Analyzing Talbot's Shadow Images Of A Still Life

Other than the subject(s) of an image, and the arrangement of them, there are many other factors which make a still life a still life. In still life there are many styles, as well as abundance and wealth being re-occurring themes, simplifying objects, or playing with them, their relationships with each other, is a common factor of most. Here in Talbot’s shadow picture we see a very unique flatness – making them (figure 2) appear more abstract, like a scientific study of the subject, the plant almost becomes symbolic in its bold simplicity. This image helps to support my earlier point on the still life photograph beginning from studying ordinary organic, natural shapes like fruits, vegetables, etc. As well as this, colours, textures, shapes

The image was never reduced in size, or influenced by the view of the photographer other than his placement of the subject because the light sensitive paper has been exposed leaving a trace of the branch which was placed ontop of the paper, letting pure light cast the shadow onto the paper, a camera not in sight. This leads me to believe that not only must the objects in still life be placed by the artist, but the image must be genuinely unique in it’s presentation as Weston suggested. I mean this in the sense that still life gives the artist the opportunity to thoroughly investigate their subject, and so look ‘beyond’ what they are seeing, whereas Talbot’s approach was very simplified, he is still displaying the subject(s) in a newer, more interesting light - as still life provokes. Weston saw something in the pepper, and photographed it in a way which not just anyone could do, as did Talbot with his fern branch. He created something uniquely scientific and bold. Although Weston and Talbot’s images are almost completely different they are both intrinsically unique and wonderful to look at down to their use of tones, strength of light, shapes and contrasting textures as well as arrangement. In this way they are