In this lesson: Learn how to master one of the oldest artistic pursuits – still life

Still life images benefit from strong subjects, perfect lighting, and simple backgrounds, much like any other type of photo.

When you think of a still life image, you likely think of an oil painting of fruit from hundreds of years ago. Still life images have been around for a long time, to be sure, and still represent a fun way to tackle photography and further your photo-taking skills.

Fortunately, still life photography is something you can do with a wide variety of subjects, with just about any camera and lens, and all from the comfort of home. Let’s explore a few tips for getting started.

Making Preparations

Still life photography is perhaps one of the most straightforward of any that we will discuss in Boot Camp. You don’t need a fancy studio or complex lighting, and as noted above, you don’t even have to leave the house!

In fact, you don’t need much more than a few interesting items, a table, a nondescript background, a couple of lamps, and, of course, your camera.

Where the work comes in is in positioning the subject in a manner that is interesting. In this regard, still life photography depends on you to work both sides of the camera – you’re responsible for posing as well as lighting, composition, and so on. Of course, this also means that you have total control over the situation so that you can manipulate each element of the shot to your liking.

Looking at the sample image of the fall decorations and blankets, you’ll notice that the scene is very tailored. Everything has its place, and each item has a variety of colors, textures, and patterns to add interest to the shot. Note as well how the photographer established a narrow depth of field to add interest. You’ll need to make the same kind of detail-oriented preparations as well.

Lighting is Key

Clearly, lighting for still life photos is of the utmost importance. Fortunately, you don’t have to buy expensive studio lights to get a pleasing still life photo. In fact, in some cases, you can simply use natural lighting coming through a window, as was done in the sample image of the eggs.

Conversely, you can also use artificial lighting to have greater control over how the light falls on your still life subject. Using two common table lamps, try lighting the scene from both the left and right sides. This will produce nice, even lighting that results in minimal shadowing.

Experiment with moving the lights around the subject – perhaps even placing both lights on the same side – and vary the distance between the light and the subject. The closer the lighting is to the subject, the harsher the light will be. On the other hand, moving the light further away will help spread it out more for a softer look.

Think About the Background

Still life images require a background that won’t interfere with the serenity of the shot. Often, you’ll see a still life subject in front of a background that is cast in shadow, if not completely black. Other times, you can see a clean background that’s as simple as a white sheet or a neutral-colored wall. 

Whatever your background choice, it will need to offer some sort of contrast with your subject such that the subject pops in the image. For example, in the sample image of the flowers, note how the background is dark and creates a simple backdrop upon which the complexity of the flower’s texture and coloring can really shine.

You’ll also need to consider the surface upon which your subject is sitting. In the sample image of the flowers, this isn’t a concern because the foreground is cropped out of the shot. But for smaller items, use the same criteria to select a surface as you use for a background – it should be clean, simple, and contrast well with the subject.

Challenge Activity

In this challenge activity, you will practice setting up a still life scene, lighting it, and composing eye-catching shots.

Step 1: Determine what objects you will use in your still life images. These props can be virtually anything you desire, from fruit to flowers, kitchen utensils to candles, and everything in between.

Step 2: Do a dry run, setting up your selected objects in an eye-pleasing arrangement. As you arrange the objects, study the lighting, background, and composition, noting things you like and don’t like. Try various poses and lighting schemes as well.

Step 3: Grab your camera and frame up a shot. Manipulate the aperture to get the depth of field you want, and fire the shutter. Examine the photo, looking at things like the framing, the lighting, and the histogram to ensure you’ve got a well-exposed image. If need be, alter the shutter speed and/or ISO to improve the exposure.

Step 4: Recompose the shot and repeat the process. Try various camera angles, shooting from above and below the subject. Also work with the lighting to increase or decrease its harshness, as desired.

Step 5: Identify other objects you can use as a still life subject and repeat the steps above, creating a series of images that show your ability to change the framing, composition, lighting, and posing to get a variety of still life images.