Define 'Still Life'

Racecar81

Racecar81

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Richard
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Our next local Photography Club competition is 'Still Life'. Is there any 'definition' of this or is it simply just a bowl of fruit/flowers ?

e.g. Is product photography included (macro shot of wrist watch, some photoshopped pic of some Nike trainers on fire (is fire 'still'??), etc.)?

Curious as to how far you can push this genre without the judges saying 'no way thats still life' !

Thanks

Richard
 
I guess only the judge can answer that, but as long as you keep your objects inanimate, you should be good to go.

If I were judging I'd class fire as not inanimate. But then if you'd set fire to a bowl of fruit I'd find that amusing and worthy of second place at least :) Probably good that I'm not a judge - the outrage I would cause.
 
Some ideas here: https://www.thephotoargus.com/35-superb-examples-of-still-life-photography/

I would define it as inanimate subject matter, either discovered or deliberately placed. I’d also consider scale to some extent - a load of parked buses or, say, Mount Everest might be still, but I’d probably not class them as still-life. A room in a building is probably ok though. There’s probably an official definition (or more likely group of definitions) online.
 
FishyFish said:
Some ideas here: https://www.thephotoargus.com/35-superb-examples-of-still-life-photography/

I would define it as inanimate subject matter, either discovered or deliberately placed. I’d also consider scale to some extent - a load of parked buses or, say, Mount Everest might be still, but I’d probably not class them as still-life. A room in a building is probably ok though. There’s probably an official definition (or more likely group of definitions) online.
Click to expand...

Some nice examples there - thanks! I guess it would be nice to see an 'official definition', but I think it is one of those things that is too open to interpretation. I just wanted to think of something a little different, but dont want to overstep the boundaries !

@Harlequin565 - I tend to agree that fire (or water) are not inanimate (and hence no good for 'still life'), so will steer clear of them. Thanks :)
 
I agree with the others, an inanimate object.
I sort of work to the rule (my rule, no one else's) that a still life subject would fit on your average kitchen table. So flowers, food etc would be still life, but cars, tree's wouldn't be. Again this is just how I interpret still life.
 
A composed images with no beings - I guess ... the examples in the link above explain it best I think
 
I saw this post on Instagram which I won't soon forget. Cyanotype on wood for a wood theme. Could do something similar on a bowl then put some apples in it. That would be amusing just to see their faces.

Although this is why I shouldn't really be allowed near competitions.
 
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