Week 41 - 2015 in Photographs

Day 287

I joined a new photographic group on FaceBook focused in minimalism. And that really has nothing to do with this week on the surface. Only one, maybe two of these photos fit into the minimalist definition. But trying to define it for myself had me looking at the world my lens extracted very differently. Up to this week I have tried to extract from photos already taken those that would fit. This week I went looking for it.

I thought the reflections of mirrors in mirrors would work because repetition is often key in abstract minimalist photography but there is too much randomness in Day 287.

Day 286

And you often see what I would term macro photography on the posts in this new group. But not enough extra totally blank space in my bee and thistle photograph.

Day 285

There is certainly an abstractness in these two landscapes. I like the lines in both but the baler in Day 285 gets closer to minimalist. I like it as a photograph. And to be totally honest I am not sure I like all examples of minimalism in photography. I know I do not like it in painting. One of the extreme examples of it in painting are huge canvases just painted white or solid black. Which always illicits from me the question, "Why?"

Day 284

I think I nailed it in Day 283 but was told it would be more minimalist if there was no reflection in the window but sky; with no clouds. And I agree it is more minimalist in black and white.

Day 283

Minimalism is forced. I do not often find it comfortable though supposedly simplification of a subject should give the eye rest and the mind calm. Searching for minimalism has me looking more at my backgrounds and framing of subjects. Yes, It would be easier to pick and empty room and put one small subject, say a mushroom, against a blank wall. Frame the photograph with lots of the blank wall and then crop with the mushroom alone in one corner. I think we are back to that WHY?

But in the photograph below of a sculpture in situ the search for minimalism had me looking to simplify the background with adjusting depth of focus.

Day 282

And I did a real up close and person of this leaf with focus on the drops of water. Of all the photos I could have taken of this plant it is the most minimal. But frankly it lacks the starkness I have come to associate with the art form.

Day 281

Still while it remains largely elusive the search for that quality is not without its benefits because it has broadened my definition of a photograph.

Jackalope Still Life Photos

Water Jugs

Arranged with a friend to meet her in Santa Fe so we could do Bandelier National Monument the next day. It sounded like a wonderful opportunity. But what turned out to be the best photographic challenge was the Jackalope Pottery store right next to the hotel where we stayed. I have featured these in my 365 Day challenge. But their popularity on Binford-Bell Studio Fan Page has been unexpected.

As I said in my last 365 Day Challenge blog here I love textures and patterns. Jackalope Pottery offered plenty of both. And after my concentration on still life photography in my studio I saw the immediate opportunity around every corner at this retail store.

Skull and Pottery

 The arrangement of a still life was basically in the post processing with these photos. There were electrical cords and price stickers that had to be removed with editing software. In fact I did not even consider the above photo for a while because of two electric cords and two stickers on the fountains and a hanging tag on the skull. Just seemed a bit much. In t he end I decided if nothing else it was great practice.

Exotic Window Grilles

Pottery Patterns

 The above picture had the most price stickers to be cloned out. Almost every terracotta jug had a white sticker. And there were almost as many in the Cross and Grills photo below. So many in fact I actually missed two. They are still in the photo. Can you find them?

Cross and Grilles

More pots

 The photograph above and the one below I could not resist playing with after I removed the price stickers. It is one of my favorite post processing treatments in my photo editing program. Beyond removal of stickers and unwanted objects none of my other Jackalope Still Life studies was post processed. The artistic enamel effect, however, seemed to really punch these two up.

Terracotta planters

 But accents in Blue and White was almost perfect as taken. It needed only a slight crop and the removal of a couple price stickers. I really am getting very good at that by now. Lesson learned: Do not pass up a photo because of something small but annoying.

Accents in blue and white

Photographers do develop favorite haunts. Followers of my work will know I have a couple ponds I return to again and again for their reflections. And some favorite trees which because of their placement or individual artistry I capture in all their season. Then there are the green house windows dripping with moisture distorting the flowers inside. No doubt I will go back to Bandelier. But odds have it I will be back at Jackalope before that.

I know I have not mined all the possibilities. Nor are all the photos I took there represented in this blog.