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It takes far more than still hands and minds for Still-life photography

It takes far more than still hands and minds for Still-life photography

By Shivam Published 12 months ago 3 min read
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It takes far more than still hands and minds for Still-life photography
Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash

It is by far one of the easiest things in the world. Or at least it seems so to the naïve eyes. After all, what does it have? A bunch of inanimate objects captured from a bunch of angles. Right? Well, not quite. In reality, still-life photography is an art form that requires far more than just steady hands and a calm mind. One must have a creative vision guided by technical skills and attention to detail. Ignore any of these and you’ll soon find ghostly stillness and silence in your photography career. Let’s capture a few whys and hows of it.

Craft of composition

There lies a vase clad in elegance and eons full of stories, looking to speak them all through your pictures. You take your camera, point at it, and bleh! The king and the queen seem like living the last of their rotten days. Reason? You botched the composition. It is of the most important aspects of still-life photography. The way you arrange your subjects can have a huge impact on the final image. Whenever composing a still-life photograph, consider factors such as balance, color, and texture. Think about the negative space in the image and how it interacts with the subjects. A picture is like a short story that has events arranged in a manner that magnifies the overall impact of the storytelling.

Light and lumens

When God said let there be light, he was thinking about photographers. Photographers were a part of those dear few that included painters, musicians, writers, singers, and dancers. Lighting is vital to still-life photography. The way you light your subjects can drastically alter the mood and tone of the image. Change the angle and you might find a laughing queen to be crying. Reduce the intensity and the drapes will come down. Always consider the direction and intensity of the light. Also, don’t ignore the color temperature. Shadows and highlights also play a critical role in Still-life photography. Hold the bridle and control them effectively.

Dearly details

Because everything is still there, the mind starts focusing on the crevices and fibrils. Still-life photography requires a great deal of attention to detail. Every element in the image needs to be carefully considered and placed in just the right way. Ignore and you’ll soon find that your picture is beautiful in your thoughts alone. Pay close attention to things like reflections, surface textures, and even dust or fingerprints on the objects you're photographing. They speak a tale that nothing else can, a tale that alters the overall narrative.

Pleasing post-processing

I dare you to read the first draft written by any novelist in the world. A page later you’ll start questioning their talent and story-telling skills. You love their novels because they get processed draft after draft. Similarly, post-processing is an important part of still-life photography. In fact, it is an important part of any type of photography. It allows you to refine the image and enhance its visual impact. You can adjust things like contrast, saturation, and sharpness to create a final image that truly captures your creative vision.

Now, this is not all. To capture the still whispers in your camera, you also need great cameras & photo accessories that are able to imitate your thought process. Invest in high-quality equipment. Open up your laptop and check out eBay alternatives that bring some ease to your pockets and pictures.

Photography is a divine thing, just like any other form of art. You must be a devotee of your art form. This means being willing to put in any amount of effort to it. This way, you can create stunning images that truly capture the beauty of the world around us.

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About the Creator

Shivam

Helping people communicate complex ideas using storytelling

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