I have been taking Holly Becker’s course Styling & Intention. The community is always uplifting and the learnings are very worth signing up even when you have been part of it already several times. Plus, these courses make you move. This time, Holly came up with a very interesting exercise at the end of the course I’d like to share. We were asked to create a styling board over at Pinterest, select 3 pictures we were drawn too and could imagine working on later.
We were describing what we liked about these pics. We all normally just pin in a few seconds whatever caught our eye without thinking too much about it, right? So, writing it down was already quite an interesting analysis. Those who follow me on a regular base, know I am very much into moody colors right now. I do, first of all because I love those colors. Second, it is a challenge for me since I have worked basically with white and an airy images (and still do) but I kind of felt a change was nice now.
Last week at our final assignment, we choose one of the 3 images trying to create something new from it. I am not a food stylist, don’t work too much with table tops and went exactly for that challenge. This was my inspiration (Martyn Thompson photography) :
And this is the outcome:
I wanted to create a ‘neo-baroque’ style with a typical food composition but working with a layered background, going for a moody atmosphere with a 3 colored theme and few light.
What do you think?
15 Responses
Before starting the BYW class I had several doubts about what to expect and I was truly happy of taking it in the end. I loved the styling exercise and I keep on going through the photography lessons as well. Training, training, training … let’s see where I can get ;-)
Loved the moody colors in your styling. You really got the essence of the picture you got inspired by, without copying it. Bravo! xxi.
I am looking forward to see your exercise, Ilaria, will have a look later if I find it! Un abrazo.
Nicely done! I love the dark and moody atmosphere and the layers in the background. It isn’t easy to shoot dark food like the cabbage but you did it well.
Thumbs up!
Hugs,
Sandy
First time I have been doing that! Playing with aperture, shutter, aperture, shutter again…many tries honestly to get the right focus!Thank you, Sandy, I appreciate the comment from an expert!
A ver, que envidia me dás, por Dios! Yo quieroooo! Jajajaja! De verdad que cursos más estimulantes!!!
No me puede gustar más la manera como juegas con ese papel que se deja caer de la pared. Has conseguido volumen y profundidad.
Los colores son tu fuerte! Esa mezcla de verdes, grises ,madera natural y la potencia del higo, los berenjenas, remolachas,…
Se nota tu experiencia de vida. Lo reflejas en todo lo que haces!
Un abrazo,
ene
Apúntate al próximo, lo vas a disfrutar un montón! Será en marzo.Gracias por tu comentario tan cariñoso!! Un abrazo.
No lo dudes! Me apunto YA!
Un abrazo!
I think you captured the atmosphere quite well, although I would say, that the inspiration picture is a little bit less saturated, more a used look with patina. Please forgive my criticism, it is really not meant in a negative way because I am no expert at all. I think you could have reached a “closer” result by working on the cardboard, maybe cracking and folding it a bit.
Beso, Sarah
Hi Sarah, the exercise was about creating a different style, not about copying (that would have been a bit easy, right?) and that’s why I went by purpose for a different mood which is quite tricky.You tend to do the same thing, looking again and again at the image and have to be careful not to ‘copy’. Quite an interesting exercise, I have to say! Un beso.
Ah, ok, that makes sense ;)
You’re right, copying would have been too easy!
I know by own experience how difficult it is to photograph a food still. It seems so easy but lighting and composition are quite tricky!
Dear Gudy,
I think the best challenge is to challenge your self and you do it everyday with your blog and posts. Regarding the excercise you got the spirit of the colours and mood so just a little bit of practice will make you perfect. I love the surreal depth of the picture, I think with this excercise you defenitely observed out of the box.
Thank you for sharing your achivements.
abdsign.blogspot.com
Inspiration without copying, that’s such a nice exercise Gudy! Really love the warm dark colors: twines, cabbage, figs… different from the desaturated inspiration image, but it’s obvious where you found the inspiration, they are related somehow. xx
I love the idea of that exercise because it makes you observe what you like and then create something that is “inspired by” but still your style. That’s what the process of inspiration is all about, isn’t it? I think you did a great job at it!
Wow, I love the moody colors! You can clearly see how your vignette was influenced by your inspiration, but you gave it your own unique character. This is wonderful, Gudy!
Whoa Gudy, really impressed! The photo is so dramatic. Well done, you should be proud with the result! M xx