Still Life Photography Tips
An article by David Smith of Still Life Photography Tips.
Still Life Photography
With most disciplines — landscape photography being a perfect example — the subject
matter is already there. All you have to do is select an interesting portion of
it, compose the picture and fire away. Still- life photography is more like painting,
in that you start out with an empty canvas and the subject matter has to be built
up from scratch. You have to create the picture before you can take it, in other
words, and the success of the final image is therefore dependent upon your imagination,
creativity, and skill as a lighting technician. Tripping the shutter is usually
the last step in a time-consuming process that may take anything from a few hours
to several days.
Coming up with ideas
There are many ways of approaching still-life photography; the one you choose will
depend upon the amount of equipment at your disposal, the time you are willing to
dedicate, and the type of result you wish to produce. Simple household items can
be used as props in your still life’s, such as a bowl of fruit, fresh vegetables,
garden
implements, or an artist’s
brushes, paints and palette. Collections also make ideal subject matter — coins,
stamps, old bottles, postcards, thimbles and teapots are popular examples. Alternatively
you could devise a theme, such as Christmas, the Swinging Sixties, your favourite
colour or a specific shape, then look around for suitable objects. The options are
limited only by your imagination.
The great outdoors or other locations such as your attic, garden shed or basement
can be an equally rewarding source of ‘found’ still life’s, which are photographed
in situ using natural light for the illumination. An old pair of muddy boots on
a building site, the pattern created by terracotta plant pots stacked behind your
greenhouse, an old cartwheel or piles of building materials, cobweb-covered bottles,
tins and tools on the shelves in your garden shed, seashells and pebbles on the
beach, and autumn leaves carpeting the ground are just a few examples of what you
are likely to discover as you search around.
Equipment for still life
You can use any camera for still life weather it’s a DSLR or compact. In terms of
lenses, a 50 mm standard or 35—70 mm zoom will serve you well because you will have
the control to move as close or as far away from the set-up as you like. A short
telephoto lens of 85 mm or 100 mm will come in handy for some shots, plus a macro
lens or close-up attachment for taking pictures of small objects. Wide-angle lenses
tend to be avoided for still-life work because they distort shapes and exaggerate
perspective. As with most of our articles, at Still Life Photography Tips we recommend
that you obtain a sturdy tripod to keep your camera steady, a cable release, plus
a selection of reflectors. Filters do have their uses, but mainly to add creative
effects
Composition and backgrounds
The key word here is simplicity, which at Still Life Photography Tips we definitely
recommend. Most photographers over-complicate their still life’s by trying to cram
too many things into the frame. A far better approach is to start off with one or
two key props and concentrate on creating an interesting composition from those
alone, by experimenting with different lighting set-ups and varying the position
of the items in relation to one another. Further objects can be added, but only
if the composition will benefit.
The background should be given careful consideration as it can make all the difference
between the success and failure of a well-composed still life. Again, at Still Life
Photography Tips we suggest plain, simple backdrops which tend to work best. A sheet
of black card or velvet pinned to the wall will make an uncluttered background that
emphasises the objects in the still life. To create a seamless background, bend
the card or fabric so it forms a smooth sweep, and stand the props on it. This can
be achieved using a tabletop or chest of draws placed against a wall, so the background
sweeps down onto the flat work surface.
Lighting a still life
The type of lighting you use depends upon your needs and what you have at your disposal.
Daylight flooding in through the windows or skylights of your home can be used to
produce all sorts of lighting effects — all you need to do is place a table close
to a large window and arrange your props on it. If you shoot during late afternoon,
warm, low-angle side lighting will cast long shadows that reveal texture and form
in your still life. A good still life photography tip is to reduce the size of the
window opening using black card, so a more directional shaft of light is created.
The diffuse light of an overcast day is perfect for atmospheric still life’s. Use
a north-facing window, which only receives reflected light, and pin a sheet of tracing
paper over the window to soften the light even further. Any shadows can be controlled
using white, silver or gold reflectors made from cardboard.
Studio lighting techniques
Tungsten lamps or studio flash units provide unlimited flexibility, allowing you
to control the direction, harshness and intensity of the light to create exactly
the result you have in mind. You do not need a purpose-built studio or lots of lights
to achieve professional-quality results. A corner of your lounge, a spare bedroom
or garage can be converted into a temporary studio by clearing a suitable space,
and one light plus a selection of reflectors will allow you to experiment with a
range of lighting effects.
The type of lighting you choose will depend upon the items you are photographing.
Shiny objects such as silverware, bottles and jewellery need to be treated carefully
because their reflective surfaces tend to create hotspots which look unattractive.
Dulling spray is available to reduce the reflectivity, but diffusing the light is
more suitable.
One approach is to construct a light tent from a white sheet then direct the light
through it. This produces an all-encompassing, shadowless form of light that adds
an overall sheen to shiny surfaces and reveals their shape perfectly. Alternatively,
you could surround your subject with white reflectors and bounce light onto them,
or use large softbox attachments from close range. So you can gauge the effect of
the light, black out the windows in the room and use the modelling lamps on the
flash heads. You may need to spend several hours adjusting the position of the lights,
adding reflectors, taking them away and so on, but eventually you will obtain the
perfect result.
Here at Still Life Photography Tips we hope you’ve enjoyed this article on still
life photography. Why not try one of our other Photography Tips article. Check the
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