His Clinical Look At Still Life.

EDWARD WESTON

EDWARD WESTON

Edward Weston has a unique view of the subjects in his images. Especially when it comes to food amongst the rest of his still life photographs. Here he has taken of photo of a pepper that is abnormal on shape and formation. Already he strives away from what is expected of the subject, gives people something more to look at. His use of showing the image in black and white helps give the image a more clinical sense, something I am hoping to achieve in my own work.

Usually food photography is is for a commercial use, causing the viewer to want to go out and buy what ever has been captured in an appetising state. By not following this convention, Weston is making people think more about what message could come with the subject, instead of just wanting it for themselves. I believe that this may be a metaphor, showing societies expectation of form compared to realities truth.

EDWARD WESTON

This image of a large mushroom is taken in Weston’s documentary style, and has been processed, again, using a black and white filter. He uses the rule of thirds, so that the centre of the subject (the mushroom) is not the centre of the image. This gives the photo a dynamic feel that does not follow common the standards of food photography.

The choice of black and white with this image is interesting, as it doesn’t take any colour away from the subject. Because it is also taken at a macro state at such high definition, the viewers attention is drawn to the imperfect pattern that can be seen in the ridges of this up turned mushroom – giving them so much more to admire, and adding o the entire composition of the image.

The white background used helps to add a sense of weight to the subject, emphasising the slight shadow that is cast. The use of a soft light is an addition to this, and also contributes to bringing out the small details of the inside of the mushroom. And by casting the light at an angle, the effect of these repetitive patterns is more dramatic.

EDWARD WESTON

I chose to look at this piece as the background is a solid black, something that I plan on using with my own work as I feel it gives a bold presentation to the subject without taking any attention away from it. I especially admire the way that there can be no definition made out from the background, yet the subject is perfectly lit so that every detail can still be observed.

The way that the cabbage leaf is laid out suggests that the photograph was taken from an over-head stance, with the lighting being placed further forward so that the shadows seem to be cast downwards. By doing this all details are given a vivid presentation, making the stems in the leaf appear almost to look like veins. The black and white filter of this image adds to the sinister atmosphere already created by this.

EDWARD WESTON

Again this image has a solid black background, yet is shown in profound detail thanks to the lighting. I wanted to look at this image because what seems like a dead garlic can be observed as it grows new life, though not in the way that most think of. I believe that the way the light slowly fades from the vegetable that everyone knows, away from this new growth that can be seen as Weston’s way of saying how peoples attention will always be focused on what they want, and whatever obstructs their acceptable product will be ignored.

When shopping for garlic, or any organic food, people don’t want to see something that is still in the process of growing, they only want the food that will benefit them. By looking at the image this way I am inspired to create something similar, though perhaps with a different kind of growth. Despite the health praises that fruit and vegetables receive, once they grow mould and become rotten they are never looked at again. I plan to create images that help show these outdated foods as not something that has turned too old, but as something that has been left so long that it has grown new life.