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 10/29/2003 12:40:53 AM · #1
I know things like a bunch of flowers, a bowl of fruit etc are obvious and classic "Still Life".

Does that term then apply to anything not moving, for instance:

A portrait of a person

A building

A model aeroplane

A computer keyboard


I know the classic idea, but can anyone help me understand where the boundary lies?
 10/29/2003 12:52:23 AM · #2
I always interpreted it as something that can not move on it's own and can be placed on a table or pedestal.
 10/29/2003 12:52:34 AM · #3
Just did a quick google search, seems common definition of 'Still-Life' is 'picture/painting of an inanimate object'.

Go for it!
 10/29/2003 12:59:09 AM · #4
Most of the still life pictures will be studio shots of inanimate objects.
 10/29/2003 02:00:47 AM · #5
Originally posted by faidoi:
Most of the still life pictures will be studio shots of inanimate objects.


That's not a bad thing in itself, and we're bound to see some truly imaginative and exciting entries.

One reason why I joined DPC was to get practice in the traditional side of photography. Recent challenges, like Lighting and shadows, are really helping. Thanks, DPC.

Just one macabre thought; could the 'still' be taken to mean 'not yet over', and could one enter a nearly-dead rat? Yuk!
10/29/2003 02:05:03 AM · #6
Like this Salad!
 10/29/2003 02:32:30 AM · #7
Ok, that helps a little.

Can't be a portrait for instance, as it is not an inanimate object.

What about a photo of a car. It's still inanimate unless you are moving it.

I am guessing though that it would not meet the challenge.

But, to complicate things .....

A model of a car. Inanimate, it basically doesn't move.

So, a still life?

Not using this as an idea, just bouncing around what makes a still life. There are obvious ones, but I am wondering how far one can stray from the bowl of fruit and still genuinely be within the challenge.
 10/29/2003 03:03:44 AM · #8
Well, maybe it helps. When I take a few fruits, make a composition - it's a common one -, and shot, that's a still life. Still, because it's not moving at all, and it won't even move, only if you pack it away or a different composition. The Hungarian expression for still life can be translated as "silent-life-shot" or something like that.

Well, the car. I guess if there is only the car, nothing moving, it's a still life for me. It is not, when there are moving objects around, for example walking people. Only my opinion, I am not sure.

Message edited by author 2003-10-29 03:07:05.
 10/29/2003 03:11:52 AM · #9
I think a real car is still life and so is a Hot Wheel or Matchbox car. People would think of a bowl of fruit as still life.
 10/29/2003 03:25:34 AM · #10
I think my portfolio for example has a lot of still life:

Circle of squares
Monuments
Place of stillness
Cross
Raindrops keep falling
Mind your moves

I think anything that you can just walk your way to and take a shot ;)
- but would you define a landscapeshot as a still life?
- if not then I guess you could say that a picture of urban things would be it.

I do not know though...

v.
 10/29/2003 04:08:33 AM · #11
Some lovely shots there vjoz, I especially like the nails.

However, there's one to discuss ... the raindrops one, that has movement, so is it "still life".

I think the definition here is very open and we may see all sorts in the challenge, and proberly quite rightly.
 10/29/2003 08:52:30 AM · #12
For me a still life is a composition. I usually think of it as something that has been purposefully arranged to create a mood, study shapes or colours, explore relationships between objects or to just be silly. is a classic in all these genres.

Yes, a toy car incorporated into a composition would definitely be acceptable.

((to me )))
 10/29/2003 09:14:08 AM · #13
To me, still life almost definaltly has to be a studio setup shot.
 10/29/2003 09:20:46 AM · #14
Originally posted by Konador:
To me, still life almost definaltly has to be a studio setup shot.


What about the above picture by JC of the wine and cheese, if it was outside sitting on a log, in natural light? It would still be a still life.
10/29/2003 09:24:48 AM · #15
As long as it still looked set up yeh. Okay maybe I shouldn't have used the word studio but I don't think candid photos can be still life. In my opinion it has to be constructed by the photographer.
10/29/2003 09:31:23 AM · #16
Originally posted by scab-lab:
Originally posted by Konador:
To me, still life almost definaltly has to be a studio setup shot.


What about the above picture by JC of the wine and cheese, if it was outside sitting on a log, in natural light? It would still be a still life.


That's not my image but the winner of the OOPS challenge by Wayne S.
but I'll take it as a compliment, you thought it was mine.
 10/29/2003 09:47:24 AM · #17
Hmmm, and I thought THIS was "still life".... :

//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=42998

Duh!! ;-)

Message edited by author 2003-10-29 10:01:47.
 10/29/2003 07:31:33 PM · #18
vjoz- I like your photos very much but I think you would have a problem with people saying that it didn't make the challenge. Personally I have always thought of a still life as something composed by the photographer whether it was outside or inside.

JC - that could be your photo. I'm still lusting after your food presentation.
 10/29/2003 07:38:05 PM · #19
Originally posted by Konador:
As long as it still looked set up yeh. Okay maybe I shouldn't have used the word studio but I don't think candid photos can be still life. In my opinion it has to be constructed by the photographer.


I can go with that. Something, not moving, that has been deliberately put together by the photographer.

That would get around something like a picture of a statue in a town square. Could not be stiller, but I wouldn't term it still life.

Yes, I quite like that as a guideline.
 10/29/2003 09:07:27 PM · #20
Guidelines for what is a still life photo posted at a different site:

"A dictionary definition of still life is: a picture representing inanimate objects, such as fruit, flowers, etc. The Still Life category is intended to highlight photographs where the photographer either created or went in search of a composition to highlight an object. Although flowers in a vase are more typically thought of as "still life," flowers in nature can also work. Museum artifacts, boats, doors, windows, and other objects that would not fit within the other categories are acceptable subjects."

Maybe that helps?

Ursula
 10/29/2003 09:29:13 PM · #21
Originally posted by sonnyh:
vjoz- I like your photos very much but I think you would have a problem with people saying that it didn't make the challenge. Personally I have always thought of a still life as something composed by the photographer whether it was outside or inside.

JC - that could be your photo. I'm still lusting after your food presentation.


hmmm, do you mean the spring rolls? or the image?? or what?????????

<>

thanks
 10/29/2003 09:45:17 PM · #22
Still Life means a lot of different things to different people, and (as mentioned above) the subject matter is really wide open.

I find the following qualities are often found in what I consider to be excellent still life's, regardless of the subject matter:

1) Good light - Duh. It's all about the light! This doesn't necessarily mean fully lit, but rather, with interesting lighting that accents some element of the item or items being displayed.

2) Composition - Always important, I think it takes on an even more critical role in the successful still life.

3) Simplicity - If your photo has more than 3 or 4 different elements competing for the viewers attention, confusion will ensue. Don't confuse the viewer! You wan't them to absorb the beauty in your photo, not puzzle over it.

Here are just a few examples, all quite different, but all still life photo's as far as I'm concerned. Others may disagree.

//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=25565
//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=7973
//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=4855

10/29/2003 10:11:53 PM · #23
Great shots there mcmurma, and yes, I would class all of those as still life without a problem. I particularly like the one with the magnifying glass, excellent shot!

When I saw this topic I initially thought ... easy for people to clearly know what is within challenge guidelines.

Now I am not so sure as there are far more interpretaions available *laugh*
 10/30/2003 01:19:47 AM · #24
Originally posted by natator:
I particularly like the one with the magnifying glass, excellent shot!


It seems to me there are two of them with magnifying glass. But I think I know which one you are talking about because it is a great shot.
 10/30/2003 04:42:21 AM · #25
Originally posted by amazoneea:
Originally posted by natator:
I particularly like the one with the magnifying glass, excellent shot!


It seems to me there are two of them with magnifying glass. But I think I know which one you are talking about because it is a great shot.


At first glance I too thought that was a magnifying glass, but if you look closely, it looks more like metal loops of some sort mixed in with the plants.
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