Subject photography still life. Still life: how to shoot levitation and steam. Set up the right lighting

Today we will tell you about what a still life is and how to create it. This is, you know, of course, about a photographic still life. From this article, you will also learn how to make a beautiful image of objects in an ordinary apartment in just a few steps.

So what is still life? Translated from French, still life (nature morte) means a dead nature. With regard to all types of fine art, a still life is an image on the plane of various objects. A still life can depict jewelry, fruits and other fruits, household items and household items, antiques and much more, more precisely, anything.

So how do you shoot a still life?

First step. Idea

Everything begins with her, with an idea. Absolutely any business. Including work on a still life. Before you start shooting, you need to firmly understand for yourself: without an idea that you clearly formulated for yourself, you will not succeed. Some amateurs sometimes think something like this: "Now I am scattering objects on the table, and I will immediately understand what will come of all this, what will I get." But let us tell you right away: such an approach to business will only take your time, and, perhaps even that, in general, it will discourage the desire to shoot a still life. The idea of creating a still life matures in the photographer on the basis of his imagination, desire to shoot, and, in general, various everyday impressions. During the ripening period, the idea is gradually cleared of various unnecessary and unnecessary details, gets into certain frames, the composition of the future picture is built, objects, background, draperies, etc. are selected for this picture.

By the way, the search for objects for the realization of the idea of a conceived still life is quite difficult, and sometimes costly in material terms. Some of the photographers buy these items, someone takes them for a while from friends and acquaintances. Quite often the composition of a still life arises on the basis of one thing. Then this composition grows overgrown with other things, one, second, third idea of still lifes arises, in which this particular object will appear. After you think over the plot of the still life, finally decide on the composition, then you will need to constantly keep in mind those items that you have in stock. Well, at worst, buy them in addition or acquire them in other ways. In parallel with this, you need to mentally draw yourself a composition of the picture on which your objects will be located. You need to work in this regard until the still life is finally "drawn" in your imagination.

Second phase. Backdrop and table preparation

It is best to build objects from which you will create still lifes at home on a coffee table that can move on wheels. Such a table can be easily positioned as it is convenient for you, for example, in relation to a window or to another light source. The table is just a base, a stand for objects. It will not be visible in the picture itself. What will be seen in the picture, which will serve as a background for objects, is usually called a backdrop. A backdrop for a still life may well be a sheet of fiberboard about one and a half to one and a half meters in size. On the one hand, for example, it can be painted with light or gray paint, on the other - with a dark stain. Such a backdrop is quite enough for work. You also need such a thing as bedding. What it is? The litter can be, for example, a piece of burlap or other beautiful textured fabric of different colors, various planks from different types of wood, cardboard, pieces of glass, etc. The main thing is that both the litter and the backdrop would not be too active and would not be distracting the viewer's attention would not fall out of the general tone of the still life.

Stage three. Arrangement of objects

The great Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali once said: "If your picture is clear to you already before it was written, you don't need to paint it." What does it mean? And the fact that in the imagination of the artist the picture is usually drawn somewhat differently than the way it will be in real embodiment on the plane. The reason for this phenomenon is many different little things. Not a single artist, even the most talented and educated, will ever tell you exactly how the proportions will be built in a given situation, for example, a rose in a vase in relation to an apple located a little further from it, how the light will fall on this whole composition, and much more. That is why the arrangement of objects for a still life, their arrangement on the desktop, is just the embodiment of your fantasies. And our life, as you know, is rather far from ideal.

It often takes a lot of time for true masters of still life to arrange objects. Sometimes they can do this for hours. Indeed, every millimeter is important in this matter. Sometimes, placing objects on a plane, the photographer realizes that he has failed, that the objects do not fit each other at all, do not live a single life, that the still life being built turns out to be completely wrong and boring. In this case, you just need, as they say, to strain your brains and return to the original idea of your still life, and squeeze out of this idea everything that is really possible, to the last drop. But, unfortunately, often nothing comes of it. Nevertheless, if you see that the composition is still somehow developing, there is no point in breaking it. It's easier to tweak it and still take a picture. By the way, sometimes it happens that a still life acquires its completeness only after processing the image in Photoshop. Don't forget that too. Or a situation may arise exactly the opposite: you have created, in your opinion, a decent, simply wonderful still life, but the audience did not like it at all and they did not appreciate it.

Stage four. Light

Light in still life is a separate and serious topic. You can talk about it for a long time. But today, in order not to tire you with unnecessary reasoning, we will talk about it briefly.

It is good to use different types of lighting in a still life depending on the season and the plot of the still life itself. For example, in natural sunlight from a window (or even on the street) it is good to shoot still lifes, the main "characters" of which are fruits, vegetables, berries, flowers, and in general something that has recently been alive. But the so-called "male" still lifes, in which such attributes of this half of humanity as a pipe, an expensive lighter, a beautiful knife, a bottle of good cognac, are best shot in artificial light. It is possible with a flash, it is possible with other light sources. Artificial light gives the still life an atmosphere of night, tranquility, some kind of loneliness and comfort. But, nevertheless, a lot in a still life can be changed by setting when shooting, for example, instead of one flash - two, or shooting a still life at a different value of the white balance. Well, and much more.

Sometimes, when shooting a still life, it is good to use shutters that block the path of the light flux, or reflectors that illuminate objects with reflected light. In any situation, when creating a still life, serious attention must be paid to the light pattern. The general mood of the still life depends on it.

Fifth stage. Shooting

Well, the objects were placed on the table, the still life was arranged, the light was put on ... Now we begin to shoot. The camera, of course, needs to be mounted on a tripod.

We would like to inform you that this stage, photographing, also imposes some restrictions on the work. Sometimes it may happen that in the picture the composition of the still life, lighting, and much more may look a little different. And then you will be forced to swap objects, move them from place to place, create a different light pattern, etc. This stage of work is very closely connected with the third stage of work on a still life (with the arrangement of objects). This is why it can take many hours too. Plus, when shooting, the photographer often has to change the camera settings as well.

After you see a picture on the miniature display of the camera that seems to suit you, you can remove the flash card from the device and insert it into the computer in order to view the result on the big screen. Of course, at the same time, you will surely find in your still life a huge number of minor flaws and mistakes. Well, for example, a blockage of the horizon, or inaccurate focusing, some kind of extra glare on an object, etc. You have to carry the card to the camera again, change the shooting parameters, move objects from place to place, replace them with one another, build a new light pattern ... Again, take a few pictures ... Then again - the big screen. And so on ad infinitum. Sometimes it can take several hours. Sometimes you can spend the whole day with one still life. Sometimes, the light from the window can change, become different both in intensity and in color temperature ...

But without painstaking work, you will never get a good still life. As an old Russian proverb says - you can't easily remove a fish from a pond.

Sixth stage. Post-processing

Post-production processing of a photo in various graphic editors (in Photoshop, for example) on a computer is a necessary stage of work. Those who deny this are deeply wrong, they believe that there is no need to interfere with photography, that this deprives it of its reality and naturalness. Post-processing of images is needed. It is sometimes simply necessary. In still lifes, you can't do without her at all. True, in some cases post-processing is needed more, in some less. Graphic editors open for the photographer yet another, new, unknown until recently, when photographing on film, the facet of creativity.

For example, in Photoshop, you can age a still life, or put some texture under the image. We want to offer you approximately the following scheme for post-processing a still life:

Open RAW file and edit it in Adobe Camera RAW.
Give the image a vivid contrast.
Darken or lighten some areas of the image, equalize the overall tone.
If there is a need and desire, place a texture under the image.
Raise sharpness if possible.
Well, and, the final stage - small retouching of defects in the objects themselves, depicted in the picture: scuffs, cracks, etc.

Everything. Save all changes to the image. The work has been completed.

By the way, this stage of work, these six seemingly short steps, can also be quite long in time and last several hours ... Let's give here one more little piece of advice. Post-processing is best done a few days after the shot. Let your head, your creative thinking rest after hard work. It is possible that during this time you may be visited by new great ideas.

We wish you creative success!

You don't have to treat still life photography as a real problem because you don't know where to start. This genre is definitely worth mastering, because it can become a kind of meditation for a photographer.

Still-life photography helps the photographer hone their professional skills at their own pace, while at the same time they immediately have the opportunity to create work that can later be placed in the portfolio. This article will help you get started with still life photography: photographer Charlie Moss shares his experience in shooting them.

Lens selection

As with any genre of photography, it is imperative to have the right lens for your subject. Everyone knows that there is no universal lens. But for photographing still lifes, you don't need it.

It is recommended to start with 50 mm. When it comes to still life photography, a 50mm lens is considered a wide angle lens. If you are shooting only one or two subjects, or if your subject is just small, too much of the photo will be taken up by the surface on which it is located, or the background. You will need to get very close to the subject in order to get rid of all the unnecessary in the frame.

Scale is a very important aspect of still life photography. Some objects may appear wider or taller in. And the large amount of background visible in the picture can simply overshadow the entire subject.

Choosing the right props by color and mood

Once you've found the equipment you need, it's time to brush up on them, because you really need them when creating still life images. Colors provide harmony and contrast in a photograph. If you were shooting something in a blue tint, for example, and using a blue and green background, you would get a very harmonious and possibly calm image.

On the other hand, adding yellow or orange tones to the scene will create a certain tension and lead to a more dynamic overall feel of the shot.

You can add color to a still life shot in a variety of ways. Backgrounds, fabrics, plates, bowls, vases - all of these things are part of the set in the shoot, which you can start collecting to create a color library of props. Don't forget about natural objects such as flowers and foliage; very often they can really bring a picture to life.

Make sure the props you use look consistent. For example, if you're aiming for a vintage look, keep all of the details in a consistently retro style. Do not use shiny rose gold cutlery next to an antique silver tray. It might look pretty, but visual storytelling won't do the trick.

Consider keeping most of your props neutral so that the elements will blend well and look together in many shots, so you can get a lot out of them. Sometimes, if the props are too bright, it can distract the viewer's eyes from the main subject. It should be remembered that shiny objects in still life can be quite problematic. Sometimes photographers have to spend an entire day to get the right shot of a shiny kitchen appliance because it reflects the whole environment.

Selecting a background

Your background color will often play the role of the most dominant color in the scene, so choose wisely and remember that it will be difficult to change the background once you have placed all the props on it. Choose a background according to the feel you would like to create in your final image.

Anything that visually matches the scene you create can play the role of the backdrop. This could be a marble countertop, a beautiful old rustic table, or an extra piece of fabric. Anything that helps create a mood for the image.

Besides the background color, think about its texture. A worn, darkened old baking sheet will create a completely different feel from, for example, draped silk. Think about how you feel about choosing them for your scenes, and decide what is right for the story you're trying to tell with your photograph.

Textures in still life

Along with all the other elements of still life photography, texture really creates the right mood. Search both the main streets of the city and art shops. Are you shooting something rustic in country style? Then the beautiful rough fabric will perfectly convey the story in the frame. Or maybe you're photographing a more modern scene that would benefit from the use and sleek shiny props?

The texture also adds interest and depth to the final image. Human life is a riot of different textures that affect feelings both visually and through touch.

Since you cannot touch the objects in the photo, you need to tell the viewer what they look like. Using texture is the main way to visually convey the sensation of physically touching the frame. Keep in mind that it is the textures that communicate the information that is embedded in your frame to the viewer.

Create a start, middle and end

Like a good story, a snapshot needs a beginning, a middle, and an end. Except that in photography this is commonly referred to as foreground, middle, and background. This layering effect in pictures helps create depth in the frame.

To maintain focus and maintain the desired framing, while carefully positioning the main subject. Place the element of interest in the foreground. It could be petals if you were photographing flowers, or maybe a folded corner of table linen if you are photographing food in still life. Anything that brings the gaze to the frame, while not too distracting attention from the main focus, is good.

Finally, place a background element in the frame. In the shots above, the photographer has added a yellow napkin, which both creates a certain amount of interest and adds contrasting color, but you can act more subtly. The background itself can also be a background element, if it's interesting enough. In this case, he must play the role of "finishing point" in the composition; stopping the viewer's attention in the same way that a period ends a sentence.

You may find it easier to play with compositional colors and shapes for the foreground and background if you use a shallow depth of field. If these elements appear out of focus in the frame, it will help keep the viewer's attention on the main subject of the image.

Image completion in post-processing

In creative still life photography, there is no rule that colors must be believable. Using different colors - or even turning a photo into monochrome - can change the mood and story.

Processing still life photos in Adobe Lightroom lets you try different color schemes by comparing side-by-side copies of images. The best thing about Adobe Lightroom is that editing doesn't destroy the original file. This means you can try anything from wild acid tones to something more conservative and always revert to the original file.

Conclusion

Don't be afraid to work slowly and try new things when you're shooting a still life. Take your time, don't limit the number of options. You will surely notice that the shot later will be the best result of the photo shoot. Also, remember that sometimes the most beautiful compositions are the most minimalistic. If you don't know which decision to opt for - simplify!

If we talk about professional still life photography, then this is also a very profitable business, since such photographs are used in all kinds of magazines, catalogs and websites. There are many advantages to working with still lifes that are often overlooked. Today we are going to tell you some basic rules about still life photography and perhaps this genre will interest you.

Getting Started

Contrary to popular belief, you don't need a studio or location to start photographing still lifes. You can start by making simple use of space at home, with window lights and a simple background to help you.

When photographing still life, you need to consider much less detail to create a frame than when working with landscapes or when shooting models. As you prepare to shoot and think about your future photography, you have much more control over the position of your subjects.

Object selection

What you photograph is entirely up to you. If you look around, you can find many interesting and captivating things that are worth a shot. Do not follow stereotypes and do not shoot exclusively flowers and fruits, there are many more possible subjects for shooting. Thinking outside the box is welcomed even in the most standard genre.

Pay attention to things around you, try to find images and subjects for a still life in ordinary everyday things. Look at this or that potential subject from different angles and from different angles. When photographing, try to avoid reflective surfaces such as glass and metal, such surfaces can distort light and spoil the frame.

Lighting

Still life lighting doesn't have to be expensive. If you cannot afford to purchase studio lighting equipment, then you can get by with improvised equipment. Remember, you have complete control over your shooting, so if you want to find a space where you can completely eliminate natural light with blinds or curtains, you can create original footage with self-set artificial light. If you don't have the option, create eye-catching photographs using natural light.

Using standard lamps can be very productive if you know how to work with them. Be sure to try to illuminate the subject from different angles, the option with direct lighting is not always successful, and sometimes just boring. If you have a bright and beautiful light source from a window, try photographing with them as well. Sometimes you have to use a reflector, especially when shooting in natural light. If you don't have a reflector, you can also create one yourself, for example, from foil and cardboard.

Tripod and shooting angles

Depending on the lighting, you may need to use a tripod. Using a tripod has a beneficial effect on still life photography, with its help you can observe the plot. Also, it will help you use long exposures and still create beautiful shots.

Try to make it so that the tripod does not limit you. Change the angles and point of view, do not be lazy to rearrange, or reconfigure the camera and mount it on a tripod in a new way. Otherwise, you will end up with a whole series of similar, even boring, frames with minor plot changes.

Deciding on the choice of background

The presence of a beautiful and successful background is already half the success of a still life. It is best when the background when shooting is simple, beautiful, so that it does not distract from the subjects of the still life. Monochromatic walls or a large sheet of white or colored paper with a simple pattern, or without it at all, are a good choice.

Think about how the background contrasts with the subject. If you do not want to shoot against a simple background, then think about what shade would look good and harmonious with your frame and could complement the image of a still life. For small objects, you don't need a background per se, but instead you need a surface for placing objects. Here, as a background, black velvet will look good, or just a solid black surface that absorbs light well.

Still life composition

The compositional element of your photograph is the most important component of a successful shot. When composing a photo, consider the rule of thirds, think about how they can be applied in your shot to create a strong composition.

To create an interesting and memorable photo, it is very important to think outside the box. Where does the gaze fall when viewing the frame? How do you use white space in the frame? How to present an object to the viewer so that it looks as attractive and advantageous as possible? By answering these questions, you can create a good composition and successfully photograph a still life.

Atmosphere and mood

No matter how funny it sounds now, but believe me, the quality of the photos you create is influenced by the atmosphere and your mood. Moreover, this rule works not only when shooting still lifes. When you are relaxed, focused, and enjoying the filming process, you can be practically confident that your attempts will be successful. When photographing a still life, it is important not to rush anywhere.

Unlike street and reportage photography, where the composition of the frame changes all the time and you need to have time to take the frame in time, the still life is static. It can take as long as you wish to create one still life photograph. That is why, you should pay attention to the little things and prepare for the shot as much as necessary. Set the lighting, objects of shooting and take a closer look at what happens, if necessary, make adjustments and start shooting.

When shooting still lifes, you won't have any excuses for fuzzy and blurry shots. You have unlimited time to focus. For subject photography, a macro lens is perfect for you, if you do not have this type of optics, then you can just try shooting in macro mode. In this case, this may be the best option.

Inspiration in the classics

When creating your own still lifes, thinking about lighting, compositions and ideas, do not forget to turn to the classics of the genre for help and inspiration. Picturesque still lifes have been created for hundreds of years. Perhaps you will find answers to many of your questions in paintings by Renaissance artists or contemporary photographers.

Studying the paintings will help you think about shape, shades, and colors. Exploring different solutions will lead to creating your own unique images in photographs.

It's time to take pictures!

Find the right day when you know for sure that you will not be distracted and in a hurry. Combine all the advice you got so far and get to work.

05/03/2013

The text of the article was updated: 11/10/2019

In my previous article, I talked about how I decided to try photographing a still life in a rustic style. By this concept, I mean photographs in which wooden boards, walls of old houses, fences and the like are used as backgrounds.

I spent the whole day making my own mini-studio for shooting still life in an apartment with light from a window. Two old pallets were used as a base.

Day of work, a pile of rubbish and the studio is ready! 🙂

Mini studio for shooting still life in natural light from a window. Using a cardboard box and a white sheet, we will create a "light pattern" in the photograph. In the foreground is a Nikon D5100 KIT 18-55 VR SLR.

I read about how to set the light when shooting a still life in the case when the light source is natural light from a window on the Internet. By the way, it is very difficult to find photographs explaining how it was filmed. Most clearly, it seems to me, the principles of photographing still lifes in natural light are described by the famous photographer Vladimir Darnitsyn.

The first still life in natural light. How is it filmed?

So, by Saturday evening my ministerial was ready, but it was dusk and I had to wait impatiently for the next morning. The new day was sunny, and bright light flooded my entire wooden studio, which I set up on my desk. I mounted my Nikon D5100 on a tripod and got ready to shoot my first still life.

Small digression

Initially, I wanted to photograph a still life with this room rose. According to the plan, the leaves were supposed to lie on the floor. But you won't pluck them from a living plant - your wife will kill! 🙂 I found a way out in the following: a week before filming, I brought home several branches of birch and put them in a vase of water. I hoped that in a week the buds would bloom and I would have leaves ... But they blossomed only after a week and a half and shooting my still life was under threat ... I had to throw spinach leaves, bought in the nearest supermarket, on the table. 🙂

As it turned out, a bright sun, even shining through a window, is not the best option for lighting a still life. The light is very contrasting. Many travel photographers say that if they come to see some landmark during the day, they don't even take a picture of it, because in contrasting light, the photo is not interesting.

Yes, and with the composition, too, something is wrong. Here he turned his rose the other way.

I tried a little bit of processing in Lightroom. The result is still not very pleasant. As you can see, the shadows are too harsh.

By the way, to the question of how to set the light when shooting a still life by the window. To make shaded areas appear in the photo, I used a cardboard box (see the first photo with the ministerial) and a sheet of plastic (see the white plate by the window in the first photo). So in my still life I got a bright strip of light, imitating the light falling from a small window.

The window in my studio faces south. Therefore, the light turned out to be too bright and contrasting. On that day, I had not yet figured out that the light from the window could be softened, for example, by pulling on gauze or tracing paper. In one of the subsequent articles, I will show pictures in which I softened the bright light with a translucent white cloth, and created the shadow not with a solid cardboard, but with various vertical objects. Such still lifes look great!

On the same day the sun went down an hour later behind the neighboring house, and I got a bright, but diffused light from the window. It seems to me that these are the most ideal conditions for shooting a still life. Later I tried to shoot a still life at the north window, but I didn’t like it. shadows are poorly expressed.

So, here's what I got after several hours of working on my rustic still life.

Of course, please keep in mind that I am just starting to learn the basics of photo composition and this is my weak link today. Therefore, I ask: do not judge strictly. Probably, these photographs cannot be called still lifes. Maybe it's more of a subject?
Be that as it may, for the first time it turned out pretty good still lifes, shot under the light from the window.

The next work I called "Winter is gone ... it's time to cover the skis" ...

Still life shot in natural light from a window. I called it “Winter is gone…. it's time to cover the skis. " Nikon D5100 camera with Nikon 18-55 VR kit lens. Settings: shutter speed B = 1.3 sec, aperture f / 9.0, ISO 100, focal length 55 mm.

On the street - early March. It is still full of snow, but the sun is already shining through the window quite like spring.

All my still lifes, and most other photographs, I shoot in RAW format (my Nikon D5100 calls it NEF). After shooting the still life, I process it in Lightroom, play with shadows and contrast, darken the gap between the boards with a mask, apply the LOMO preset and ... voila! .. My rustic still life is ready!

Now I would also like to "polish" my still life in Photoshop ... But Photoshop for me, for now, is high school, and I go to ... primary school ... 🙂

If you watch the videos of experienced photographers, you can see that they spend much more time choosing the angle, the correct composition than I do. And the result, of course, is better.

When I was showing the process of making my mini studio for still life photography, I showed the remaining wooden cubes. They were useful to me today. In my "vegetable" still lifes, you can see how beautifully the wooden texture of the cubes is drawn by the light falling from the window.

In this still life, you see cucumber flowers. If you only knew with what eyes the cashier in the supermarket looked at me when I put one cucumber and fifteen limp cucumber flowers in a bag! 🙂

And here's a salad still life:

"Salad still life", shot in natural light on an amateur DSLR Nikon D5100 KIT 18-55. Shooting parameters: exposure B = 2.5 sec., F / 9.0, sensitivity 100, FR = 48.

I am ready to admit that there are too many fruits in my still life with a cat and the composition is not perfect. But I like the light here. Here, for the light from the window, I left only a narrow gap between the box and the sheet of plastic.

And on this still life I put my raincoat from a raincoat. It seems to me that in this photo, natural light from the window beautifully "painted" the folds of the fabric. But since the fabric is synthetic, it doesn't shine very nicely in the photo.

It is better to use linen matting or other natural fabrics for still life photography.

conclusions

These are the photos I took when trying to learn how to shoot a still life in natural light from a window. Now you know how it is filmed. I would be glad to receive comments and advice from more experienced photographers.

For myself, I note that you need to work long and hard on the compositional solutions of your photos. This art is not given to me. Probably, composition is the line separating simple mechanics and the talent of a photographer ... How he philosophized! 🙂

Her sumptuous still lifes can be found in magazines and advertisements around the world. Natasha has been living in Belgium for almost six years, and all this time she devotes herself to her beloved work. About how the shooting is going, what serves as inspiration, how to get out of difficult shooting situations and much more - in this interview.

What would you name the genre in which you work?

I specialize in subject photography. I can't call myself a 100% food photographer, because I love to shoot bouquets and New Year's or Easter decorations with the same pleasure. But I still shoot food more often.

What attracts you to this type of shooting?

In object photography, I see for myself much more opportunities for self-expression than, for example, in landscape photography or even in working with models. I like to think over the plot, choose the props, arrange the composition. I also like the simplicity and accessibility of product photography. I am not dependent on the weather or other people who have to come to the shoot. And the fact that I work with stocks also makes me absolutely independent from customers and bosses. I shoot what I want when I want and not work when I don’t feel like it. I think this is a good enough reason to really love your job :)

How did you start filming? Were there conditions?

There were no conditions, of course. I walked around with a small pocket camera and shot everything that came across on the streets while walking with my child. I was a young mother and I was very worried about the idea of what I would do when all my thoughts cease to be concerned with breastfeeding and diapers :) Then my husband gave me a professional camera for the New Year and away we go. Well, after they took my first pigeon to the stock (it seems it was just a pigeon) and even started buying the rest of the photos, I could no longer stop.

Do you think it is possible to do without artificial light in order to get spectacular still lifes?

Artificial light is quite possible to do without - I know quite a few photographers who prefer natural light and use it whenever the weather conditions permit. But if you depend on weather conditions and time of day in your work, then, you must agree, on labor productivity, and (which is especially important!) This will not affect the mood in the best way.

Tell us a little about light. Are there any favorite lighting schemes?

I have several favorite and familiar lighting schemes. For example, if I shoot a bouquet, I like the flowers to appear more voluminous, and I expose the backlight in such a way that the petals appear translucent. This is good for bouquets also because such lighting imitates light from a window, and this is how we are used to seeing bouquets standing on window sills. The photos are very lively and atmospheric.

To shoot glass, I change the light scheme, use black flags, take out stripboxes and generally experiment a lot.

I still don't have a clear plan of action and lighting scheme when I remove glass. Everything always turns out differently. Even if the light is well exposed and the glass objects do not merge with the white background, glass on white often does not look contrasting enough to create a bright picture, so I often, for example, place something bright behind a glass object, against which the glass looks clearly and does not merge.

In spoons and forks, the reflection is stretched, indistinct, it is not so much the outlines of objects that are important in it, but the colors. Once, for example, I photographed a chocolate cake with red currants and a bouquet of red roses in a vase nearby. Everything was in chocolate-red tones, but I did not notice that my striped orange-blue shirt was reflected in a bright spot in the spoon. I had to retouch a lot and for a long time :)

There is a secret in photographing Christmas balls: you put matte balls in the foreground, and glossy ones in the background. Thus, you kill two birds with one stone: you do not have unnecessary reflections in clear balls in the foreground, but from defocused glossy toys in the background you will get an excellent New Year's bokeh with lights

Where do you get your inspiration?

Inspiration is all around, you just need to catch it. Works of talented photographers in magazines, beautiful music, a vase in a store, in which it is simply impossible not to photograph spring tulips, and anything can be a source of inspiration.

You have a lot of beautiful dishes. How does it get into your house?

Most often, I buy dishes when I see that they will definitely come in handy as soon as their turn comes. Even if there is still no script specifically for this dish, then if it is photogenic, the script will appear sooner or later. Sometimes ideas come from just one glance at a plate, old board, or glass.

How do you choose fruits, vegetables, flowers? What do you pay attention to when buying?

Despite the fact that I have a large garden in which a variety of flowers and fruits and vegetables grow, I hardly use them for shooting. The most important criterion when choosing a props is freshness and the absence of any defects.

Vegetables and fruits from my garden are undoubtedly without fertilizers and are healthier than store ones, but at the same time they often look "poorer", not so bright. And flowers from my garden, having survived one strong wind or rain, will provide me with a long sitting in Photoshop.

Therefore, vegetables and flowers bought for shooting and for myself are two big differences in my case.

Garden shops sell mainly flowers grown in greenhouses and greenhouses, they are absolutely glossy, without flaws. Most likely they, like vegetables, are generously watered with fertilizers. It can be damaging to your health, but it will only improve your photography.

Tell us about the filming process, how it goes. When you start shooting, do you keep sketches of future shots close at hand, or does everything slowly line up by itself?

I always write the script. It is, as it were, a necessary minimum. If the shooting is successful, then, most likely, additional ideas will come that were not in the script. But the script is the skeleton of the shoot.

Depending on the topic, the necessary props are bought, the time is discussed when I can spend the whole day in the studio without being distracted by anything.

And, of course, I have my own rituals that help me to tune in. Lots of coffee, lots of music, disconnected phone, full concentration. If you hypnotize the props with your eyes for a long time, then, in the end, it gives up and allows dozens of photos to be born :)

What do you rely on when putting together the composition?

The fact is that I always took pictures on a whim and was surprised when I found out that all this was described long ago. Both the "golden ratio" and the diagonal compositions that I use so often. I always did just “beautifully” and “so that I would like to buy”, but it turned out that I clearly and to the smallest detail followed some basic rules of composition.

When it comes to trickery, I never start with complex compositions. Always simple and then add. Sometimes I am very fond of additions and the photos are, in my opinion, overloaded. One of my friends on Livejournal called me a master of artistic scattering :)

Indeed, sometimes from complex compositions there is a feeling that objects were simply scattered. But artistically :)

Do you spend a lot of time on retouching?

I try to minimize the time for retouching. The excellent quality of the props and the initially well-exposed light are great helpers in this. Sometimes you want to do complex processing, apply a texture or tint a photo in a special way, then you can tinker with the processing. But this is only in exceptional cases.

What qualities do you think a photographer should have in order to create perfect still lifes?

I think he must be a bit social and a bit nerdy, fixated on details and perfection :)

Seriously though, in my opinion, a photographer should always sincerely love what he photographs and enjoy the shooting itself. Understand that there are no concepts "right" - "wrong" and "good" - "bad" in the assessment of photographs. Be bolder. Show simple things like no one else has shown. I think that a photographer should be able to rise a little above the ordinary. Not to be a whiner who insists that everything that is possible has already been photographed a hundred times and he will not be able to invent anything new. No one before you showed people the world through your eyes, which means you still have a lot of things to do!

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