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A close-up of a wooden table corner showing a detailed burl grain. A small, square piece of matching wood is layered over the edge, creating a stepped, geometric effect.

Perfect composition makes for some serious eye-trickery courtesy of Heather Cleary

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Date
20 August 2012

Really great portfolio of still-life photography here from Heather Cleary, showcasing her enviable ability to create seemingly 2D collages out of 3D scenarios. Unlike some still-life photographers whose style is immediately recognisable, Heather has a curious knack of making each image almost entirely different to the last. Jumping from illusionary images of the corners of tables to a very impressive shot of the effect the shape of a woman’s chest has on the polka-dot pattern of her t-shirt – the notion of eye-trickery and perspective is palpable, and very effective.

Of her own work she says:“Reality can be impossible to pin down, and these images intend to further explore this notion… By selecting, modifying, segmenting, and/or isolating items from their context, I pull objects from utility into abstraction. I make the mundane questionable, playfully dubious. In this way, these photographs explore the relationship between impartial objects and personal perceptions, focusing on the subtleties that produce multiple layers of experience."

A person with blonde hair wears oversized dark sunglasses. They are partially obscured by a diagonal wooden panel that cuts across the frame.
Above

Heather Cleary: Magazine

A close-up of a person wearing a tight white T-shirt with a pattern of small black dots. The fabric stretches across their chest.
Above

Heather Cleary: Dot Matrix

An open book showing two pages of printed text. The right page is titled “ON KEEPING A NOTEBOOK”.
Above

Heather Cleary: Same book, different fonts

Pieces of popcorn are scattered across a close-up photograph of a person’s face. The popcorn rests on their forehead, cheek and chin, casting small shadows against the image.
Above

Heather Cleary: Untitled

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About the Author

Liv Siddall

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Liv joined It’s Nice That as an intern in 2011 and worked across online, print and events, and was latterly Features Editor before leaving in May 2015.

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