Thursday, December 2, 2010

La Vignette---A Photo Challenge


Bathroom Window.

The photo challenge this week was a little bit of a cheeky one.
To show the deceptive/clever, concealed/artistic take on the vignette in blogging.
I think we all use the vignette. We photograph a perfectly staged snipped of our home or garden, dinner table or birthday cake, even our children.  A peek.  A keyhole view.

And who really wants to see beyond?  Do we need the nitty gritty? Or do we need to escape and see lovely things, magazine style.

To illustrate how a vignette conceals the overall picture, I challenged you to photograph a vignette. Then step back.  Show the big picture.  I thought it would be a fun exercise.

To illustrate my point.  Look at this first vignette.  A pretty corner of a window with 2 soft seashells and a pale ballet pink bottle of lovely perfume. 
What images does this conjure up for you?
Do you picture a pure white vanity, an old claw foot tub with pink soaps and fluffy white towels and a White on White design book on a little vintage table beside the tub?

Here's the reality.  This is my bathroom reno that is nowhere near finished.
No fixtures, no lights, no tub. 
Just full up with all the parts for the room, and waiting for the Never Ending Bathtub Journey to end and the tub to arrive so everything can be plumbed in and then the vanity installed. 
And here's a vignette taken in my kitchen.  It looks calm and like the kettle is on for a relaxing cup of tea.
Absolutely NOT. 
I am putting on an Indian Feast tomorrow night so I have bread rising, the teapot out for the contractor, the lunch bits still out and I am sitting in the office typing this. 
Now I could put this picture alone on a post and talk about my vintage farm table or my Organic dinner I am about to cook, and you would think it a fairly nice scene and likely picture the rest of the kitchen to be similar.
WHEN IN FACT
I had to push the rest of the rubbish over to the left just to get a photo. This table has a few permanent fixtures....the tape measure and calculator, hubby's newspaper, usually a half full wine bottle, mail, keys, salt and pepper and whatever else lands here for the day. This is one of the worst areas of my house....a real dumping ground

So things are not what they appear.  We can style our homes in a certain way, artistically and creatively
giving our blog readers an impression.
Maybe a lot of your homes are perfect and your vignette could be any part of it,
 but mine definitely is NOT.

Thank you for joining us.  The Linky Tool is below. Next week our challenge is
FESTIVE
It could be a meal, you, your home, whatever the conjures up an impression of FESTIVE to you.

16 comments:

  1. This is great. I know what I'm going to do now...It will give all those people who were flummoxed by my garage organization some hope...

    We're all just little white liars aren't we? hehe

    xxx

    z

    Hope it's a good weekend for you.

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  2. I was so sad to read about the loss of your beloved and beautiful Gracie. My heart goes out to you. Our blonde Labrador, Lucy is a part of our family just as Gracie was to yours. My deepest sympathy Chania. xo

    The story of your father touched my heart. Best wishes getting to know the rest of your family.

    I love the candour of your shots re: the vignette versus the 'real' picture of the rest of the room! It made me feel better to see that everyone is human and lives with 'stuff' and things permanently in the back ground.

    Merry Christmas. Your Gracie, looks like she had a beautiful, calm and loyal spirit. I am so sorry.

    Tracey at velvetinelily xo

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  3. Hi Chania, I know that bathroom will be wonderful when finished. An Indian Feast sounds awesome. Now if I turned the camera into the dark cave of our old house I would tell another story, that is one reason I must have a neat house. The next challenge is Festive...care to elaborate?

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  4. This is a fabulous post and directly up my alley! Bravo! And you know my house is a disaster!Although not as much as before that is for sure! I can see my countertops on a regular basis now. Hooray for Chania. If and when I get around to it I might add my two cents worth...

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  5. Hahaha I love this! Can't wait!
    Loved your counter, a big smile crossed my face...looks like mine!

    happy day!

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  6. Hi Chania,
    Olive sent me over to your blog because she said my post today was perfect for your vignette photo challenge. Now I see why! Stop on over and see if you agree.
    Thanks!
    Jane

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  7. Clever concept Chania, and loved your examples. You're so right! I've girlfriends who live interstate and say how nice my home looks, and I say "that's because you're seeing a snippet". :) Sonia

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  8. This post is too funny! um, yeah I guess we all end up doing that - the pics of my holiday decorating didn't show all the bins and boxes piled in the corner waiting to get hauled back down into the basement or all the pine needles and random glitter all over my carpet :)

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  9. thanks for this post. I feel a whole lot better about my messes now! :-)

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  10. I like those shells.
    True what you say, one can choose what you want to show and say on a blog, often to those one can feel, is that the truth? This you have shown beautifully.

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  11. I love your organized chaos Chania!
    I have the exact same kitchen aid as you...same colour! It's my favourite toy in the kitchen!

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  12. Chania - that's really clever! Your bathroom looks as if it's going to be gorgeous! Right - now to post my vignette (gulp!!)

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  13. Chania, I love how you showed "both worlds". I didn't quite get that in mine, but this challenge really made me think. I love the idea of an Indian feast! Ann

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  14. I like your photo choices! The bathroom photos made me chuckle. :) It's true that we pick and choose what to show people in blog land. I'm OK with that though! :) I could not get a decent vignette shot for today, but I'll definitely bring something to the table next week for FESTIVE. :)

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  15. This is so great because none of us are perfect (as I look at this stack of papers next to my desk!)

    Don't forget, spread the word!

    I have a $200 Giveaway from Fifi Flowers!
    Do come and enter!

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

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  16. LOL!! Loved loved the bathroom vignette! You are too funny. :) Kit

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I love to read each and every comment and are thrilled that you take the time to send one. Thank you so much. Chania