Still Life Photography: Learn Composition and Light

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Still life photography gives you time to explore composition, light, and color with subjects that stay in place. A bowl of fruit, a vase, or a few objects from around the house can become a useful creative exercise. You can move the objects, adjust the light, and study how each change affects the photograph.

In fact, painters and other artists have relied on still-life imagery for centuries to hone their craft. When approached properly, still life photography is an excellent way to create beautiful artwork while enhancing your skills as a photographer. I'll show you some of the things that you can learn from this misunderstood genre, and I'll give you some ideas that will help you add life to your still images.

Learning about Composition, Light, and Color

Composition, light, and color are useful starting points for still life photography. Begin by thinking about the relationship between the objects. A bowl of apples might suggest a decorative centerpiece or the start of a baking project.

To tell the baking story, try adding a rolling pin, some flour, or an empty pie plate. Move the objects and compare the results. Use the Rule of Thirds as one possible guide, then experiment with other arrangements. Keep the elements that support the image and remove distractions.

As you create still life images, you'll also learn to study the way light affects the scene. Compare soft, diffuse light with a smaller, harder light source. Notice how the shadows, reflections, and surface textures change. Strong directional lighting — the sort that leaves long shadows and areas of deep black — can be used to add mystery or a more ominous feeling.

When it comes to color, experienced artists and photographers learn to create a palette for each image. That is, they know that if most of the flowers in a vase feature soft, pastel shades, they might choose other pastel objects to keep the palette quiet. Of course, you're free to add bright spots or work in contrasting colors to make a statement, but in general, sticking to a rather strict color scheme helps you appreciate and use the subtle shifts between shades.

Making Still Life Imagery Interesting

Still-life imagery is much like product photography, but with a more artistic goal in mind. Because this genre is meant to help you explore your creative freedom with more mundane objects, you're free to use almost anything imaginable to create a scene or make the image more meaningful. Smoke, water droplets, colored lighting — these are all examples of tools that can help you turn an everyday subject into something unusual.

Create a few still life images of your own, and you'll find that you have a greater appreciation for things like color, composition, and lighting. Approach each image as if you're telling a story about the objects within, and your still life photos will be anything but boring!