Simple Still Life: Month the Second, Part the First

Here's the current assignment, as laid out by SSL's Fearless Leader, Debra:

Your first assignment is to take the picture of your of next Still Life Challenge. AND POST IT TO YOUR BLOG ON SEPTEMBER 30TH. Not earlier, and hopefully not much later. The SUBJECT of round two: ONE ITEM (AND A SHADOW). Note, the shadow may belong to the item you are photographing, or so some other item out of the frame.

You know what? That assignment is harder than it sounds! First of all, if you are only going to have one item in your photo, you want it to be something interesting. Well, at least I do, and I assume most other people do too. Also, I loved the idea of having the shadow in the photograph NOT be the shadow of the featured object, but rather be the shadow of something out of frame. But again? Harder than it sounds. I carried my camera on every walk this past week hoping something would catch my eye, as I had in mind to maybe feature an interesting rock, or leaf, or branch or something. But the weather wasn't cooperating with me at all this week. It's been very overcast here and spitting rain, meaning either no shadows or very weak ones. (Until today, naturally, when I've already done something else. Today it's sunny and gorgeous. Ppppfffttt!) So yesterday I finally gave up on that idea and started looking around the house for something to photograph. I'd thought I would set something next to a lamp or something, but in the end I actually caught a few moments of decent sunlight and carried my chosen object out onto the deck railing so I could photograph it without a flash. And here it is, my starting photo for the Simple Still Life October assignment: It occurred to me well after I'd taken the photo, that some might consider this candle-holder almost "cheating" since it has many parts, but I figure since I can pick it up and carry it around as it's pictured in the photo, it counts as a single object. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Once we have a working photograph, our assignment is:

After we get to admire all our wickedly inventive photographs next week... we have four weeks to create something from our photos. Once again.. it can be anything. A fiber postcard, a drawing, an exercise in photoshop, a pair of socks... whatever. Post the photo of your completed object ON OCTOBER 28TH.

I have NO clue yet what I'm going to do from here, but stay tuned...