How to get started in still-life photography

Interesting, arresting, thought-provoking, fun… the still-life genre offers plenty of scope for exploring the art and craft of photography

Still-life photography is the great leveller. While other genres of photography may require specific kit (you won’t get too far in wildlife photography without a telephoto lens, for example), you can essentially use any equipment to shoot a still-life. The big investment comes in the form of time in terms of how long it takes to come up with a concept in the first place, and the time required to refine the composition and lighting.

Modern still-life photography has become a broad church, encompassing everything from classic Renaissance paintingstyle arrangements of fruit and flowers to contemporary minimalism and quirky, humorous set-pieces. And the range of visual styles employed in the genre is just as rich and varied, with black-and-white and vintage treatments rubbing shoulders with vibrantly coloured works and glossy product photography.

Where things can get really interesting is when still-life photography gets conceptual and symbolic and thoughtprovoking. Being able to illustrate an idea or a point of view through inanimate objects, and in turn make viewers dig a bit deeper, is quite a skill. Take a look at the ‘Last Meal on Death Row’ photographs by Mat Collishaw, for example, or the (also food-themed) work of Henry Hargreaves.

While finding a theme can provide a solid foundation for a still-life body of work, being able to pull it together

photographically is key. The good news is that the relatively slow-paced nature of still-life photography means there’s plenty of time to work on framing, composition and exposure.

Setting your camera to Manual exposure and the lens to manual focus will ensure that you have consistency from shot to shot. You can use the histogram as a guide to setting the optimum exposure. Choose a low ISO setting to ensure high image quality, then set an aperture to give you the depth of field that suits the subject. To assess this, take advantage of your camera’s depth-of-field preview to check which parts of the image will be sharp, or simply take a shot and magnify the image to check the details, then make adjustments for subsequent shots.

After this, you can set the other part of the exposure triangle: the shutter speed. Adjust this setting until the histogram gives you the right exposure for the subject. The key is to avoid overexposing the brighter areas of the image, with the histogram clipped on the right.

If you’re working indoors in fairly low light, your shutter speed may be too slow to get a sharp shot while holding the camera. Still-life images invariably work best when they are pin-sharp in all the right places. After spending time setting up your objects and slowly tweaking their position until the image comes together, the last

The relatively slowpaced nature of still-life allows plenty of time to work on your framing

thing you want is for the final result to be soft. That’s why a tripod is the single most important accessory for one of these shoots. Just be sure to double‑check all the locks are tightly done up before you take the shot. You can then use the self-timer to trip the shutter, or fire a Wi-Fi-enabled camera with a compatible smartphone app. Alternatively, tether your camera to a computer and trigger your camera via software instead.

Another advantage of using a tripod is that it allows you to stand back and properly assess the composition on the rear screen. (If you’re shooting tethered to a computer, you can use the even-larger monitor).

Arguably, you have a different relationship with an image when your eye isn’t pressed up to the viewfinder. It gives you the space to check the small details and fine-tune the arrangement as appropriate. For example, there might be a crease in the background material, or a mark on a drinking glass you’re shooting – very easy to miss when you’re squinting into the viewfinder.

Then there’s the arrangement of the object(s) you’re shooting. The composition will be dictated by the subject and the look you’re after, of course. Some subjects look better when shot from a raised perspective, or even from directly above in the case of a flat-lay mandala or exploded view-style still-life. Getting down to the object’s level for an eye-to-eye viewpoint can produce a more intimate image, but you need to take into account how much of the background will be pulled into view. If you’ve got

It gives you the space to check the small details and fine-tune the arrangement as appropriate

the working room, shooting from slightly farther away with a longer focal length gives you more control over how much of the backdrop is visible.

The small stuff really does matter when you’re putting together a still-life scene. If you’re shooting a fruit, are you getting its good side? Would rotating it position the stalk at a better angle? Is there an unwanted sheen on its glossy skin? The way your set-up is lit is another area where a small change can have a big impact. To emphasise relief and texture, for instance, you’ll need to light your set-up from an angle. Daylight is often the preferred choice for still life photographers, but using a flashgun or LED light to pick out one element and allow the rest of the set-up to fade into darkness is a great way to add Old Masters-style mood.

Post-production adds the finishing touch, whether you want to keep a natural look or apply a more artistic treatment. In fact, it’s a good idea to have the end product in mind when you plan your shoot, as that can have a bearing on how you stage and light your still-life, as well as the subjects you shoot.

There’s a wealth of fantastic still-life photography out there from which you can draw inspiration. And with every aspect of the image firmly under your control, you really can spend the time to realise something creatively rewarding.

The small stuff really does matter when you’re putting together a still-life