(Dutch) Still lifes were a great opportunity to display skill in painting textures and surfaces in great detail and with realistic light effects. Food of all kinds laid out on a table, silver cutlery, intricate patterns and subtle folds in table cloths and flowers all challenged painters.
Several types of subject were recognised: banketje were “banquet pieces”, ontbijtjes simpler “breakfast pieces”. Virtually all still lifes had a moralistic message, usually concerning the brevity of life – this is known as the vanitas theme – implicit even in the absence of an obvious symbol like a skull, or less obvious one such as a half-peeled lemon (like life, sweet in appearance but bitter to taste). Flowers wilt and food decays, and silver is of no use to the soul. — More at Wikipedia
PhotoClub Challenge: Dutch Still Life
Participating site members: Susana Weber, E J Carr, Randall Jay, Kimberly Kradel
Kimberly Kradel
This project was so much fun to do. I’m thinking that at some point when I have a studio again, I may set this up in a corner and work on an ongoing series of this project theme.
@RandallJay I thought at first that yours were collage pieces! I had to really look at them to see they were photographs. I think that says something about your work … something good, but I can’t quite formulate it.
really fun.. shot with iphone looking for more things to shoot. love this style
@ejcarr We all have such definitive looks to our images, yet they all meet the challenge! And yes, I’m going to have to come up with a few PhotoClub projects more like these!
Please do. I have ideas, but it’s your sandbox.
:-)
I’d love to participate but I’m a little lost at the moment… advice please on uploading images… just a few clues will help. Is everything done from the dashboard? Thanks, guys!
@ejcarr Yes, it’s my sandbox, but it’s your community :) Check in with the PhotoClub group, or you can send suggestions via the notification system (if you want to – btw next week’s project is Chairs).
@susanaweber There is detail about this project in PhotoClub group and a link in the sidebar called “Upload Images” which tells you exactly how to edit your images and upload them!
I’d love to hear more comments about the Dutch Still Life Project!
I missed these when I was out of the country. They’re so good. Great work!