The Objects as Isolated from their Origins

Influences

The image of cyanide by Robert Enoch appears that of an anonymous white powder. As such it is then open to the observer to put his or her own interpretation and expectations onto that image. There are no clues in this image as to what the substance is. It is on a black base with a black background with no other detail than the powder itself.

The work of Liza Dracup in her work “Re Collections” is of taxidermied birds and animals. These are also set on a black background with no context included. As I have previously cited critic Michael Prodger as describing Lisa Dracup’s work as “not about capturing a particular moment in time but about timelessness.” In this case the lack of context relates not only to what something is and where it is from, but also when it was in existence.

‘Stoat’ – Liza Dracup

‘Greenfinch and Weasel’ – Liza Dracup

Setting the subject against a plain dark background takes away some of the contextual cues for the observer. I have used this technique in other photographs I have taken of marine life underwater.

Thus it is my aim to replicate aspects of these images in a studio with the artefacts. This approach will not only take them out of any context, but model the appearance of a subject underwater.
Technical Details
I have chosen a subject to camera distance to make the object look as if it is in the observer’s hand – like this.

That is about 500mm, so have adjusted the focal length accordingly to compose the shot. I have also used an aperture to keep all the subject in focus, but render the background out of focus.

I have set up a black background some distance behind my subject and photographed the subjects on a black cloth. I have lit the subject with flash, and modelled the two flash arrangement I used in the underwater images. For the glasses I used  a combination of  direct light and some back light. To minimise shadows I have used softboxes on my flashes. The arrangement is shown below.

The images are shot in RAW and processed in Lightroom with minor adjustments of local exposure. I have chosen a square format for all the images as this seems deliberately ambiguous and removes any clues about orientation.