Vita brevis breviter in brevi finietur,
Mors venit velociter quae neminem veretur,
Omnia mors perimit et nulli miseretur.
In Round 16 of Get Pushed, I was paired with Bart, D_Snapper. After reviewing my photostream, Bart saw that I love photographing people, but there was no still life. Not surprising really. More on that in a moment. Bart challenged me to photograph a purposeful still life, with the stipulation that it had to contain fruit.
Bart had noted that I was first a painter, and then a photographer. I actually earned my BFA in painting and printmaking, and after traveling overseas, I pursued my MFA before putting down my paintbrushes for good. What Bart didn't realize is that like many painters of realism, I taught myself light, form, composition and more through painting still lifes. I studied the works of Chardin, Claesz, Steenwyck, Cezanne, Harnett and Peto. I meticulously set up tableaus and lit them with incadescent clamp lights, sometimes working for days on the composition and light prior to touching a brush to canvas. This is how I learned light, color, composition. This is how I learned to see.
I have not tried to do the same in photography because I have not felt the need. To me, as a painter, a still life is an exercise, a learning tool. Perhaps though, I should do this more often. Solving problems in the viewfinder prior to opening the shutter may help me with my photography.
Momento Morte' is a Latin phrase that translates as "Remember Death." It is a theme prevalent in art, particularly still life painting, from antiquity. These types of still lifes are packed full of metaphor and symbolism. The skull, obviously represents death. The light from behind the drapery is a metaphor for life after death. The egg, the promise of rebirth. Liquor and grapes often represent the bounty and joy of life on Earth. The watch, of course, represents time ticking away. Candles also represent life if lit, death if extinquished. Books often represent knowledge and enlightenment.
Still life painting of this genre were commonly known as vanitas paintings. They were warnings that a person should not be concerned about earthly possessions and wealth. Vanitas paintings were often commissioned and purchased by the wealthy as tangible examples of their awareness that they could not take their wealth with them after death. Ironically, vanitas paintings became objects of desire and a vanitas themselves.
Thank you Bart for reintroducing me to my past for an evening. I may very well, in the future, set up still lifes to photograph. It was an illuminating exercise.
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Strobist: AB1600 with gridded 60X30 softbox camera right. AB800 with gridded HOBD-W camera left. Reflector camera left. AB800 with Softlighter II behind drape. Triggered by Cybersync.
Tags: Momento Morte' Get Pushed! Still Life Dutch Masters Vanitas Life Death Afterlife Metaphor Symbolism Allegory Painting Photography Strobist Composition
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We're Here! : Show us the contents of your bag, purse, wallet and pocket
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Strobist: AB800 with diffused HOBD-W overhead. Triggered by Cybersync.
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Tags: We're Here! Show us the contents of your bag, purse, wallet and pocket HCS Happy Cliche' Saturday! Cliche'
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We're Here! : Pan y Vino / Bread and Wine
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Strobist: AB1600 with gridded 60X30 softbox camera right. AB800 with gridded HOBD-W overhead. AB800 with gridded 7 inch reflector camera left. Triggered by Cybersync.
Tags: We're Here! Pan y Vino Bread and Wine 365 365 Days May 18, 2014 137/365 Grapes of Wrath Still Life Strobist
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We're Here! : Skeletons!
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Strobist: AB800 with gridded HOBD-W overhead. AB1600 with gridded 60X30 softbox camera right. AB800 with gridded 7 inch reflector camera left. Triggered by Cybersync.
Tags: We're Here! Skeletons! Alcohol as Still Life Louisiana Lightning Strobist Moonshine Whiskey Whisky White Lightning Corn Liquor
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We're Here! : Through a Glass, Darkly
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Tags: We're Here! Through a Glass, Darkly Still Life Bloodbath Barbie Barbie
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