Still life photography refers to the art of capturing inanimate subjects on film, so as to generate an impression in the mind of the viewer. Still life photographers try various compositions, lighting and background to create a unique picture. The objective of a still life photograph is to convey something to the viewer. Eye-catching pictures in magazines depict photographs of food items like ice creams in such a manner that the viewer senses a mouth watering feeling. Such pictures depict the skill of the still life photographer.
Irving Penn was a famous American photographer who focused on still life images. He popularized gray and white backdrops and is known for making the best use of shapes and lines to create appealing still life photographs. His works adorned the covers of the famous ‘Vogue’ magazine. Adolph de Meyer is known for using refractive elements in his still life pictures to render a dreamy appearance. His works were published in the ‘Camera Work’ magazine and he also worked for the ‘Vogue’, ‘Vanity Fair’ and ‘Harper’s Bazaar’ magazines. Edward Weston is yet another famous still life photographer, who is considered to be the most influential photographers in America. He contributed a lot of varieties and was also famous for his landscape and portrait photography. He was the first one to receive the Guggenheim Fellowship and his photography career lasted for forty years.
The approach of each still life photographer is unique, as reflected in the end product. The different styles are achieved by various kinds of composition, lighting and background. Composition refers to the way in which the objects to be photographed are arranged and it is perfected by experimenting with several arrangements. The background is light or dark, and can be blended with the composition by cloth folds or paper creases. Though natural lighting is preferred, it may be adjusted for shadow effects. Image editing software has enabled still life photographers to make their pictures even more unique and effective.
