Still Life photos...

I have always loved images of Still Life. I remember one particular framed image of a a still life in my Grandparents home. It was a print of a bowl of apples. It was very simple with some of the apples in the bowl and a couple sitting outside of it. I am sure most of you have, or at least remember a home that had a still life image in it somewhere.

What I like most about them will come to no surprise to most of you. If you look at the examples I have posted of some well known still life paintings, they all speak to my love of dark, rich, moody colours. The joy about still lifes are that they appear simple but yet are complex in the way they are telling a story. Often they play with senses...items that bring forth memories of smells, or tastes. Or they play with your emotions, not only through the item being depicted, but in the way they are represented through light. Plain backgrounds allow the items to stand, and speak for themselves.

Fast forward to today, and still lifes are still alive and well and have been given a new outlet in the form of photography. A friend of mine who lives in France just had his first gallery showing of his still life work. His work is simply put...Stunning. I have decided to explore this aspect of photography myself, and hope some day I can come close to his talent.

For now, I will just share some of my favorite still lifes I have taken thus far. I'm sure this will be a lesson in before and after, so stay tuned.

Christmas Dinner

The smell of turkey roasting in the oven fills my tiny apartment. I am always reminded of my grandparents when the smell of a traditional family meal fills the air, and of course Christmas's past. As a child we would head to our grandparents house across the town mid afternoon Christmas Day. Not only would we have yet another Christmas tree surrounded by presents to open, but we would have a huge holiday feast with all the trimmings. Today, it is not the presents I remember, but it is the meal. The turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, and vegetables. I can even remember what dishes each food was served on. The meal was followed by pies, tarts, shortbread cookies, and of course plum pudding. It was scrumptious, and it was cooked with love.

As I sit here with the smells around me, I am aware of how I try to keep the tradition alive. Today, it is just my partner and myself, but I am preparing the same foods, in the same way I remember my Grandmother doing.

I dedicate this entry today to them. I hope they can smell the turkey up in Heaven. I raise my glass to them.

May all our traditions live on.......

Happy Christmas.

(Photo taken at Casa Loma, 2009.)