Not giving up on still life

[Designer]

Hard water deposits on a flatware drainer? Who would have thought? Frankly, those spots would cheerfully reside in my house with hardly a thought. Maybe once a week or so I might polish them off, but really, guys, I can find plenty of things to do without worrying about water spots.

Rick58; if you serve somebody a glass with water spots, that is when you ought to remove them.

 

[JustJazzie]

I won't c&c here, since I know nothing about still life. But- I think you're on your way to inspiring me to give it a go here sometime soon! Since haven't tried it yet.

 

[Rick58]

Hard water deposits on a flatware drainer? Who would have thought? Frankly, those spots would cheerfully reside in my house with hardly a thought. Maybe once a week or so I might polish them off, but really, guys, I can find plenty of things to do without worrying about water spots.

Rick58; if you serve somebody a glass with water spots, that is when you ought to remove them.

Really? The little bit of hair I have left on my head is a mess in the morning, but it doesn't mean I wouldn't comb it before getting my picture taken.
Second, I didn't serve milk in a spotted glass. Someone pointed out spots on a glass I was using in a still life and after seeing it, I agreed, bought a new glass and reshot it.
I guess I should go sit in the corner and reflect

 

[Designer]

I'm right there with you!

Reflecting.

 

[Benjo255]

The little bit of hair I have left on my head is a mess in the morning, but it doesn't mean I wouldn't comb it before getting my picture taken.

That's an interesting point.
I don't have that bit of hair even, so I don't have this problem, but I think there's a difference. When shooting a portrait you may have different purposes. If I shoot a model or you to make a fashion portrait, I want the subject to look at his best. Also if I'm shooting a still life for commercial purposes (i.e.: a glass of wyne close to a bottle of good Chianti or a mobile phone on a glass table), I'll try my best to get a clean and perfect subject. Like if the subject was "idealized" at his/her/its best.

But when I shoot a street photography to a homeless, to a old woman, I don't want them to be perfect, I want them to be true.
In this case my purpose was to show these items as they are in a lived and used kitchen, so may be it works better with watermarks. But this doesn't solve my dilemma, because there's an incongruity between the "real life" watermarks and the "dreaming" lights over forks, spoon and knives which suggest and idea of beauty, not of truth. So...I really think I'll go in the corner reflecting too. I have to walk A LOT in this kind of photo.