Photographic inspiration comes from any number of sources in any given time period.  Some arise out of necessity for advertising, publication, and portfolio purposes, emerge from one's inner and outer environment, or are presented courtesy of information and stories provided by those in a photographer's orbit.  Several weeks ago, I heard from friend and mentor of both Fred and I, Connie, who sent a life story/obituary from the New York Times about artist Janet Fish.  Connie said that Fish's art reminded her of some of my photography.  I was unfamiliar with her work but immediately searched online.  Fish was primarily a painter who utilized glass ware, jars made of glass, and other transparent objects as subject matter in her work, which ranged from impressionistic in soft pastels to near Warhol-like pop art.  In 1974 she said "the reason for painting glass was to totally focus on the light."  That was part of her brilliance.   Although I am nowhere near being the level of artist Fish was, I am thankful that Connie wrote because it sent me to work and focus on light in glass.

I have always been attracted to black, white, and red.  In almost any subject matter, it provides strong, contrasting, and impactful imagery. Working in natural light in an assortment of locations and conditions, I spent the good portion of a day doing setups and shooting.  The image below is from the second setup I did.  The reflective power of glass never ceases to interest and amaze me.  

still life - glass work 7 2026

After using three or four different setups, I finally discovered what worked and went from there.  The rhythm of three glasses felt artistically right.  Shooting at an angle was an interesting departure.   
 

still life - glass work 1 2026

Cropping the bowl of the glass gave more emphasis to both the berries and the myriad reflections of the glass.  

still life - glass work 5 2026
 

Moving the camera to catch the side of the glasses in the photograph below offered a different rhythm.  

still life - glass work 6 2026
 

Continuing to photograph and experiment with the light and how the three glasses worked as a unit produced some interesting results.  Below, the glassware almost appears to be nested, one glass inside the other.  

still life - glass work 4 2026

A single glass produces a straight forward and strong image. 

still life - glass work 2 2026
 

Thank you to Orlando, Charleen, Sara, Paule, Deb, Ingrid, Tim, Sandra, Lisa S., Jean & Sam, Marilyn G., TTT, M. Fred, Debbie, Louise W., Steve, Catherine S., and Diane D. for writing about last week's blog.  (For those who asked about how long you let a rug dry that has been snow cleaned here is an answer. If  the snow you are using is a very dry powder, shaking it out will eliminate most of the snow.  It can almost immediately be placed on a tile, brick or other hard surface floor.  If the rug is being placed on a wood floor or carpeting but it is dry inside your office or home, it shouldn't take more than a couple of hours.  We put the rug featured here back on the floor immediately.)

On this Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday in America, words he spoke while accepting the Nobel Peace Prize in December 1964, seem apropos.

"Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time; the need for man to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence.  Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation.  The foundation of such a method is love."

until next Monday,

DB 

a passion for the image©