Photography 101

Centre of Communication and Design

Week 4
– Still Life Photography

Centre of Communication and Design

 What is a still life?

Not living objects

Often boring day to day things
Still: not moving

Genre: from painting to photography

Symbols and ideas in objects

RMIT University© 3
RMIT International University Vietnam
20/02/2023
Still life in the 16-17th century

Juan Sánchez Cotán, Still-Life with Game Fowl, between 1600 and 1603 4
 Still life beauty

Jacob Vosmaer, A Vase with Flowers,

probably 1613

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Still life and symbols

Pieter Claesz, Still Life with a Skull and a Writing Quilll, 1628 6
 Flowers

Vincent van Gogh, Sunflowers, 1888

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Food

Kasamatsu Shiro: Flounder — Karei, 1957 – Japanese Ukio-e techniques 8

 What makes shooting still lifes a great
photography practice?

• Time (no hurry)

• Practice composition
• Learn to be careful with framing
• Practice using light, exposure etc

• creativity

20/02/2023 Example Presentation 9

Examples

Example Presentation 20/02/2023 10

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Equipment, lighting, tips
• Window side light
• Reflectors
• Tripod
• Long lenses or wide open lenses are great but really
just use what you have at hand.
• Plan a bit ahead
• Chose backgrounds carefully

Example Presentation 20/02/2023 16

Chris Jordan, From series Midway: Message from the Gyre, 2009 to present
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Chris Jordan, Crushed cars #2, Tacoma 2004
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Hong Hao, « My Things No.5 », 2002
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Hong Hao, « My Things No.7 », 2002 20
Hong Hao, « Bottom No.3 », 2009
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Chen Wei, Palm, 2012
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Chen Wei,
Volleyballs, 2015
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Chen Wei,
A Chair and Four 100-watt Bulbs, 2010 24
Chen Wei,
Balls, 2013

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Véronique Ellena,
From Still Lifes, Rome, 2008 26
Véronique Ellena,
From Still Lifes, Rome, 2008
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Robert Mapplethorpe,
Flowers, 1980s

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Robert Mapplethorpe,
Flowers, 1980s

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Robert Mapplethorpe,
Flowers, 1980s
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Robert Mapplethorpe,
Flowers, 1980s

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Robert Mapplethorpe,
Flowers, 1980s

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Shooting Activity
• Create your own still life

Example Presentation 20/02/2023 33

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