Best/Favorite Still Life Images

[darr]

So if somebody wants to start a thread where they show their best still life images, I'll love you for it forever.
__________________
Michael W. Graves


OK, I'll go first since I spend my free time shooting still life in hopes of creating art. This was the first shot I took with my Rodenstock 120mm f/5.6 Macro and just because of that it is a favorite. Shot with Polaroid 55. More to come when I have the time to put them up.


http://cameraartist.com/images/20060401194026_nautilus.jpg

[Michael Graves]

[QUOTE=darr;187638]OK, I'll go first since I spend my free time shooting still life in hopes of creating art. This was the first shot I took with my Rodenstock 120mm f/5.6 Macro and just because of that it is a favorite. Shot with Polaroid 55. More to come when I have the time to put them up.
[CENTER]


Looks like you're stuck with a friend. Great shot!

[Chris Strobel]

This must be the other half of your shell :) My first type 55 with Nikkor 150 on a Shen-Hao field camera.

http://www.pbase.com/cloudswimmer/image/65233600/original.jpg

[Donald Qualls]

My best still life, I think, was also my first 4x5 exposure ever...

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a183/dqualls/Aletta/edb07cf1.jpg

[Hugo Zhang]

Some fruits. Kodak 2D with Heliar 42cm lens. A lilly with 12" Dagor lens.

[domenico Foschi]

Sepia/selenium toned silver print, brushed with ferry.

[Chris Strobel]

Speaking of still lifes, here is a link to a page that has every Imogen Cunnigham photo ever published for your viewing pleasure :)

http://www.photoliaison.com/Images/Imogen_Cunningham_Album/index.htm

[Leonard Metcalf]

Two of my favorites

[Frank Petronio]

Why don't you just buy the Edward Weston / Wright Morris book and save yourselves all that film? ;-)

[steve simmons]

Nice shot Chris. Do you have more like it?

steve simmons

[Eric Rose]

I've just set up a studio in the basement for doing still lifes. It's not something I have done for a very long time but am excited about getting back into it. Here are a couple of images I have kicking around. While you might say the cat pic is not a "still life", he was still and has a "life" so I included it.

[Chris Strobel]

Nice shot Chris. Do you have more like it?

steve simmons

Thanks! One more, shot on same background and light, with a different shell, 150 Nikkor, Type 55

http://www.pbase.com/cloudswimmer/image/65227158/original.jpg

[Brian K]

Seems like it's a Nautlius shell thread, here's my contribution:

[Brian K]

This is currently my favorite Still life:

[Eric Rose]

Ok Brian I bite. How did you do it?

[Brian K]

Ok Brian I bite. How did you do it?

The bubbles? They're real, no computer work, no manipulation, no special effects. They are the type of bubbles blown with a child's bubble wand and bubble water. My wife blew the bubbles and I photographed them while they were in the air. The air being a studio set up and studio strobes. The more we blew the bubbles the more we were able to control them by varying the amount of air blown, the angle at which they were blown, starting and stopping,etc.

What I like about this image, besides that I collaborated with my wife, is that each bubble contains my wife's breath, and each bubble existed for only seconds. What I also like is that I find the composition very interesting, and for the most part, with some minor control over the bubble blowing, completely created by chance. Something very different from my days as a studio photographer.

[Eric Rose]

Absolutely amazing Brian! So special for both you and your wife. And for us to view.

[Eric James]

Eric, your cat silhouette is superb!

[Brian K]

Eric, your cat silhouette is superb!


I second the praise on the cat silo, nicely done as are the other shell photos. This was a good idea for a thread.

[Bill_1856]

There goes the neighborhood.

[Ken Lee]

Brian - May I ask about the Rose photo ? You seem to have fairly good depth of field. What film size/lens did you use ? Nice design and feeling !

[Brian K]

Ken, I'm a little confused. I'm the only Brian posted in this thread yet, but you're asking me about a Rose photo something which I did not post.

[Jim Galli]

http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/CerroGordoBottles.jpg
Bottles, American Hotel, Cerro Gordo, CA.

http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/Devil/WorkShoesS.jpg

Work shoes

http://www.pervolquartz.com/slicer/media/jgall.jpg

Egg Slicer

http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com

[Kerik Kouklis]

8x10 Hand-colored Ambrotype

http://www.kerik.com/wp63.jpg

[Jeffrey Sipress]

What a great array of work and styles.

Here's one of my latest, not sure if it's my all-time favorite, but it is this month.

http://machinearts.com/fredphotos/cctractor1.jpg

[Ken Lee]

Ken, I'm a little confused. I'm the only Brian posted in this thread yet, but you're asking me about a Rose photo something which I did not post.

Oops - I meant Eric.

[Michael Graves]

Great shots, everyone. And as a personal note to Jeffrey. I particularly like your shot. You shoot well in the clutch. Or of the clutch, as it were. I love that shot.

[jnantz]

processed in gut-rot coffee

[Capocheny]

Darr, Chris,

Love those gorgeous nautilus shell images... unfortunately, the shells seem to be really hard to buy up here in Canada!

But, what a great thread! Thanks to all for sharing...

Cheers

[I'm still trying to figure out how to upload pics. :( ]

[Ken Lee]

http://www.kenleegallery.com/images/gallery/pcatp2.jpg

[Chris Strobel]

Darr, Chris,

Love those gorgeous nautilus shell images... unfortunately, the shells seem to be really hard to buy up here in Canada!

But, what a great thread! Thanks to all for sharing...

Cheers

[I'm still trying to figure out how to upload pics. :( ]

Hey Cap, I got my nautilus and conch shells off ebay pretty cheap.Just go to ebay and do a search if your interested.I'm still looking for some giant clam shells for an idea I got in my head, but dang those giant clam shells aint cheap!I think I paid fifteen bucks for the Nautilus.

Chris

[Capocheny]

Hey Cap, I got my nautilus and conch shells off ebay pretty cheap.Just go to ebay and do a search if your interested.I'm still looking for some giant clam shells for an idea I got in my head, but dang those giant clam shells aint cheap!I think I paid fifteen bucks for the Nautilus.

Chris

Hi Chris,

Thanks :) I emailed you earlier on in the year and you had kindly passed along the website url. I did contact them, however, they won't ship to Canada. :(

Great shot... have admired it since the first time I saw it! :)

Cheers

[Andrew O'Neill]

I don't know how some of you can upload such big images...how do you do it?

[Doug Howk]

Dried sunflower. Used B&J 8X10 monorail with 305mm Nikor & Packard shutter.

[Hugo Zhang]

Jim,

Your egg slicer. Did you hand color that egg? It's a wonderful piture!

Hugo

[darr]

I don't know how some of you can upload such big images...how do you do it?

Great shot Andrew!

I usually do not upload my photos; I hotlink them from another site. That is why they appear usually at 500 pixals at the largest side with no thumbnail.

Example code: http://yoursite.com/folder/image.jpg

where: xxx=IMG

--

Capocheny: I sent you a PM regarding shells. I live 15 minutes from the Florida Keys and shells are everywhere down here. :) Thank you as always for your kind comments.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Hi darr,

Thanks for the compliment...and the tip. Are you going to send shells to Capocheny? He lives a hop skip and a jump from me...maybe he'll let me have some shells...

[darr]

Hi darr,

Thanks for the compliment...and the tip. Are you going to send shells to Capocheny? He lives a hop skip and a jump from me...maybe he'll let me have some shells...

Yes Andrew I will be sending Capocheny some shells. I'll put in a few extra for you. Thanks again for working the Print Exchange up for us exchange newbies!

Regards,
Darr

[Capocheny]

Cheers

[Capocheny]

Hello Darr,

Again, thank you kindly for your generosity and kindness. :)

And, we're in the same group for the print swap.

Thanks Andrew.

.

Andrew,

LOL... Of course, I'd gladly share with you! :)

BTW, that baby buggie really looks good on you! :)

[Mines coming! That'll be "the picture..." - two grown men pushing their respective baby buggies filled with large format camera gear and huge tripods! Now, we just have to get John to do likewise and we'll have a "Convoy!" Too funny!]

Skookum!

Cheers

[darr]

Skookum!



http://crateart.com/scans/d_1988.jpg

OK off topic, but what exactly does Skookum mean? This is a crate label advertising Washington State apples.

[Ken Lee]

According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skookum):

"A Chinook jargon word that has come into general use in British Columbia, Yukon Territory, and the U.S. Pacific Northwest. It has a range of positive meanings. As described in the FAQ from Skookum Tools, the word can have meanings from "'good,' to 'strong,' 'best,' 'powerful,' 'ultimate' and 'first rate.' Something can be skookum meaning 'cool' or skookum can be 'tough.' A skookum burger is a big (or really tasty) hamburger, but when your Mom's food is skookum, it's delicious but also hearty [...] When you're skookum, you've got a purpose and you're on solid ground."....

[Capocheny]

http://crateart.com/scans/d_1988.jpg

OK off topic, but what exactly does Skookum mean? This is a crate label advertising Washington State apples.

Greetings Darr,

LOL... I was meaning Skookum as a short name for the village that Andrew and a few of us went up to shoot at a few weeks ago. The village, "Skookumchuck," had a great little church on site. :)

Here's a link... and, if you click on Deniz's posting... there's some images on the Flikr site:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=20154

However, I've also heard people say "Skookum" in place of the word, "Great."

It's akin to this really odd commercial on tv at the moment where they use the word "steep." I think of this word in relation to "letting your tea steep" to get more flavor.

However, they're now saying something along the lines of, "That's steep!" to mean, "That's great!"

[I'll never figure out how they can take perfectly good words and alter their meaning out of the blue! In a few years... normal words will have abnormal meanings. :>O]

I've not seen apple crates with that word on them before... but I wonder if the apples are grown on a reservation with that name affiliation?

Ah... the mysteries of life! :)

Cheers

[Eric James]

Sad Skookum - Juneau, 1980

His owner said the name meant strong heart. He was strong at snoring (we shared the living room floor that summer) and known for taking off to the wild side for a week or so any time a new 50-pound bag of dog food arrived home - I guess he thought his future was secure, so he'd go on a vacation. His weakness was porcupines and once leapt from the bed of a truck going forty mph just to give chase:)

[Kirk Keyes]

The village, "Skookumchuck," had a great little church on site. :)


Iwas once driving across the Skookumchuck River in Washington, as a friend of mine was throwing up all the beer he drank that day out the open door of my VW Squareback, while going about 60 mph. Ever since then, it's been the "Skookum-up-chuck" River to me...

Sorry for that in a really nice thread...

[darr]

Thanks Ken & Capocheny for the explanations.

BTW, I like the shot of Andrew in the confessional! Should be printed poster size and placed in his high school classroom. :D

[Capocheny]

Thanks Ken & Capocheny for the explanations.

BTW, I like the shot of Andrew in the confessional! Should be printed poster size and placed in his high school classroom. :D

Hi Darr,

LOL... Yes, that's where we send Andrew when he's being a bad lad!

A 40x60 poster... hmmmm! :)

.

Kirk,

Thanks for the pleasant visuals of "Skookum-up-chuck-up!" I take it that that VW is now a piece of history? :)

.

Pleasantries all aside... now, back to the picture post! :)

Cheers

[Andrew O'Neill]

Hey! I heard that!
My graphic design students took an image of the new pope and placed my face over his, gave me fangs too. They stuck it on my door. I now use it kinda like a gargoil (probably spelt wrong) to keep bad students out.
I sure hope it doesn't rain tomorrow....I've got all my holders loaded up!!

[Andrew O'Neill]

Yes Andrew I will be sending Capocheny some shells. I'll put in a few extra for you. Thanks again for working the Print Exchange up for us exchange newbies!

Thanks darr! Shells and wee wild cactus we have up here really interest me as far as still lifes go. Ya hear that Capocheny? Some of those shells are for me!!

BTW, that baby buggie really looks good on you!


[Mines coming! That'll be "the picture..." - two grown men pushing their respective baby buggies filled with large format camera gear and huge tripods! Now, we just have to get John to do likewise and we'll have a "Convoy!" Too funny!]

I still prefer John's suggestion...Safeway shopping carts with lots of ruddy looking plastic garbage bags tied all around it. What a sight we would be walking down Robson Street, 3 abreast! We could make a pit stop at that coffee place that starts with an A.
heh heh...

[Christopher Nisperos]

This photograph is a deliberate Weston imitation made in response to a snotty French (photojournalist) friend of mine who, while puffing away on his stinky cigarette in a café, scorned the "likes" of Weston for creating photography which "showed no humanity". "No one does that today. No one", he scoffed. Well, I wanted to show him that someone does do that today, and that that someone was someone he knew. (got that?). Plus, I wanted the photo to reflect something human, if not humanitarian.

Subsequently, I created a series of still lifes I call "Sexy Vegetables" and eventually had an exhibition at the same café where my snotty photojournalist friend goes every morning. And I bought him some Kleenex for his nose.

I don't know if this is my "best" still life, but symbolizes the kind of still life I enjoy making.


Best,

Christopher

Title:Poivron surexcité (Over-excited pepper) ©1999-2006
Fortepan 400, 4x5. Ektar 203mm. Pyro.

.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Very sexy, indeed Christopher!

[Christopher Nisperos]

Very sexy, indeed Christopher!

Thanks kindly, Andrew. Funny thing is, eventhough I've been doing nudes for many years, it wasn't until I began photographing vegetables that I was accused of being a "sex maniac", or having a "dirty mind", etc. I get a laugh out of this and usually respond with, "Gosh... you know, afterall ... it's just a pepper!" —or— "Do you eat your vegetables while being blind-folded?" —or— "You'd really freak-out if you saw my photographs of naked humans!" —or— "...then you'd better stay out of the produce department 'cause it's a veritable orgy! —or— "Listen, I won't charge you for the Rorshock test, but .. maybe you ought to see a real psychologist!" —or— "You've got the wrong idea .. this is a tender portrait of a mutant ex-girlfriend".

Sorry. Narrow-mindedness brings out the "wise-guy" in me!

Best,

Christopher


.

[Jonathan Brewer]

'then you'd better stay out of the produce department 'cause it's a veritable orgy!'...............................If you've been getting plenty of sex, you can really sit back and appreciate the artistic nuance that went into a bellpepper or nude without being miserable, of course if you haven't been getting your share, a tree can look like it's got a nice behind on it.

Wonder what they were thinking when they named that Chinese fruit a Kumquat.

[Jim Rice]

Okay, I knew what snookems meant. As for the pepper, I have no comment.

[Capocheny]

Okay, I knew what snookems meant. As for the pepper, I have no comment.

Hi Jim,

LOL... Is that what your other half calls you??? :)

As for the peppers... I'm with you! I don't have any comments either... :)

Cheers

[Mark Sawyer]

I prefer carrots to peppers...

[darr]

Great shots Mark!! Where are earth did you find a prickly heart?

[Kirk Keyes]

I take it that that VW is now a piece of history? :)

It's still around - dad just had it towed to one of the few Type 2 and 3 VW mechanics around to get the analog fuel injection computer replaced.

[Mark Sawyer]

Nice shot Chris. Do you have more like it?

steve simmons

Recent images such as Chris' and Darr's considered, perhaps View Camera should consider publishing images of nautilus shells by a variety of current and historical photographers. It's one of the universal touchstones we seem to return to to test ourselves...

[Mark Sawyer]

Great shots Mark!! Where are earth did you find a prickly heart?

They grow all around Tucson, Darr. You just have to cut them up and put them together. I was picking thorns from my fingers for a few days afterwards. Oh, how we suffer for our art... ;)

[Jan_6568]

Great photos! Here is some of my favourite series. Both taken with 135 Zeiss Tessar on 9x12 Certo Sport, lithprinted.

Mark, are you in Tucson?

cheers,

Jan

[Mark Sawyer]

Hi, Jan!

Yes, I'm in Tucson, just northwest of the University. I noticed in another thread that you've been building your own lenses. I've been doing the same, (appropriate still-life attached). Maybe we should start an "images from home-made lens" thread...

~ Mark

[Alex Hollmann]

Quinces taken with 240 G-Claron on an Eastman 2D, 8X10. Illuminated with Home Depot work lights.

[Jan_6568]

Hi, Jan!
I noticed in another thread that you've been building your own lenses. I've been doing the same, (appropriate still-life attached). Maybe we should start an "images from home-made lens" thread...

~ Mark

Mark,
Sounds like a great idea. I really like your image. I am courions how many of us are building own lenses and why. For me it would be a bit too early - I just received the barrel but incomplete and at the moment I have only 90 cm lens without an iris.

BTW - I sent you a PM

cheers,

Jan

[Christopher Nisperos]

'then you'd better stay out of the produce department 'cause it's a veritable orgy!'...............................If you've been getting plenty of sex, you can really sit back and appreciate the artistic nuance that went into a bellpepper or nude without being miserable, of course if you haven't been getting your share, a tree can look like it's got a nice behind on it.

Wonder what they were thinking when they named that Chinese fruit a Kumquat.

Jonathan, don't get me started with the vulgar "knot-hole" jokes! Let's keep this forum on the high road, shall we? Ahem. (said a hypocritical Christopher). However, while I'm thinking of it, I did used to have a girlfriend with skin like a bark... or am I just imagining that? hmm

But seriously, it's not that the prudish comments I got from my "Sexy Vegetable" series came necessarily from sex-starved people. They're French, for crying-out-loud!
But it perhaps exposes an interesting chasm between the American and French cultures: that of the appreciation of photography as something other than real (read, "abstract"). I'm speaking mostly about the French public-at-large (as opposed to photographers), but I have met quite a few photojournalistists who also seem to be confused about this question. The idea of the print as an object, in and of itself, seems to have trouble sinking into the French psyche (IMHO). They seem to see only content —or, to be fair .. content first and foremost.

For example, an art-savvy, upper-middle class Frenchman can stand next to me at the Musée d'Orsay and explain —for over ten minutes— every nuance of a van Gogh painting, but the very first thing he might say when he sees a Weston print is, "What is it?" (this actually happened). I mean, what the heck is a Weston pepper about, anyway? Is it about being a pepper?
When I try to explain that, "no.. this is a picture. Like an abstract painting, you can imagine whatever you'd like", I get laughter. "Afterall, Christopher, you would not apply this logic to a Cartier-Bresson photograph, would you?" Grrrrrrr .. yes I would!

The irony is that photography's great gift of being able to re-present reality in a super-real way, seems to prevent some people from being able to appreciate that very gift. These people need to understand that a picture of a flower is a picture, not a flower. And a picture of a carrot .... um, is not edible!

Gotta go. I saw a hot tree trunk I'm gonna shoot for Playboy.

Best,

Christopher

.

[Christopher Nisperos]

Quinces taken with 240 G-Claron on an Eastman 2D, 8X10. Illuminated with Home Depot work lights.

Wow. Nice work. Curious to know if you've tried making this image in warmtome? Seems to scream for it!

[Christopher Nisperos]

I prefer carrots to peppers...

Mark . . . any subject which doesn't require payment, which holds still when you want it too, and which you can EAT after photographing .. is a good subject.. carrot or pepper!

Great shots!

Best,

Christopher

.

[Alex Hollmann]

Wow. Nice work. Curious to know if you've tried making this image in warmtome? Seems to scream for it!

Dear Christopher
Thanks for your interest in the quinces - here's a slightly warmed up version, but only courtesy of Photoshop, I'm afraid. My printed version is on Azo paper developed in Agfa Neutol, and so is also on the colder side. I might try it on some Bergger warm tone paper.

Alex

[Jan_6568]

My printed version is on Azo paper developed in Agfa Neutol, and so is also on the colder side. I might try it on some Bergger warm tone paper.


Alex,
Azo, at least developed with amidol, gives very nice warm tone when toned with Nelson gold toner.

Jan

[Alex Hollmann]

Continuing the thread, esp. Christopher's sub-thread about fruit and veg and sex, here's my homage to Weston with a Turk's turban squash, taken last night. As with the quinces on my previous post, lighting is courtesy of Home Depot and bits of cardboard, negative is 8X10, lens 240mm G-Claron. This is a rough and ready scan from the neg., stitched together from three pieces.

[Alex Hollmann]

Alex,
Azo, at least developed with amidol, gives very nice warm tone when toned with Nelson gold toner.

Jan

Jan,
Yes, I use amidol when I can afford it - as my Polish friend would say, "Strashne!". I love your series of twigs and buds on your webpage.
Alex

[Jonathan Brewer]

'Continuing the thread, esp. Christopher's sub-thread about fruit and veg and sex, here's my homage to Weston with a Turk's turban squash, taken last night.'........

..........Fabulous shot......Looks like it was a bulldog in a previous life.......I luv it.

[Christopher Nisperos]

Dear Christopher
Thanks for your interest in the quinces - here's a slightly warmed up version, but only courtesy of Photoshop, I'm afraid. My printed version is on Azo paper developed in Agfa Neutol, and so is also on the colder side. I might try it on some Bergger warm tone paper.

Alex

...even more beautiful. Congrats. When you finally get to making a fiber-based version, why don't you send it to me so I can check it out closer? I'm not sure if I'll be able to scrape up return postage, though ....

[Jan_6568]

Jan,
Yes, I use amidol when I can afford it - as my Polish friend would say, "Strashne!". I love your series of twigs and buds on your webpage.
Alex

Alex,
thank you for warm words. Your sqush is wonderfull.
BTW, it is so funny to see Polish words spelled this way :)))

cheers,

Jan