For this photoshoot I tried a few different techniques, for example I used plain backgrounds, textured backgrounds (using a cloth or cardboard), different exposure levels and lighting. However, all these photos where taken using a top down camera setup. I used common basic tools without context behind them because the photos are meant to show only the object, which are designed for functionality, not for form. The concept of ‘form follows function’ can make the object beautiful in a sense as they ae not trying to be anything else. This is why Walker Evans kept the photos very basic just like the tools he was taking photos of.

Here, 4 images of common tools are laid out over a sheet (the top image is unedited). The camera settings where all the same (f/10, exposure time 1/40, iso-100). I used a low iso so the images will be more crisp. For the editing process, I created a present and used that for all the images:

These where taken using the same setup just with a different background. The editing was using the same present as the ones above. The top images is unedited and has a purple hue due to the lighting used. I prefer more yellow and orange hues for images trying to show a nostalgic effect so I just bumped up the temperature.

Here are some of the images from the photoshoot in B/W. Walker Evans took his photos in B/W because it was still normal to have B/W photos. B/W photos also means that colour will not almost distract the image for what it is, making it seem raw and pure. It also amplifies negative space (parts of image without subject), giving a more dramatic image.

Here is an image of multiple tools placed randomly, for the editing:

Photos consist of formal and visual elements, without these there would be no photo. Its like having a sentence without gramma, it would be impossible. Examples of formal/ visual elements include:

• Light – e.g. areas of brightness?
• Line – do objects in the image act as lines? Lines can guide the viewer through your shot or to a specific focal point. These are known as leading lines. Lines don’t need to be straight either, they can be curved, angular, ext. Angular lines that converge into a central point, commonly known as a vanishing point, are often used to add perspective to an image.
• Repetition – this could be done to create a larger emotion on the viewer
• Shapes – organic/geometric shapes. Circles for example are often used to create a feeling of balance and harmony.
• Space – is there depth to the photo or shallow, is there negative space? A positive space is the part with the subject in.
• texture – how do the objects feel? Texture is often used to bring a feeling of realness. A picture with little texture can often look too flat.
• Value/tone – Is there a range of tones? are they balanced?
• Colour – saturated, black and white, ext. Can heavily effect mood.
• Composition – how have elements in picture been arranged

Photo Literacy:

Its the language of the image. People have an ability to ‘read’ a photograph, to analyse its form and meanings. For example, an image taken with certain camera lenses or angle, ext can portray different time periods of photography. People admire different things in photos so not every photo will impact 2 different people in the same way.

Formalism examples:

Formalist photos are where The Design, Composition and Lighting are dominant over Subject Matter:

Walker Evans

Walker Evans began to photograph in the late 1920s, making snapshots during a European trip and published his first images in NY 1930s. The photographs of Walker Evans told the story of American working-class life with an exacting frankness that was truly revolutionary for its time. His iconic portrait of Allie Mae Burroughs – a farmer’s wife, and mother of four – whose unforgettable eyes seem to stare right through us – is one of the most firmly embedded images in American consciousness. Beauties of the common tool was another famous piece of work that he published in 1955 and tries to capture the good, clear, ‘undesigned’ forms.

This B/W image of a wrench has hard shadows and soft highlights. There is a very basic background elements so your eyes are drawn into the only object in the scene. The roughness on the surface with geometric shapes makes it feel heavy duty and useful.

Darren Harvey-Regan

Darren Harvey-Regan (born in 1974) was greatly influenced by Walker Evans where they paid large amounts of attention to the choice of objects used, how they are arranged, the lighting and exposure values. This allowed both of them to create striking images that portray different feelings. His work often sees a hybridisation of the conventions of photography and sculpture. His works challenge the viewer to distinguish where representation ends and the object begins. Here are some photos from his album Beauties of the Common Tool, Rephrased II, 2013 which is inspired by the origional:

with modern camera and lighting systems this image was able to eliminate all background elements leaving the object on a plain white background. These images also differ as it combines two common tools. Its done in a way to make it seem like the objects belong together.

Here are most of the photos I took over 2 different photoshoots. I used multiple different camera setups, some with a top down view using multiple lighting set ups, others using an infinity curve with soft box lighting and some with the camera placed straight on with a powerful flashlight to capture striking shadows (requires a high shutter speeds to keep exposure levels at a normal amount). I took a few photos with a single subject with no background noise to make the subject more important, other photos have multiple images to create a chaotic and unorganised look, as if it wasn’t placed there on purpose.

Here are 5 unique images that where taken in different ways, using different angles, lighting and object setups. Keeping with the theme of nostalgia, I used objects that are from the past like the old violin, flower holder, books, old packaging, tower of pisa, ext. These objects all have a nostalgic effect on me due to there old, worn appearance. I kept the subjects in the centre of the frame to make them more important. For the camera settings, I used manual focus and exposure, so I can adjust the image to how I like it.

Editing and best images

For this Image I only really changed the colour grading to be more yellow for the shadows and added a vignette, I also slightly increased the contrast. Old camera photos where often very yellow because Photo paper and chemicals deteriorate over time and change their properties. The strong shadows makes it seem like it was taken in a dark room (it was). The violin is almost fully in frame, in the centre of the frame, making it the main subject and the most important one.

For this one I used the same camera setup and editing settings, but just adjusted the placement of objects. A flash light was used for these images (requires a fast shutter and small aperture) to increase the contrast.

For this one I did a similar thing to the one above (increasing the yellow in the shadows) and bumped the exposure up (+30). I also added some grain in adobe light room too replicate pictures taken a while ago with worse camera quality.

I used a top down camera setup and placed the pencils to point at the chapter, leading the eyes to the text. I edited it similarly again, but with a more dramatic vignette. Continuous lighting with 3 different angles to reduce the shadow intensity. There is a slight over exposure so to combat that I reduced the exposure and contrast In editing.

Here I added the B/W editing pre-set to these to images and bumped up the exposure for more dramatic lighting. For the top image, I changed the camera settings to have a low f-stop (aperture) So the hammer will be out of focus. This gives for a more dramatic image, as it appears less flat. I tried to make the bottom image almost have a comedic effect as the box is like a mouth eating a violin 💀.

Here, I analysed a photo by Richard Kuiper. The main thing I picked up from this image is how many of the objects point towards the skull, the most prominent object in the scene. It almost leads the eye towards the main subject, giving it a more powerful feel.

Below is a plan to help with my image analysis:

Here I test the effects of changing the shutter and aperture of the camera simulator on exposure and motion blur. For this text I kept the ISO at 1600 as a control. Also Increasing the ISO too much can effect the noise of the image.

High aperture (f-22) with normal shutter speed (1/60) – underexposed:

Low aperture (f-2) with normal shutter speed (1/60) – overexposed

Notice how the background is blurred because the aperture is large (low f stop) meaning lots of light can enter the sensor, but its less focused.

Medium aperture (f-9.5) with medium shutter speed (1/60) – good exposure

Medium aperture (f-9.5) with a low shutter speed (1/8) – overexposed

Medium aperture (f-9.5) with a high shutter speed (1/1500) -underexposed

Notice how the propeller how little motion blur, that is because the sensor is only open for a short amount of time. This means it captures less light but fast moving object will have less motion blur.

What is still life?

• Still life is a work of art that shows inanimate objects from the natural or man-made world. This typically including fruit and flowers and objects contrasting with others textures, such as bowls and glassware.​
• It became a widely accepted art form in the early 16th century to symbolise religion and morality.​
• During the slave trade when colonialism was at its peak, northern European and Dutch artists travelled to these countries where they have exotic and lavish objects like new fruits and colourful vases ext. These where placed into paintings to represent wealth and power.​
• As photography started being used more, it was inevitable that still life would move over to photography.

Examples of still life photography –

American photographer (born in 1949) Paulette Tavormina is famous for her 17th century inspired still life photography, similar to Giovanna Garzoni and Maria Sibylla Merian paintings. She lives and works in the chaotic city of New York, yet manages to capture stillness in her work. Her arrangements often recall the sumptuous detail of seventeenth century Old Master still life painters and serve as intensely personal interpretations of timeless, universal stories.

 Mat Collishaw’s Last Meal on Death Row series uses old techniques combined with modern aged ideas. Each meal is actually a meal people on death row have had as a last meal. This creates a melancholy effect mix with the eerie stillness of the image.

A collection of famous still life paintings:

“A basket of fruit” by Caravaggio – painting

“Living Still Life” by Salvador Dali

Timeline of still life photography

• 1839 – the first photo was taken and it was convenient to have still objects in images so it was inevitable that the still life movement from paintings will move over to photos.
• A few decades later… – modernist still life became popular and it tries to capture a sense of rejecting the past and using unconventional methods.
• mid 20th century – modernist still life was still popular but more simplistic images where becoming popular. For example the Man Ray’s dead leaf was very simplistic with only one object in the scene.
• now – photographers are continuing the work of Man Ray, while exploring other ideas like truth and illusions (e.g. Sharon Core) or eeriness with Mat Collishaw.
• the future? – AI like dall-e 2 is likely to compare with real still life photography and could be used to help create new movements in the still life genre.

Symbolism in still life

• Exotic fruit – used to symbolise wealth
• Normal fruit – fertility
• Skulls – the Certainty of mortality
• Candles – the passing of time
• Flowers – growth and life
• Musical instruments – Beauty And Transience
• Dead animals – Contradiction and the hunt
• Sliver/gold – luxury in still life

What is vanitas?

a still-life painting of a 17th-century Dutch genre containing symbols of death or change as a reminder of their inevitability. It often uses skulls, dead plants and an overall messy collection of objects:

What is Memento Mori?

an object kept as a reminder of the inevitability of death, such as a skull.