Studio set

Being unsuccessful in finding access to homes previously lived in, my aim has moved to look into objects, their relationship within each other and on their own. Therefore Still Life is the basic theme, currently. I thought I should start with a test shoot with some starting objects in the studio. I wanted the objects to follow a visual aesthetic, what you would typically find in a 17th century Still Life painting - fruit, vases, glass, scarves, old objects. But I wanted the set-up modern, skewed and unusual to play around with different composition/different visuals.

I initially started with small selection, playing with set-up and finding abstract frames within. I attempted getting in close to the objects for the abstract framing, and standing further away to see how the objects worked together but neither worked and it was all too messy and mixed. The objects didn't compliment each other and I could find no relation between them.

Upon reviewing Linus Lohoff's work I recalled how he had presented some objects as if sliced in half, emerging from nothing. I had coloured reflective perspex at had and arranged the fruit available at the time, as if sliced but emerging out of water (blue). The use of minimal composition works well drawing full attention to the "illusion".

• I also took use of the infinity curve for a modern backdrop with typical still life objects to try a different outcome. 
• I played with the reflections/refractions with the decanter, the distortion is somewhat intriguing at first glance but no more so, and I ask myself what else is there to this set-up? Not much! I need to give reason to why I am photographing these objects. What illusion is there, what am I trying to say?

There were further experiments with different objects. An antler I had found was an obscure object (obscure shape, unusual setting) I hoped to involve. The visual composition is interesting here, one meandering linear object situated next to several simple 'blobs' of orange, dotted across the frame. The objects are an interesting comparison, ignoring their practical/literal use but concentrating on their visual form. - Much more suited to my own style and a different approach to the typical Still Life symbolism, which was the very aim of this shoot - to experiment/play around with approaches to Still Life art/photography. 

Overall I found from this shoot:

• Some interesting techniques when it comes to what I do with/how I arrange the objects - cut in half, obscure shape and use illusion. 
• An idea to follow, concentrate on shape and form rather than symbolic meaning.