Still Life Studio Photography Techniques

The best photos owe their thanks to good lighting.

Still life photography encompasses photography of anything that doesn't move, which does not mean humans and animals that are simply remaining very still. High quality photographs mostly come from correct lighting. Poor lighting prevents certain details in the photo from popping out, changes the color in the photograph, and can make the still object unattractive. Photographers want the right amount of light, so both shaded and highlighted areas create contrast, which makes the dimensions of the image stand out.

Small Spotlights

Using small spotlights in a photography studio can help the photographer highlight certain parts of the photo as needed. Photographers can experiment with these lights until they find a configuration that they like. Also, this technique tends to be cheaper than using more expensive lighting equipment. Some of the spotlights come with special filters that filter light to be more compatible with sunlight.

Daylight

Daylight can give objects a very natural look that many photographers shoot for, and many photographers consider daylight to be the ideal kind of light. However, daylight is not always available, so many photographers use Tensor lamps, which are very close to real daylight. Photographers can also predict when the daylight will be the best based on weather forecasts, but then the photographer has to schedule photo shoots around the weather.

Flashes

Flashes can get rid of shadows, which can ruin the quality of the image. Therefore, still life photographers often use flash equipment to eliminate the shadows in a specific area. Flashes are sometimes directed at the ceiling to eliminate shadows. Photographers can use flashes on the camera and also flashes off the camera, since the on-camera flash does not always hit and eliminate shadows. However, if used correctly, shadows can actually look appealing in a still life and might create a certain emotional effect.

Room Size

Still life photographers sometimes have a difficult time getting enough sunlight to illuminate an inanimate object. The smaller the room, the less light that the photographer will need to illuminate the objects. However, the photographer then has to worry about light reflecting off of objects and creating unexpected effects that might make the image too bright.

Backlighting

One common way to really make the inanimate object pop out is to use backlighting. Backlighting illuminates the background so that the object in the foreground pops out. This helps the viewer see the object in the image that is meant to be emphasized and also makes the space in the image look 3D. The photographer uses a light that flashes at the moment the photographer takes the picture.

References

• Photo.net: Cost Effective Home Still-Life Studio
• School of Photography: Still Life Photography
• Learn My Shot: Backlighting a Still Life
• Picture Correct: Still-Life Tabletop Photography Made Easy