The set of three images above represent connections with my husband, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. The rings are shot in pairs as they symbolise a partnership, and include engagement, wedding rings, and an eternity ring. This is a very personal series of images as the rings give me a tangible link with the past.
This was a fascinating area to research, with many creative ways of taking photographs of wedding rings with techniques that could be applied to other subjects for still life photography. With the aim of completing Part three this year though, these will have to wait for another time. Searching online, articles by @SLRLOUNGE (2017), and Kay (2019), inspired me to use the idea of using reflections by using a mirror. These articles and other online sources all recommend the use of a macro lens, which at this moment in time I do not own. A compromise was to use my iPhone camera, which although limiting in terms of depth of field, shutter speed, and ISO, did all0w me to get a closer shot of the rings. The images above were shot with the rings places on a mirror, with the silver and black background created from a dress reflected onto the mirror. I experimented with difference backgrounds before using the dress. Music stand clip on LED lights were used to give more control over the lighting.
Overall I am pleased with the result, though I would have liked to have more sparkle in the diamonds on the rings. The research in advance worked well and opened up many new ideas for me to try in future. I would have liked to be able to do this exercise with a macro lens and get a greater level of detail in the images. Given more time, I would have liked to explore different settings for the rings e.g. a flower in the background or bokeh created by fairy lights.
As I work through the course I am becoming more aware of the vital importance of light in photography. Something I will continue to research as I work through this course. My particular development points are as follows
- Experiment with other backgrounds and settings. This can be applied to other still life photography, not just the rings.
- Continue to research the work of other photographers and artists relating to the project I am working on
- Set up practice shots at try out ideas as part of the planning stage.
References
@SLRLOUNGE. 2017. 10 Creative Wedding Ring Shots For You To Try [Online]. @slrlounge. Available: https://www.slrlounge.com/wedding-rings-pictures/ [Accessed 31 Oct 2019].
KAY, E. 2019. Ring Shots: Tips for Photographing Wedding Rings [Online]. Available: https://improvephotography.com/38958/ring-shots-photographing-wedding-rings/ [Accessed 31 Oct 2019].
last updated 2 November 2019
Karen Gourlay: Foundations in Photography 