There are those periods in life when we encounter nothing but square pegs and round holes, minor irritations, major headaches, and cloudy skies. Such has been life on the hillside these last few days and as usual I have sought some escape and a little tranquility through taking photographs.
Having experimented with a number of ideas which will doubtless find their way onto my blog over the coming weeks, this afternoon I was particularly in search of some calm and serenity and decided to try and express these things in some still life pictures. As I find myself more and more drawn to the Japanese art of ‘Wabi Sabi’ – finding beauty in age and imperfection, I collected some of my favourite treasures and set to work.
I hope you like the results……………..
ALL PHOTOS © JANE MORLEY
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View from a French Hillside 
I Love the borrowed title. Wabi Sabi in some ways is like Native American sand painting, which is even more transient as the artists destroy their sand paintings at sunset — to me photography is too in-transient as a medium for Wabi Sabi and sand painting other than documenting it. But not all is lost, because, as we know so well, making a more permanent record of transient subjects and emotions is what photography does best; therefore, recording the “beauty in age and imperfection” never loses its appeal.
As far as today’s images, I would like to see fewer objects, in odd numbers, placed more randomly. The second image has a little more of a random feeling with the feather, string and pedal on the letter, but everything is too orderly for my taste (given my tastes can be a bit odd — as one of our architects was saying about me earlier today “…he marches to the beat of a different drummer!”). I would like to see the photos you have displayed with the exposures and whites brought way up, the vignetting taken out of the edges so the backgrounds are pure white to all edges, and the white objects barely stand out against the background, as well.
Another Japanese art form you should look at, if you don’t already practice it, is Ikebana. Good Ikebana has such simple, elegant and pleasing forms and compositions, yet it is so very difficult to create a good Ikebana.
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Timothy, Thank you so much for your comments, I really do appreciate your interest and this feedback. I must look at Native American sand painting, I’ve always been fascinated by their extraordinary culture. For the images I understand what you mean about the randomness which would be more true to Wabi Sabi, I perhaps shouldn’t have used that term to be correct. I also was trying to convey the feeling of calm and reflection coming from the deliberate posing of the objects. I agree with you about a very whited out treatment and I do have a version like that too – couldn’t decide which to use! I will be pursuing this idea so I’ll probably follow up this post with another – watch this space! And thank you once again, I always enjoy reading what you have to say.
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Looks like you succeeded, very nice.
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Thank you very much Maverick!
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sorry to hear you are having some niggles. I hope they resolve soon. Those pictures look very serene and I love the idea of beauty in perfection x
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Hi Katie! Just annoying niggles, the sun is shining here now so things are on the up! Glad you like the photos!
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Lovely, Jane. I especially like the idea of using your camera as a way to bring yourself to a more contented space. I enjoyed reading Timothy’s suggestions, and look forward to seeing more of your still life compositions. xx
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Thank you Grace! It is very easy to get lost in thought with camera in hand I find, I’m sure you know what I mean 🙂
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Oh, I really do Jane!
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😉
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Reblogged this on Moorezart.
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Many thanks Douglas – delighted that you like it!
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There’s only one word: exquisite. 😀
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Oh Goodness! there you are 😀 Thank you Sarah you’ve made my day 😀
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I love this image, Jane…like you I can find much beauty in age and imperfection, and have recently been trying to create a still life or two to get myself in a less stressed place! I can see where your first commenter is coming from re: more randomness, but I still think these work…. And why haven’t I taken note of your blog before, some great images!!
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Thankyou so much Sue and for the follow! I find still life photography very soothing personally and although I could see what Timothy was saying about randomness I actually deliberately posed the pieces as this was part of the idea, calm, control and repose if you see what I mean! I shall go visit you now!
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Calm, control and repose….I do see what you mean, I find myself in need of precisely those things at times!
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Ditto!
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🙂
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