Still life images of a water bottle for Yeti (left) and a leather boot for Texas Monthly (right) both shot by Jeff WilsonĪ basic understanding of the subject and how it looks, functions, and reflects light helps get you to a solid starting point, but knowing how it fits into a subculture takes it to another level. I do some studio still life where I am creating an image from scratch, but most of the time I am on location and using the materials and surroundings I have on hand. Still life is usually a more methodical, repeatable, iterative process, which is rewarding in a completely different way. As Austin, Texas-based still life photographer Jeff Wilson opines, that’s part of the fun - and only part of it.Īs much as I love portraiture, there are a lot of variables that are not only outside of your control, but unknowable until the moment you start shooting. That’s where the questions come in, the ones that spring to mind as soon as you land the commission: how will I get that metal to shine, that bottle shape to be perfectly accented, those pieces of wire to have the perfect contrast against the chosen background? These are (only some) of the thoughts that go into planning a still life shoot.

Once you’re on set, it’s up to you and your crew to position everything exactly as intended. But Still Life shoots do require their fair share of legwork, background knowledge, and improvisation. Moving liquids are more high-maintenance than solid inanimate objects, which - as is also possible with people or pets - aren’t going to put up much of a fuss. Liquids are usually shot in a controlled environment and the photos often go through an extensive retouching process before all is said and done. Still Life photography not only differs from portraiture (duh), it also varies slightly from product photography for Liquids, which are sometimes still but often spilling, splashing, pouring, mixing, or foaming (though, as you’ll see, when the liquid stays in the bottle, it can be considered a Still Life image). You can’t exactly spark a passionate conversation about posing or camera angles with a shoe or a glass of wine - let alone coerce it into cooperating by giving it a treat. After all, working with living, breathing humans - and animals - means getting to interact with that subject, receiving immediate feedback, in one form or another, on your approach to the assignment. As far as definitions go, Wonderful Machine’s description of Still Life/Product photography is one of the simpler ones we have:Īny inanimate object not covered by our other specialties, often products.īut this is a classic case of something being harder than it sounds.

Still life photography