As we know that sometimes you feel like simply wandering through inspirational photography in order to get ideas for personal or professional projects, or both, we like to offer you inspirational galleries like this one of still life images.
A few days ago I was talking to you about the benefits of still life photography . It may be that a priori it is something that does not attract your attention too much or it may be that, if you have already tried it, you have been hooked.
What I am sure of is that if you dare with it you will learn a lot, from lighting to composition and all kinds of photographic techniques. This type of photography allows you to plan, think, choose each parameter of the shot, each object and light source, so I can think of few more complete types of photography to practice than this.
In addition, you will get very cool photos, and now that we have to spend more time at home than normal, still life photography will help you combat isolation or simply have a good time in the company of your favorite hobby
1. LOW KEY
I had already told you that with still life photography you can experiment with a multitude of techniques. One of them is low key photography , a technique with dramatic and spectacular results that you can also apply to your portraits.
2. WINDOW LIGHT
Experimenting to learn to master all types of light, its directionality or intensity, is also one of the learning opportunities that you will have when working on still life photography.
3. CLOSE-UP
Looking for different perspectives and planes is essential to obtain interesting results. Make the most of each image by photographing it from different angles, zooming in or out, until you find the image you are looking for.
4. USE DIFFERENT MATERIALS
Wood, metal, glass, etc., have different characteristics that you can use in the narrative of the image. Wood is warm and natural, metal is cold and generates more reflections, just like glass. Experiment with each of them to find out which gives you the best results.
5. SIMPLICITY
You know that we often say in photography that less is more. Make sure that all the elements you add to your composition make sense in the story you want to tell.
6. EXPERIMENT WITH FLASH IN YOUR STILL LIFE IMAGES
A still life is not going to move, that's the good thing about it. It will allow you to experiment not only with natural light but also with flash light. Try to bounce the light off ceilings or walls so that it reaches your still life indirectly.
7. TAKE CARE OF THE BACKGROUND
It does not necessarily have to be smooth, white or dark , but you must avoid that the background detracts from the main subject of the image.
8. BLACK AND WHITE
Not everything is color in still life photography. Experiment with black and white to express the essence of the form and achieve a timeless effect.
9. TEXTURES
Textures are one more narrative element of your compositions, take advantage of them in your backgrounds or in the elements you want to photograph.
10. THEME
Establish a discourse that is logical in the relationship of the different elements. Like in this image:
11. DEPTH OF FIELD
Use the aperture or depth of field to direct attention where it interests you (focus area) and create atmosphere.
12. TELL A STORY
Yes, with still life photography you can also (and you should tell stories ? ).
13. TAKE CARE OF THE COMPOSITION
Move the elements, move yourself, remember the basic composition rules and slowly compose your still life image until you are convinced by the results.
14. PLAY WITH COLOR
Color is essential as a compositional element . You can play with complementary or similar colors or, as in this case, with the same color.
If you want to delve into still life photography, I recommend that you take a look at this article before starting with it.
I hope you really get excited about still life photography, you'll see how it helps you improve a lot as a photographer and you'll also get impressive results with some patience and perseverance.
