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still with life

March 7, 2011 By Kate Inglis

I’m still on this abstract kick. Waiting for spring, maybe. I’ll cop to that. In the meantime, inanimate things around the house speak to me, asking to be turned into something else. Or into an idea, an emotion, stripped of everything else until it becomes movement, colour, singularity.

Today, find something around the house, put it in pretty light, get close, and see what you can make of it. Try thinking beyond things that are already pretty, though this pop-up book comes close. Rather than reaching for a favourite memento or vase of flowers or a bowl of fruit, find a pile of lego or a coil of string or an empty glass bottle. Make it into more than itself, or show me some past moment where photography felt like that: the animation of inanimate things.

Comments

  1. Beth says

    March 7, 2011 at 1:14 pm

    This was a couple of week's ago –

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/14632491@N07/5452020139/in/set-72157625723852448/

    But I think I'll try something abstract again tonight! ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Judith says

    March 7, 2011 at 1:35 pm

    Brilliant!
    And quite a challenge — if not today, tomorrow —

  3. BHJ says

    March 7, 2011 at 1:37 pm

    Oh. Like this.

  4. ccap says

    March 7, 2011 at 1:39 pm

    I've been playing around with a lot of inanimate objects for my weekly word project. Something that's completely new for me. Here are a few of my recent faves:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/betsyblue/5494464628/

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/betsyblue/5417481870/in/set-72157625793872942/

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/betsyblue/5443328852/in/set-72157625637315357/

  5. busymomma66 says

    March 7, 2011 at 2:29 pm

    I've been trying to take 5 minutes to shoot whenever I can, and I stopped by a little wooded area and shot this tree.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/busymomma66/5481253237/in/photostream/

  6. Corinna says

    March 7, 2011 at 2:31 pm

    Still life is not a genre I'm particularly comfortable in, but on days when it's too nasty to go outside I find myself trying to make sense of inanimate objects… though I find that I often still try to give them an animate feeling.

    http://www.birdwannawhistle.com/blog/2011/2/28/shadow-play.html

  7. Diane says

    March 7, 2011 at 3:56 pm

    I love your image Kate. I agree, it gets so boring always seeing photos of flowers and other images that are the 'same old'. This is fresh, vibrant, and full of interest. You've inspired me to go grab my camera and catch some light!

  8. Marcie says

    March 7, 2011 at 4:03 pm

    Oh..you're speaking my language today:
    http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/home/2011/3/6/ganesha.html

  9. Rebecca says

    March 7, 2011 at 4:04 pm

    What a neat image! Inspired me to play around.

    Mine: http://www.flickr.com/photos/trebecca84/5505990957/

  10. Trevellion says

    March 7, 2011 at 4:06 pm

    Here are a couple I took a while ago….can you guess what this is?

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/9970083@N02/4459773302/

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/9970083@N02/4459731284/in/photostream/

  11. Brenda says

    March 7, 2011 at 4:09 pm

    I just did a "What is it? post on my blog:

    http://www.gottgraphicsdesign.com/2011/03/01/what-is-it/

    (The answer can be found in the comments)

    Kate – I simply love your photo. Thanks for sharing.

  12. Misty says

    March 7, 2011 at 4:56 pm

    Wow, this was fun. I have nothing to add of my own, but your photo Kate and all the other commenters have some really fun stuff.

  13. Laurel says

    March 7, 2011 at 5:31 pm

    Beautiful! Wonderful dof and texture.

  14. Dotti says

    March 7, 2011 at 6:48 pm

    It doesn't get too much more mundane than this:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/48337138@N04/5483640753/

  15. Melissa says

    March 7, 2011 at 6:50 pm

    Here is my pretty for the day: http://melissamillerphotos.com/

  16. Christie says

    March 7, 2011 at 7:35 pm

    This was fun. Check out my posting for this challenge here: http://parkercountry.blogspot.com/2011/03/shutter-sistersabstract.html

  17. Kiersten says

    March 7, 2011 at 8:06 pm

    I sometimes end up doing strange things with everyday objects for 365 project…

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/darkangel71/5506611419/

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/darkangel71/5480992774/in/set-72157624807783520/

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/darkangel71/5477838992/in/set-72157625042018751/

  18. s.b.Lyngo says

    March 7, 2011 at 8:34 pm

    I love this challenge. can't wait to get snapping. In the meanwhile can relate to the abstract mood. I posted this slightly rendered photo today. Loving the spring colors. ๐Ÿ™‚
    http://somethingblu.wordpress.com/2011/03/07/manifest-monday-and-rainbow-countryfrom-the-rock/

  19. Pat says

    March 7, 2011 at 11:44 pm

    Thinking of Italy. This is a panned of Murano glass…

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/7992043@N06/5506783537/

  20. Jess says

    March 7, 2011 at 11:57 pm

    Love your abstract image. The color and clarity of the photo is amazing. I got in close to a rose looking for some movement today.

    http://jessicavescera.blogspot.com/2011/03/rhythm-in-rose.html

  21. spread your wings says

    March 8, 2011 at 1:12 am

    fun project.
    i have an interesting bouncy ball that created interesting reflections in the light
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/5507944212/

  22. dogear6 says

    March 8, 2011 at 2:51 am

    Over the weekend I was playing with the fisheye selection on my new camera. I thought some of them turned out pretty good of our street and also of trees in our yard. I loved it! I need to play more with ordinary objects too.

    http://livingtheseasons.wordpress.com/2011/03/07/whoosh/

    My daily blog is at: http://dogear6.wordpress.com/

  23. Texan Mama says

    March 8, 2011 at 5:10 am

    Do You like Okra???
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/texanmama/5501177754/

  24. Angela DiGiovanni | Living Out Loud says

    March 8, 2011 at 7:07 am

    This is what I found to be pretty… it's a sparkley silver leaf garland:

    http://angeladigiovanni.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02753sepia.jpg

  25. Chantal says

    March 8, 2011 at 7:49 am

    beautiful photo today, as for my contribution:

    http://chantaliaans.shutterchance.com/photoblog/Dark_vs_Red_/

  26. Patty says

    March 8, 2011 at 11:43 am

    What a beautiful photo…the light and movement of the vase are incredible. I took a picture of a USB key yesterday because I liked the word on it…here it is slightly photoshopped….

    http://pmaherphotography.blogspot.com/2011/03/good-reminder.html

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