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Writer's pictureAngie Mahlke

Still Life by Linsey Davis

Hello, I’m Linsey Davis. Before the events of 2020, I would have told you that I am documentary photographer. However, 2020 taught me that life is too short to put myself in one box. I’d rather tell you that I am a creative and I will follow that creative spark down any path it leads.


Those little sparks are always rooted in a deeper meaning. Still life is no different. I typically shoot two different versions of still life, traditional and found.




As with all the other genres of photography, compositional rules still apply.

Compositional elements

  • Rule of thirds

  • Symmetry

  • Leading lines

  • Triangles

  • Golden Spiral

  • Depth






FOUND STILL LIFE

Found still life is a combination of my love for real life and still life. Found still life is just that, creating an image out of objects that you have discovered. I also like to refer to these objects as artifacts.

Artifacts to look for:

  • The toys the kids left out

  • Their little collections: rocks, trinkets, legos,

  • The mess: don’t shy away from creating beautiful images out of a mess

  • Stuff left around the sink

  • Shoes left by the door

  • Your partner’s things that have been left out

  • Sports equipment

  • Musical instruments







Traditional Still Life:

Finding a way to create beautiful still life images with objects that have a sentimental meaning can be very therapeutic.







Keepsakes & heirlooms:

A large part of my photography is built on the loss of family. I have a strong need to document life, in case of another loss.

If I can photograph it, then I won’t lose these memories.

  • Grandma’s handwriting on a recipe

  • Grandpa’s or Dad’s chair

  • The grocery list with your handwriting

  • A child’s art work or handwriting






ON THE TABLE:

My person project, On the Table, is a nod to the strong women that raised me in the kitchen. My mother and both grandmothers taught me so much just by having me in the kitchen with them. The recipes we cooked and baked time after time are comfort foods to myself and my family.



Typology

A photographic typology is a study of “types”. My daughter collects all the notes that her dad & I give her. A typology is a great method to document her collection. The options are endless!!!


I hope the way I capture still life has taken some of the pressure off and inspired you to find the objects that have an underlying meaning.

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