The
photographer, Elliott Erwitt once wrote, “To me, photography is
an art of observation. It's about finding something interesting in an ordinary
place... I've found it has little to do with the things you see and everything
to do with the way you see them.”
Every now
and then in order to sharpen my creative skills, I like to create some still
life photographs. Some of these images I
plan and others sometimes just present themselves within the confines of my
kitchen. Like the painter you control
the subject matter, composition and lighting.
It is probably the easiest way of exploring composition and lighting
within an area you control. You do not need expensive lights or a studio to
produce this type of photography. Your
lighting equipment can be as simple as window lighting to a small portable LED
light. Your staging area can be the
kitchen counter to a small table placed by a window. Some black and white poster sheets purchased
from a craft store can provide simple backdrops. A piece of poster board covered with aluminum
foil can be used to help light and open up shadows. The rest is up to your imagination –or maybe
just the ability to see the items that occupy your every day environment.
