STILL LIFE
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A BAG OF WAKE-UP
Candlelight
Although being fun to be able to make an arrangement like this, I'm thankful to be able to go to the store and be able to purchase such an amazing variety.
Candlelight4110fruitcandlewine bottlestill lifeRod Neil Thomaskeyreflectionsreflected lightdarkpewter bowldrapeswooden table
A Bowl Of Fruit
Renaisssance
In developing this still life my first step was of course creating the still life to begin with. My lighting was dramatic and it looked very polished from a pure photogrphers viewpoint. But then, came (To me anyway) the more expressive and artistic look that can be developed with textures. Perhaps I just find it a little more interesting myself and less boring. I appreciate both styles and tomorrow, well, who knows. . . . .
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COUNTRY LIVIING
Still Life in a rustic setting by window light.
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Nature's Gift
Still Life illumined by window light.
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PERCEPTIONS EMBRACE
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Peonies In Bloom
Grandmother's Dresser
When I was much younger, times were simpler in many ways. My Grandmother’s house was a good example. Although there wasn’t indoor plumbing, the interior reflected the beautiful and kind woman my Grandmother was.
Grandmother's Kitchen
I think as a young boy, holidays were always a fun event. My family would all crowd into the car with the trunk full of mother’s unbelievable cooking and head to Grandmother’s house with all my many cousins, aunts, and uncles. It was a rather large gathering and so much food, as all the cooks brought their own delectable specialties. There was always so much fun and laughing as many of us have experienced at family gatherings. Looking back, they were special times and remain as cherished memories of a time past.
Grandmother'sKitchenfruitcherriesglasscreamerbasketdoilystill lifepainterlyrod neil thomas
Daylilies In Teapot
To get this painterly effect, textures are overplayed on layers and adjusted in Photoshop. It's a pretty much unlimited approach for photographers to express themselves with brush like effects.
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To Pause And To Ponder
A Kiss Of Life
To Pause And To Ponder On Life And It’s Gifts
To Pause And To Ponder On On Joys Such As This
Life Is Said To Be But A Dream
And So I Sleep Embracing Only The Joy
The Joy In The Dream
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Books & Bell
School days, with me, I think it was more like school daze! :)
Although it’s been a long time and no, it wasn’t a log cabin.
It was a time for taking in knowledge as much as learning to interreact with others. I was a tall bean pole at an early age and for some reason the kids that were older than me used me for a punching bag far to often. Although I was athletic I didn’t stand much of a chance against them. But. . . in art class I befriended an upper classmate that admired my artwork and I helped him with his. As it turns out he was feared by pretty much all those we call bullys. I remember seeing someone wanting to test their bravado out on him one day. It made such an impression on me that to this day I still remember it in awe. Neil’s face was badly scarred from acne but he had a heart of gold. And he had an unbelievable ability for taking a punch. Well, the bully hit Neil right in the face and Neil didn’t move, the kid hit him again, and Neil flinched a little and then gave him a punch in return which layed him flat out. Latter, it became known that Neil and I were friends and that he wouldn’t tolerate older kids beating on me. You can never underestimate the value of a good friend!
TEA
Nothing quite like a spot of tea with friends.
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The Softness Of A Spring Morning
I love garening and spent many years building one complete with waterfalls and beautiful green shrubs and flowers with constant visits by hundreds of birds and other wildlife. Not a small feat in the high desert of New Mexico. But constantly enjoyed and appreciated by my wife and I. In regards to the flower aspect of the garden, I have been trying to grow peonies for many years and have finally had a breakthrough with my (one bush) outside the bedroom window. :) Wow!
I have held memories since a young boy of many a journey to the rivers edge imitating the adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. And on my way to these adventures passing through the neighborhoods with many a home surrounded by peonies. I have held the fragrance in mind and soul for my entire life. Funny isin’t it, how such things effect and shape our existance and our foundations in life! Perhaps you have had similar experiences?TheSoftnessSpringMorning0865sighatbowflowerspeoniesvasecupteaflower petalspetalsdoily
Seclusion
During such times as these, when we are spending our time in seclusion, wouldn't it be nice if we could be in a cabin in a wooded area? Very quiet except for the sounds of a babbling brook and the birds singing sweetly.
This is my third composition using a mirror in the background and the creative process flowed quickly (relative speaking) after some head scratching and finally figuring out some of the technical difficulties involving the previous two. With the mirror involved, I realized that I was actually working with two compositions at once. A real challenge for me, which I enjoy!still lifebooksgobbletknifeapplefruitnutswatchlampcandlemirrorreflectionsglasseskeyplatepewterwindow light
Food For Naught
I’m not sure why, but my friends quite coming over for dinner. Maybe I should get some barbecue sauce.
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Mental Medicine
Grapes and Lantern
I’m just getting back into doing still life projects after taking some time off of it for awhile with gardening and health issues. This is a simple composition to get me started. I have used the rule of thirds as you can see and incorporated a triangular setup. If I hadn’t placed the brightly lit apple in the foreground the lantern and vase would have dominated I feel, and the eye would have gone out of the arrangement. I shot this at a 45 degree angle and used a 24mm lens setting to get the visual effect.
I used Topaz Impressions, Nik, and Photoshop in the creative process.grapeslanternappleplatesilver platevasepainterlytopaztopaz impressions
A Morning In Light
I perhaps played around in the software a bit too long here, but hey, sometimes you just don’t know when to stop, right?
Topaz Impressions.still lifegold potbouquetfruitapricottplumflowersplumbago flowerstexturetopaz impressions
Apples For Sale
Sunflowers In Blue Jug
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Arabian Nights
This was developed using a somewhat fast and loose approach using Topaz Impressions and Photoshop layers with a dash of Nik software.
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A Source Of Light
Saying good-by to summer in a salute to my garden dahlias! Although each day touches us as we brush up against it, with no thought and no expectations, an inner focus opens, to even more beauty. . . .
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Oasis
A romanticized still life of what it might have been like in an Oasis.
Oasiswater potislamic water potvintage water potchestfruitapplesnutsbrass vasefeatherspecock feathersscarftextureromanticpainterlyrod neil thomas
Pyracantha
Beautiful fall pyracantha berries. The robins seem to love them, the stems have the finest long sharp thorns I have ever felt. :)
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Fence Posts
While taking a morning walk I noticed these pods growing on the trees and thought they might make an interesting still life. I used natural window light here with a poster board as a reflector to help lighten the shadows. I first isolated the composition by placing a large white poster board behind my arrangement, being careful not to bump my camera and tripod or the compostion itself. I used photoshop for this and combined it with a mask done in Topaz. As usual, I used Topaz Impressions, Photoshop, and Nik to achieve the results.
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Whispers Of Eternity
Still Life Of Dahlias In Vase These were grown in my garden and some of my favorites from this past summer.
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Gord_Pitcher And Shell
Sometimes when composing a still life I go off in a totaly different direction for a few minutes doing something that I normaly would not do and then get back to my main project. Later, I sometimes discover that my playing around, non-serious, composition, might have some possibilites and take it into some of my software programs, again, not serious, but curious. I process things like that initally for possibilites and in a very hurriedly fashion. So much so, that on occasion I have tried to duplicate my process exactly and could not. This image is one of those, and for me a pleasent surprise.
A Cup Of Fower
Originally the table top was black, but I decided to change it to blue to help balance out the warmth of the dahlia flower and the pocket watch.
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Ephemeral
Perceived beauty fades . . . it’s essecence eternal . . .
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Fruit Still Life II
In creating this I first created a mask using Topaz Remask 5. From there I used my various modified filters in Topaz Impressions. With the mask I am able to use various degrees of opacity in layers using Photoshop. I used Nik software in the same way, as this is my general work flow.
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A Cup Of Flower
One of my garden dahlias.
Cupflowerfleurdahliacup saucerno peoplestill liferod neil thomasbokehromanticmacro
Three's Company
Three’s company, but that might not be a bad thing with the fork standing in front of them. The value of indepence looks to be a good thing. :)
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