Here we’ve got a little story about food and still lifes and pictures that look like one another. It all started last night when I went home and ate a can of refried beans, a block of cheddar and a fried egg.
The hunger was caused by my latest batch of pictures; one, because there was a lot of tiring editing, and two because there was an egg.
As a photographer, I am slow. I shoot approximately five rolls of 220 every couple of weeks. I generally forget what I’ve shot until I retrieve my CDs from Manhattan Color and hit Lightroom. This time, out of 86 frames, there are 3 that I like. Which is actually better than normal. A good haul, even.
Almost always there is a pattern, or similarity in the pictures.
These are all essentially the same image, as far as I can tell. A spot of hopeful color, a dash of life, and an undercurrent of melancholy.
That pretty much sums up my Winter. See, who needs Miss Cleo?
Nearly all of my 86 images were devoid of people. They were little daily setups. So I got to thinking about still lifes.
My favorite, favorite still life photographer is Steve Cohen. So crisp and so clean. Here are two of his.
I never really wanted to make a picture of flowers until I saw Steve’s flowers on fire.
Also I own a print of this one (!)
A single element (fire) can really tie some a series together.
After I thought about Steve, I thought about Ryann Cooley. Cooley also does product and still life photography, and seems to have a thread running through his work, too.
Flowers, colored smoke, rainbowed oil.
They’re all nearly the same picture (at least to me). redgreen redgreen.
And I mean that in the best possible way.
Finally, after I had done all this thinking, I sat down to eat my refried beans and fried egg. I opened my New York Magazine.
And what did I see?
Kiroshi Tagashi’s Mussel staring back at me. Whoa! So beautiful.
And you know what that reminded me of? Marlon Kowalski’s image of a helmut and ski poles from the flickr pool I LIKE BORING THINGS.
Same shapes and colors as the mussel, I think.
Finally, I went to sleep and woke up and had a link in my inbox to this very very clever musing on New York using Legos by Christoph Neimann.
You see? It all comes back to eggs.
Ryan Cooley is one of the worse SL photographer out there, he copies everybody.
Great to see you posting your own work and an excellent post today. Wish you’d update more often, but thanks.
I absolutely LOVE your globe shot!
Ps. that lego series pretty much made my day yesterday.
I like all three of your images, but the one with the globe and the mirror is especially lovely.
Excellent post. First image is quite evocative – reminds me of book reports that always came in late.
The Globe is one of your greats. Plus, love Portland flowers and eggs. And your writing.
Legos 2 – as you say, it all gets back to eggs.
I also love your Globe image. It has a sense of peace and calm yet I feel like something is about to happen or is happening just down the hall. Beautiful!
My kids and I really enjoyed the lego series, very fun.
I think Ryann Cooley’s work is wonderful! Very polished and mysterious.
I agree with Rachel that there is a unity or definite style to his work. As far as him copying others, I don’t see that. Every one is influenced by what’s out there, it’s impossible not to be. He seams to be one of the SL photographers setting the pace. Not just clean product on white, which can beautiful and striking, but there is a real sense of heart and soul in his work. Sorry for going on and on, but these empty comments tearing down talented artist annoy me!