First still life in the woods

I want to show who I am,  by displaying my belongings like a still life. This is also something I want to try and link in to my painting. From watching the BBC documentary on still life painting, where they talked about the methods used in creating a good still life. 

Still life painting is traditionally made up of everyday objects, that people don't usually look twice at. As still life evolved artists started giving their paintings meaning, by adding in symbolic objects. Having a skull, candles and musical instrument represented death,  flowers also have different meanings to them.           

I'm using the woods as my background as it's a place I associate with home, and a place of reflection also. Being in the woods reminds me of my childhood, weather that's through playing in them or in story-tales. 

Forests have always been associated with story-tales and magic, most people have been told a story that was in a Forest or Woods. Things like Jack Frost, the Gruffalo  and Grimms fairy tales, are all based in woods.

As I want people to be able to place themselves into the photos, I've tried to make the still life feel as if someone had just walked out of shot. 

I've not edited any of the photos yet, but I will once I’ve taken my final pictures

        I think having the background slightly darker adds more of an atmosphere, as well as drawn the eye to the still life.