Saturday 25 January 2014

Still Life Photography - Snail mail & "From above"-perspective


 
This weeks promt in Frugal Still Life Photography-course is inspired by our guest teacher Barb Brooksbanks beautiful setting "From Above". I chose to photograph Snail mail - postcards and letters received in envelopes with real stamps. It's a pleasure to receive "an old fashioned" letter ... to open it, to read it first quickly with curiosity - and then, aften a moment, in slow pace, tasting every word, reading between the lines etc. E-mail is a fast and great way to communicate, but there is just something else opening and reading a real letter.
 

To the left: Edited in Pixrl: Layers - To the right: Texture Sepia desaturated by Cheryl McCain
 
I have received this pretty vintage postcard from my cousin and his pretty wife from France. I used twine to bind a bow around the card and two letters. I chose a linen tablecloth, where I sat both "the snail mail" and a vase of tulips. I was standing on a chair to get the "from above"-perspective, trying to hold the camera still (A tripod would be useful in situations like this!) 


Textures: Dive by Kim Klassen & Sepia by Cheryl McCain

Smitten by the vintage postcard, I have edited some of the pictures both to sepia, and black and white photos. I used Pixrl, a photo free editing program, and Cheryl McCains beautiful textures.



In the morning the light best in our kitchen, where I took these pictures. I have used a piece of white cotton cloth as a backdrop, which I fastened with safety pins on a hanger. White cloth reflects the light and and it creates a neutral background. My homemade "reflector" is a piece of white printer paper, that is fastened to a bookcover - you can see it right beside the flowers.

I am looking forward to nest Tuesday, where the next lesson in Frugal Still Life Photography goes online, together with a new promt! Yet ... I need to wait until the weekend, before photographing the promt, since there is not enough natural light, when I come home from work. But, it is worth waiting for - Cheryl's course is very inspiring! I like the frugal principle - Our homes are filled with interesting things to use as motives in photos, we just need to discover them.

Nina
 
 
Sharing with
 
 Texture Tuesday  Sweet Shot Tuesday Texture Twist

16 comments:

  1. What beautiful images you captured, Nina! I really love the perspective and the tones in the first one especially. And I agree - "real" mail is so intriguing.

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  2. Your end products are great - and it's been a pleasure following the process.

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  3. Just gorgeous! I love the florals and postcards and the vintage feel!

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  4. Beautiful and simple. I like your word for 2014 also.

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  5. All three interpretations are gorgeous, and I so agree with your comments about snail mail! I think my favorite shot is the first one. The colors of the flowers are so beautiful and I love the depth of field you chose.

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  6. Nina: Oh, now I see! We both chose a similar subject for this week!! Thank you for the comments on Flikr: that is such a compliment coming from you… One question: what f stop did you use for this? I am curious. Love it, and it's always SO interesting to see the entire set up.
    A bientôt,

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    1. Hi Libby, It's fun indeed that our subjects are so similar :) I needed to check the f stop from the memory card - it's f/ 6.3.

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  7. These are great shots - I like how you tied the postcard with twine to add that texture & interest. I agree, it's so fun to get snail mail!

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  8. Nina...good gravy...I get excited when I see a shadow created on a wall and you create backdrops!!!!...:)JP

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  9. Very elegant photography for WTS ~ beautiful ^_^

    carol, xxx
    www.acreativeharbor.com

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  10. What a lovely post! That top image is stunning! My cousin sends a family newsletter every year at Christmastime and I just can't wait to open it and read some REAL mail! I'm so glad you're enjoying the class and finding things around the home that can make our photography so much fun and interesting!
    http://cherylmccainphotography.com

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  11. Lovely! I love the vintage feel of the image. I am going to have to try the hanger and safety pin trick. Your right, our homes are filled with interesting things to take pictures of, just waiting to be discovered.

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  12. This post is so lovely, photos and words, Nina! Thank you for sharing how you made your reflector and backdrop.

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Thank you so much for taking time to leave a comment! I read and enjoy them all and I'll do my best to to hop on over to your blog for a visit.

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