Still-life set-ups

Claire Gillo reveals her top tips for crafting the perfect photos of inanimate objects

- Claire Gillo

Still-life photography is an excellent genre to explore for both the experienced and amateur photographer. The key emphasis of still-life photography is that you are in control of every aspect of the image, from the composition of the frame to the lighting of your subject. What defines an image under the still-life genre is that the subject is inanimate. From a beginner’s perspective this is excellent as you can really take your time to compose your composition and try out different lighting techniques. For the more experienced photographer this genre also provides lots of opportunity, as you can push the creative boundaries and come up with original concepts that will stand out.

What subjects lend themselves to still-life photography? 
There are many different subjects and objects that will photograph well under a still-life set-up and a great place to start is with food. Food is wonderful to photograph as a subject matter because it varies in shape, texture, colour and size. To get some inspiration, study the classics such as Edward Weston’s pepper and cabbage leaf from the 1920s, or the still-life images of Edward Steichen from the same era. Items such as fruits and vegetables shot against a dark backdrop are a great place to begin.