Artist Statement: Still-Lifes

           My name is Wesley Pickard, and I am an aspiring photographer from South Bend, Indiana. Ever since I got my first DSLR five years ago, I have been interested in showcasing the many ways light can change the way we look at familiar subject matter. This philosophy has driven me to depict subjects such as landscapes during different times of the day. However, when it comes to my final portfolio, I felt as though still-lifes were a subject I wanted to explore further. Although I focused on arranging a variety of objects into one place, I also wanted to use the table as a tool to influence the viewer’s perspective on these items. This arrangement came to affect the items that I selected for this project. 

          I was keen on emphasizing traits such as texture and color with each table. Not only did I try to portray a sense of scale by shooting some pictures from a frontal perspective, but I also kept the table slightly out of frame so that the focus was on the still-life. However, I also experimented with some action shots by shooting the table from a birds eye view, as the corners help give action to the scenes through its movement. Lastly, this sense of direction would be emphasized through the professional light kits in a studio setting, the artificial light emanating from the room lights, or the natural light that comes from the window.

         As somebody who has specialized in landscape photography, there is a big difference between it and still lifes in terms of scale. However, the common thread that these two subjects share is not just the importance that is placed on how the object looks, but also how the setting affects the subject’s portrayal. The various appearances that a table can take as well as how you can incorporate an object into it were what drove me to take more still-lifes. A still-life may be static, but with factors such as lighting, perspective, and focus to consider, there are many ways to surprise the viewer with the mundane.