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It’s not always an easy task to create a simple and strong image. Today’s
electronic trends can provide quick tricks to get a viewer’s attention
without creating a lasting impression. A great still life image is not just
a record of the way something looks; it is the merging of the elements we admire
in art: Color, Light, Shadow and Texture together in one place—your photograph.
The still life photographer sees objects for what they are and then shows
the viewer what they can become. As difficult as simple can be, the results
will be well worth your efforts.
Tip 1: Love Your Subjects
Create still life images only with objects that you absolutely love. Photograph
them on a sheet of 1/2” white gloss plexiglass which can be used
effectively to create a reflective surface with the controlled lighting technique
described on the next page.
Tip 2: A Simple Lighting Setup
You can create a simple but functional lighting setup with just two strobe heads.
Use the strobes to backlight a white wall or a 4x4 sheet of foamcore that is
approximately 3 feet behind the plexiglass tabletop. This technique provides
you with a clean, bright white background.
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Tip 3: Begin With A Silhouette
Begin by using only the back strobe lights to create a perfect silhouette for
the first exposure. Examine this shape, then slowly add a small amount of tungsten
light from a single fresnel source from the side, raking a thin beam across
the object’s surface. Slowly point the light on the object while making
test exposures with a digital camera tethered to the computer screen; review
the light variations until you see something you like. A white or silver card
opposite the light source will help fill in the shadows. You can adjust the
lighting ratio of foreground light with shutter speed—using the tungsten
light in front—and control the backlight (strobe) with aperture to achieve
a perfect balance.
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