Viewpoint Photographic Art Center - Open Call

Objects As Subjects is the theme of Viewpoint's 14th annual Open Juried show, TWELVE. Objects As Subjects focuses specifically on the genre of still life photography. Like portraiture and landscape, still life is one of the great historical and current art forms in photography. Within the genre of still life two different approaches have traditionally been recognized. In the CONSTRUCTED approach, the photographer arranges the scene by placing a chosen object or objects against a background with attention to the relationship of the objects to each other and to the frame. In addition to the object and placement, the photographer chooses colors, angle of the camera, depth of focus, and natural or artificial lighting for the constructed arrangement. Objects chosen to be subjects range from apples and baseballs to yardsticks and ziplock bags. The FOUND approach involves minimal arrangement by the photographer of the inanimate objects. The object or objects are captured as they were already placed prior to the photographer's arrival or interest. Typically the found still life is photographed with available light. The photographer chooses the angle of the camera, the distance from the object and the depth of focus. Examples of found still life images would be a display of tools on a workshop wall, vegetables at the local farmers' market, or the stacked boxes of last year's holiday ornaments. These two approaches have traditionally defined the method of still life photography. Today, with the power of digital imaging, a third BLENDED approach goes beyond basic image editing to create new possibilities with still life photography. Objects from different images can be combined into the initial constructed or found still life. Or still life objects can be assembled entirely on the computer rather than as originally captured in reality. Digital imaging expands the still life genre into impossible or unlikely combinations of objects, changes in scale, color, sharpness and more. The intent of constructed, found, or blended still life images may be illustration, documentation, enticement, surprise, fantasy, appreciation or remembrance. Objects As Subjects is a national Open Call for both members and non-members of Viewpoint Photographic Art Center to participate. Viewpoint welcomes your concepts, creativity and craftsmanship in exploring still life photography for TWELVE: Objects As Subjects. We hope you accept the challenge.