Our Guide to Still Life Photography

We’ve talked before on this blog about still life photography, when we gave you 7 ideas to really boost the creativity of your still life shots. Today, we’re going back to basics, with an introduction to still life photography and some different sub-genres you could try for yourself.

What is still life photography?

So, the first thing to focus on is what exactly still life photography is. You might be more familiar with the genre of still life painting – most famously painting that depict bowls of fruit or vases of flowers!

This is a similar concept to still life photography, which refers to photos of inanimate objects. There are a wide variety of objects that are commonly photographed – and no limit to what you can shoot, but the genre is set apart from portrait photography, which is pictures of people, and landscape photography, which refers to shots where the world itself is the subject of the photos.

Often, still life photography refers to shots of common objects that people may not think of as artistic subjects. However, the list of subjects is endless, which is one of the things that makes still life photography so creative.

Different types of still life photography

There are a few different subgenres of still life photography, each with their own subjects and typical styles of composition.

Product shots

Product shots refers to promotional photography of a company’s products. For these to come under still life photography, they generally need to be photos of just the products themselves, not including models. However, given the huge variation in products on sale, there are certainly some that blur the boundaries here, like promotional images of cars.

Food photography

Another common style of still life photography is food photography. As is obvious from the title, this kind of photography involves taking photos of food or food products. Often used in promotional imagery for restaurants or food producers, the food here can be creatively or simply shot. There’s lots of tips and tricks for making sure the food looks at its best in photos!

Found object photography

This style of still life photography is more artistic, referring to the practice of taking still life photos of objects that you find out and about in the world. These objects could be shot in situ, emphasising their status as found in the world, or removed from their context and placed in an artificial setting.

Table photography

Table photography refers to more traditional styles of still life photography. This means photos of “table scenes”, akin to the artistic form of still life painting. Think bowls of fruit or flowers set on tables – with the aim of the photo to capture the objects in a realistic but beautiful way.

Flat lay

Flat lay is another subgenre of still life photography, often used when taking photos of products. In flat lay, the objects or products are laid flat, with the camera positioned above them – so the images are taken from the top down. Flat lay photos often use simple backgrounds to ensure that the products themselves are emphasised and foregrounded in the composition. It’s a great way to create eye catching images that highlight the products you’re shooting.

Here at Alex Bailey Photography, we’re experts in all kinds of still life photography, working with restaurants, product manufacturers and businesses across the country to create eye catching and creative promotional images. Get in touch with Alex today to discuss your next photo shoot.