real-life still life: a quiet corner

I guess I'm just
looking for
a little
peace and calm.

Who'd a thought

I'd find it

in

my kitchen cupboard?

***

After several attempts

at capturing

a still life photograph

amongst my everyday

surroundings...

I
'discovered'
this scene.

Kinda feels
a bit
Vermeer-esque,
with its
interior shadowy
moody
everyday
unstaged
wabi-sabi
feel.

BTW
as much time as we spent
in art school
studying
the paintings
of
Johannes Vermeer
...
it was never enough
for me.

I hadn't really
thought of
Vermeer
in years
...
until I
captured
these bowls
in my
cupboard.

original photo SOOC
With a little bit of work
- or should I say
'play' -
I watched
something
almost magical
emerge
from humble
beginnings.

With
eye and heart,
camera and computer
...

I saw something.

***

Notes:
CAMERA

My camera
has an ISO capability of
up to
25,600,
but I still
crouch safely
near the bottom
of the scale,
ever cautious of
film grain.
ISO 3200 
is perilously high for me.

LIGHTROOM
I played in the Develop module
before trying out
several presets.
I finally settled on
Kim's
kk_darkday preset,
wanting to draw attention
to the amazing 
shadowplay.

I'm also following along in Kim's
31 Days of Lightroom class,
applying her lessons
to my workflow
process.

PHOTOSHOP
There was enough
dark to make one of
Kim's 'magic' textures work;
and a soft light touch
of texture gave it
a 'painterly' feel.

***

I promised Lillian I would

post these

'unposed' still life shots of her

with her new favorite pillow...

...my camera bag.

***

Linking up with

Be Still 52 (Weeks 14 & 15)

Texture Tuesday

unstaged

An 'unstaged' still life

for

Be Still 52

Week 12

 Not what I had

originally planned,

but

more in keeping

with the theme

I think.

So...

I came home Sunday

after an enjoyable photoshoot

at the antique mall,

where I figured

I'd find plenty of

subject matter

suitable for an

'unstaged' still life

(a term

which I thought to be

delightfully

contradictory!)

I did manage to

gather several

possibilities.

Then,

as I sat at the kitchen table

and chatted

with my daughter Erin

about this and that,

Lillian stepped in

and

changed my plans

altogether.

She patiently

obliged

as we

gleefully snapped

one photo after another

with our cellphone cameras. 

So much for my plans

to upload, choose

and edit

the antique mall shots.

***

Monday morning

I woke up

with a new

idea

and

a simple plan.

original photo SOOC

Notes:

CAMERA

A chance to play with

my new lens

and

flash,

striving for

optimum light,

fast shutter speed,

lower ISO,

without a tripod.

And 'tack sharp' detail

of course.

LIGHTROOM

lens correction

straighten and crop

basic edits:

Then I auditioned several of Kim's presets

before settling on

kk_walnut preset

+

my own split tone adjustment

PHOTOSHOP

I auditioned a few different textures

and several blend modes

before deciding on

Kim's new

kk_quiet

 ***

Linking up with

Be Still 52

Texture Tuesday

zen seeing part 2

I so enjoyed the
seeing/drawing/photographing process

a couple weeks ago,

I thought I'd

revisit it.

It was pure delight

creating these images

...

from conception

(seeing these amazing dandelions

at the side of the road)

thru composing,

studying,

drawing,

photographing,

to post-processing.

Photography, like drawing, can be a

Right Brain activity;

but it starts with
seeing
- really seeing -  

Check out Kim Manley Ort's post on
photography, drawing, and seeing.
Thank you Kim for
your amazing
blog!

"drawing...the intensifier of firsthand seeing,

as a catalyst of awareness

that makes us independent of our serfdom

to technology."

Frederick Frank

Zen Seeing, Zen Drawing

These few
still quiet hours
with my camera
my pencil and paper
and my computer
- or paintbrush or pliers or needle & thread -
...

this is my idea of

a perfect
Be Still Day
(even if it is only a few hours).

Lillian seems to enjoy it too.

She reminds me to be curious...

...and try new things.

Notes:

LIGHTROOM

Recipe:

Scott Kelby's

B&W conversion

from his Lightroom 4 book

then

boost Clarity and Vibrance

plus my own

Subtle Sepia Split Tone

PHOTOSHOP

textured with two layers of

kk_pinitonly4

Soft Light 28%

Vivid Light 15%

***

"I created beauty to declare the existence of My holy Being....to proclaim My Presence in the world. Most people rush past these proclamations without giving them a second thought...Even before you knew Me personally, you responded to My creation with wonder. This is a gift, and it carries responsibility with it. Declare My glorious Being to the world."

excerpt from
July 30 reading

from

Jesus Calling

by

Sarah Young

***

Linking up with

Friday Finds

Be Still 52

(Week 11)

Texture Tuesday

Adventures in Seeing