruit, then. But, I have also seen those in catalogs. So.... everything gets a 1? This shoul be interesting.

Depict the soul and substance of the object(s) and you will be on your way to a great photograph. Actually, this is why I find still life so difficult.

pointandshoot

Canon EOS-10D

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

08/10/2010 07:12:27 PM · #36

object as still life...

EL-ROI

Canon EOS-450D Rebel XSi

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III

08/10/2010 07:41:16 PM · #37

The Wikipedia article is good taking you through two millenia of still life art with photos and links to artists.

My observation is that if there is an object in the frame, then it is still life... whether the object is for sale or not. Classic Still Life Art consisted mostly of vessels and food on a table. Other still life has been shown as abstract, though still recognizble as object.

Now what the audience will vote well on, that is clearly another story.

bvy

Sigma DP1x

08/10/2010 07:51:26 PM · #38

Must a still life be composed? I'd like mine to be decomposed.

No, seriously...

colorcarnival

Olympus 45mm f/1.8 M.Zuiko Digital

08/10/2010 08:56:55 PM · #39

Originally posted by bvy:

Must a still life be composed? I'd like mine to be decomposed.

No, seriously...

lol cannot wait to see this entry :D

Trumpeteer4

Nikon D7000

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

08/10/2010 09:28:24 PM · #40

Originally posted by fridjo:

Originally posted by clive_patric_nolan:
I think in traditional photography toned images such as sepia and selenium etc are also classed as Black & White. Thats always taking a risk with DPC voters though.

I agree, and probably subtle duotones will be well received.

My entry is a very subtle duotone, not sure if anyone will notice though.

On a different note, I had a thought. Does still life have to be able to fit on a table surface? Could be something larger, say an old decayed farm tractor? It's inanimate and it's technically an object. Just an idea I had.

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM II

08/10/2010 09:55:35 PM · #41

ok so reading this thread... it sounds like no matter what i shoot im gonna get a 1... great! just what I need.

Alicia

Canon EOS-600D/T3i Rebel

08/10/2010 10:09:55 PM · #42

Originally posted by Trumpeteer4:

On a different note, I had a thought. Does still life have to be able to fit on a table surface? Could be something larger, say an old decayed farm tractor? It's inanimate and it's technically an object. Just an idea I had.

A still life is a composition of inanimate objects. Emphasis is on composition, inanimate, and objects (plural).

Therefore, houses, vehicles, roads, mountains will not constitute subjects for still lifes, because though inanimate, you can't arrange several of them into a composition.

Inanimate means not alive. In classical still lifes, you will see things like dead bunnies and pheasants. Sometimes you will also see bugs, which, in the good ol' days, were not considered to be beings and therefore were OK in still lifes.

I've only read parts of this thread, so if I'm repeating what has already be said, I'm so sorry ;o).

08/10/2010 10:13:12 PM · #43

im not being hard headed... I dont want DNMC's so let me ask this... and this is just hypothetical... if I take a picture of a bottle of jack next to a glass of jack and coke an ashtray and a book.. title it A Relaxing Evening with Jack.. that's a still life.... but if I take a picture of just the jack and the glass its product advertisement correct?

eta for typos

Message edited by author 2010-08-10 22:13:35.

CNovack

Canon EOS-600D/T3i Rebel

08/10/2010 10:23:06 PM · #44

Originally posted by fldave:

Originally posted by NiallOTuama:

Does anyone have good links for what is/isn't still life?

Flickr search for still life...

This has some good examples. Thanks for posting that link - should provide some nice inspirations for others.

I saw the challenge early Monday morning and my idea has been mulling in my head for a few days - either it will age well or ferment :-)LOL-- I'll have to see what the voters think.

Spend the last hour looking at arrangement and placing objects and removing to see what works best. Lighting and arrangement for mood and feel are going to be key with any still life composition.

Originally posted by JustCaree:

Carrie, yes. The bottle of jack with glass full and a book tells more of a story and creates a mood...though I suggest one or two more items that would 'tell' a story or project a mood to complete the still life. Lighting and backdrop will also help create a mood. Just the Jack Bottle and glass leans too much to a product shot.

Message edited by author 2010-08-10 22:23:49.

08/10/2010 10:31:13 PM · #45

Originally posted by CNovack:

Originally posted by JustCaree:
im not being hard headed... I dont want DNMC's so let me ask this... and this is just hypothetical... if I take a picture of a bottle of jack next to a glass of jack and coke an ashtray and a book.. title it A Relaxing Evening with Jack.. that's a still life.... but if I take a picture of just the jack and the glass its product advertisement correct?

eta for typos

Carrie, yes. The bottle of jack with glass full and a book tells more of a story and creates a mood...though I suggest one or two more items that would 'tell' a story or project a mood to complete the still life. Lighting and backdrop will also help create a mood. Just the Jack Bottle and glass leans too much to a product shot.

Thanks! I have an idea now of the difference... I think I can do this... what a bad competition for the first of the beat your own average challenge :( lol Ive never done a still life...

posthumous

Canon EOS-40D

08/10/2010 11:13:16 PM · #46

Originally posted by JustCaree:

Originally posted by CNovack:

Originally posted by JustCaree:
im not being hard headed... I dont want DNMC's so let me ask this... and this is just hypothetical... if I take a picture of a bottle of jack next to a glass of jack and coke an ashtray and a book.. title it A Relaxing Evening with Jack.. that's a still life.... but if I take a picture of just the jack and the glass its product advertisement correct?

eta for typos

Carrie, yes. The bottle of jack with glass full and a book tells more of a story and creates a mood...though I suggest one or two more items that would 'tell' a story or project a mood to complete the still life. Lighting and backdrop will also help create a mood. Just the Jack Bottle and glass leans too much to a product shot.

Thanks! I have an idea now of the difference... I think I can do this... what a bad competition for the first of the beat your own average challenge :( lol Ive never done a still life...

Except that a still life doesn't tell a story.

08/10/2010 11:14:27 PM · #47

Originally posted by posthumous:

Originally posted by JustCaree:

Originally posted by CNovack:

Originally posted by JustCaree:
im not being hard headed... I dont want DNMC's so let me ask this... and this is just hypothetical... if I take a picture of a bottle of jack next to a glass of jack and coke an ashtray and a book.. title it A Relaxing Evening with Jack.. that's a still life.... but if I take a picture of just the jack and the glass its product advertisement correct?

eta for typos

Carrie, yes. The bottle of jack with glass full and a book tells more of a story and creates a mood...though I suggest one or two more items that would 'tell' a story or project a mood to complete the still life. Lighting and backdrop will also help create a mood. Just the Jack Bottle and glass leans too much to a product shot.

Thanks! I have an idea now of the difference... I think I can do this... what a bad competition for the first of the beat your own average challenge :( lol Ive never done a still life...

Except that a still life doesn't tell a story.

so you are saying a still life isnt supposed to "tell a story"

posthumous

Canon EOS-40D