Still life fine art

Just heard a podcast from "7 Photography Questions" on still fine art photography with Jo Whaley. She quoted an old adage: "Theatre is the lie that tells the truth." Wish I understood that earlier in life. It would have made musicals more interesting. Anyway, listening to Jo explain her photos drove home the point to me that every element in a still life has a purpose including background. So much is symbolic sometimes that one might do well to view still life fine art photographs on two levels: initial how's-it-make-me-feel level and what might some of the elements symbolize? e.g. Her shot of a yellow butterfly on a daguerreotype where the butterfly covered up the faces of the two ladies. Seems the ancient greek word for butterfly was "psyche." i.e. "soul.". Fascinating concept portrayed in the pic http://www.7photographyquestions.com/images/32/yellow_butterfly.jpg

Good evening moon

My son was driving me back from McDonald's with my diet Coke in hand when he said "Dicha see the moon?" It was low and not overly bright (it was around 7pm).
The other day we had a lunar ecplise (missed it due to snow and clouds!) and I wondered if last night's moon was somehow related to the eclpise earlier in the week. I grabbed my 55-250mm, tripod, scarf and walked across the street for a few shots. Good shots of the moon have eluded me. I had managed to get a couple of shots last year at Meijer's parking lot but they werent close enough.
Earlier this week I needed a moon shot for a co-workers' going away photo and had to use a online pic instead of my own. Won't need to do that anymore after last night :)

Sister or symbol?

Heard a Emilio Bañuelos in an interview by The Candid Frame podcast the other day (actual interview took place a couple of years ago). He said his greatest challenge in teaching his photography students was to get them to take pictures of friends and family that represent something more than a specific narrow "this is my friend" point of view. They are challenged to take those pix so they speak to everyone that sees them...not just the photographer. Sorta like a picture of "Mary" my mom should convey "motherhood" to everyone else. Been thinking of ways to creatively convey this concept.

Patience

My photographic Achilles Heel? Patience

Take or Create?

After nearly a year's worth of Photography podcasts catching up on the world of digital, one of the most profound things I've heard has been the challenge to not just "take" pictures but "create" them. This requires vision. I was thinking during today's train ride: how deliberate am I when shooting? Do I have a compelling vision? Do I have a style? Do I just seek "pretty pictures"?