Orange Lilies in June

Orange Lilies in June #3326

Beautiful orange lilies that grow in a south Minneapolis MN garden. 
Freshly clipped and immediately transferred to this elegant green ceramic vase. 
Simple Elegance.

Thank you to two of my neighbors who grow these wild lilies and share with us all.  

I had just finished a 250 mile drive, spending the better part of my day in the car.  As soon as I got home I caught sight of these lilies and knew I had to quickly walk down the street to clip them, put them in vase and photograph them.

The afternoon light was extremely harsh so I used my two light diffusing fabrics, my wedding veil and my patterned scarf.  I can see both of them when I know what I'm looking for.  

Image is available for purchase at

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/orange-lilies-in-june-wendy-blomseth.html

White Wildflowers in June

White Wildflowers #3307

Sweet white wildflowers that grow in south Minneapolis MN gardens are best when picked and immediately photographed before the petals start to fall. 

Available for purchase at

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/white-wildflowers-in-june-wendy-blomseth.html

Urban Wildflowers

Urban Wildflowers  #3303 

June wildflowers that grow in south Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Freshly picked from the garden and photographed within minutes. 

Simple Elegance.

Available for purchase at

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/urban-wildflowers-wendy-blomseth.html?newartwork=true

Dance With The Light

Dance With The Light, 2016 

When the prism light shines -

in that moment,

stop, smile and dance with the light

Magical moments can be the unexpected moments. You're on task to do something, like get ready for work.  Suddenly, you stop in your tracks. You see the angle of light shining through the crystal butterfly shaped prism dancing on the surrounding back wall.  

There's no "real" music playing. But you imagine that you can hear it and the light is dancing to the music.

Time stands still as you feel joy and happiness from that simple moment.

You didn't control it yourself. You didn't have to "work" it.  You simply were gifted with this magical moment that made you stop, smile and dance with the light.

Roses in Light and Shadow

Roses in Light and Shadow 

How Do I Love Thee?

Falling In Love, 2016

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

I love thee to the level of every day’s

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

 

For the artist who falls in love with their own work ...  "thee" can be anything, from a person to a plant. Today, it was the Light. Capital "L."  For me, a life long photographer, it's always been and always will be about the Light.

At around 5:00 pm today the angle of the sun created a beautiful light and shadow pattern illuminating the fabric that still hung from last week's portrait session.  It was truly breathtaking and caused an internal alarm that almost shook me. I literally fell in love at first sight.  But I knew that I had a finite amount of time to create the artistic still life portrait I desired.

I started with the beautiful flowers purchased last week from Bachman's that were still looking good eight days later. I loved seeing them each and every day this week even though I was aware of  many minor changes as they aged and wilted.

While I was freshening the flower arrangement and changing the vase I was reminded of comments repeatedly shared by artist friend Jim Marion Foreman that "as we create our favorite art pieces we fall in love with them. We develop an intimate relationship with them that, in that moment, is an intense love affair between the artist and the art."

This was more true than ever today.  

I loved the first session of portraits that was just the flower vase when I was merely "flirting" with the sunlight and shadows. Then the Muse, who was my stand-in, caught my attention as she communicated that she too had an extraordinary attraction to the warmth and embrace of the sun. 

To add a thoughtful conversation to the budding relationship I added two big art books "so we'd have something to talk about" and liqueur in a glass so we could whet our thirst after talking.

As the sun went down and the colors became softer and warmer with a golden palette, the final token was shared, pearls. Pearls that spoke of our sophisticated, sexy and sensual affair that lasted only as long as the light illuminated our scene.

Standing in the dark later I couldn't see the vase or the Muse or the pearls but I remembered the deep love that we had shared during those moments together in the sun and the shadows.

How do I love thee?  

Truly, let me count the ways.

How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43)

Elizabeth Barrett Browning, 1806 - 1861

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of being and ideal grace.

I love thee to the level of every day’s

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for right.

I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.

I love thee with the passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

2:05 Video: How to Create a Still Life Portrait

You may be interested in how one can easily create a still life portrait.  This 2:05 video demonstration is while working at our cabin in northern Minnesota with the minimum of technology.

Some of the key things to think about are:

• The angle and intensity of the sun
• How you're going to control it and bounce it back into the subject
• Backdrop material, hopefully without a lot of wrinkles  
•     (I've never ironed so much since my mother made me do it.)
• Needs of the flowers so they stay fresh looking
• Angle of the table top the object is sitting on
• Angle of the surface the camera is placed on
• Angle of the camera to the subject
• Reducing camera shake by setting a delayed release

Next time I'll bring up a few more tools. But really, it's all about how the light is directed on and around the subject and getting your angles straight. 

Vases, Light & Shadow

Vases: October  2013  (available for purchase)

As I go through my photo archives of last year's initial experiments with still life compositions this image keeps calling me.  I cannot tell you how beautiful the lines and colors are in that center rear vase that is made from wood. 

I love it!  The other pieces are lovely on their own but the vase is so singularly striking and precious.

When I started to collect items for this still life I wasn't 100% sure what I was going to photograph.  I went through Karl's collectibles upstairs in his man cave and pulled these items from a variety of different corners and shelves.  On their own they were nice but together they really complimented each other.

It feels important to document these collectibles that he has accumulated over the years so they are remembered in an image so that  they have a second life beyond their short life on our shelf.

Ceramics on Blue, Light & Shadow

Ceramics on Blue, #8649, September 2014  (available for purchase)

Blue, blue, blue.
I don't know exactly why I wanted this image to be so blue but typical black and white seemed so, typical.

The surrounding area was actually very green and I guess that made me go so far on the other side of the color spectrum. It was the brightest time of the morning when the sunrise light is the harshest but if I was shooting film, the film would have soaked up the light like a sponge.  Digital image capture isn't quite as loving but I've learned to love the harsh contrast and what photographers call "blown out highlights."  If we were shooting film, they wouldn't be blown out or, if I was bringing a suitcase of special filters I could tone it down. But I don't want to for this effect.  Got sun?  Love it!

All these ceramics  have been used for floral arrangements up at our cabin at one time or another, except maybe the one that is my husband Karl's ceramic wine glass.  Rarely used for drinking if I remember correctly.

Ahh, the painting with light and color in the glorious moments of sunrise.

It doesn't get much better than this (unless it was sunset.)

Still Life with Fruit

Still Life with Fruit, #8740: September 2014

What an awesome experience to transition to a new photography series that excites me just as much as some of my past work.  I guess an artist CAN change.

After two decades of focusing on the beauty of the human figure in various locations and lighting patterns I've discovered the quiet beauty of  the still life as a serious body of work, not just an occasional random portrait.

No surprise really, if one looks at the countless number of floral studies I've done.  Again, simple beauty and about as minimalistic as one can get.

But now, let's add quantity, quality, light, shadows, reflectors and a life time of experience and see what comes up.

Let the journey begin.

The Light. The Lens. The Love.

Still Life: The Light. The Lens. The Love. July 2014

The Light. The Lens. The Love.
Truly a labor of love to create this still life portrait.

We all have our challenges to create our art work. Yes. I believe it.

These roses were a gift from Anne P., a friend and a client. I loved them when they were freshly presented to me. But since that time they had been moved around several times and were no longer fresh when I finally had the time and the natural light available to create the still life.

As always, I experimented around with 10 different variations of light at sunset aka "the golden hour" and finally fell in love with this one.

I hope it is obvious that the lens theme spanned a variety of technological eras.
All of which I've lived with and loved at various times. Even my iPhone had to get in the picture because that is my image capture device now more often than it should be.  And I wanted to bring in my oldest camera because the camera, like the roses, were past their prime, but both still loved, nonetheless.

Figurine in Shadow and Light 2013

Light, Shadow and Bowl

Light, Shadow and Bowl, 2013

Glasses in the Afternoon Light, 2013

Light and Shadow series begins, 10/2013

Light and Shadow 2013

Tulips for Valentine's Day

Tulips for Valentine's Day