Still life photography is one of the longest enduring genres of the medium. Learn the secrets of keeping this style vibrant and modern with these tips from ten experienced still life photographers.
The still life is one of the oldest photographic genres in existence. It was a natural choice for early photographers in the 19th century, who took many of their cues from painting and who were often limited to stationary objects by long exposure times. But while photographic still lifes have endured throughout the last century and a half, they’ve also changed drastically.
Consider, for instance, the somber black and white photographs of André Kertész in the 1920s, then skip forward to William Eggleston and his colorful, vernacular stills in the 1970s. From there, move towards Martin Parr, who, in the 1990s, photographed objects with a bold and dizzying flash. Finally, a quick trip through the Instagram archives will reveal this generation’s obsession with minimal, pastel arrangements. These works of art are as distant from one another as night and day, and yet they all belong in the same genre. They’re all still lifes.
We reached out to ten photographers of all backgrounds, ranging from former painters to social media influencers, and we asked them what it means to take still lifes in 2018. Below, they offer their best tips.
1. “Play with colors, shadows, and saturation. Do what you like, and do it with inspiration.”
Katya Havok