Challenge - Still Life

Challenge Topic: Still Life

Posting Date: Saturday, October 11, 2014

Online Background Information:

• Still life photography
• Ten tips to get started in still life photography
• Five still life lighting tips for beginners
• Still life photographer's guide to lighting
• Still life photograph tips

Additional Tips and Suggestions:

After last month’s “movement” challenge, we’re going to completely change gears and now do some photographic studies of still life. We all know of many classical still life scenes recreated by paintings, usually with dramatic lighting. Lighting is really key is setting your scene because it can provide dimension and focal interest. Think of contrast, shapes, and angles.

Information on lighting and scene setups was provided in an earlier challenge for food photography. It is highly recommended that you go back and study the information resources provided with that post. Those techniques apply for this assignment too. Shop around the house for a collection of interesting items that can be used in your compositions. When in doubt, think back to the simplicity challenge. When it comes to composition, less can really be more. Tell a story. Feature an item in a creative and whimsical way. Pay attention to your background and don’t let it distract from your subject matter. If you need some creative inspirations, search “still life photography” on Pinterest and you will find a wide variety of examples.

Depth of field needs to be controlled for this type of subject matter, so an aperture priority setting on your camera is ideal. Not sure how to do that? Then please check your camera manual. If you use an indoor setting, then a tripod is essential to reduce camera shake, capture crisp details in low light conditions. If you don’t own a tripod, then steady your camera on a chair, table, or other hard surface. If light is needed to illuminate shadow areas, use a reflector.

The links listed above provide a wealth of information the secrets of still life photography. Please do some homework and take advantage of these learning resources!

Instructions:

Prepare one to three of your own photographic images that feature a still life scene. You may use photos from your personal inventory or take new ones for this challenge. It’s your choice.

Please include any information or tips that may be of assistance to other participants (e.g., how you took the images, post-processing details, camera settings, what you learned). If you have more than one blog, please present your challenge photos on only one of them.

The linkup tool will be available the day before the challenge date (October 10) and a couple days thereafter. Don’t forget to set up a calendar reminder for yourself!