Confessions of a Still Life Guy
by Stephen Webster
Attitudes surrounding still life photographers seems to revolve around the theory that you shoot inanimate objects because you can't "associate well with other people." My therapist would beg to differ. I shoot still life because I am a control freak. Early on, it appeared to me that still life is the ultimate form of expression for anal retentive creatives. Everything is neat and tidy in front of the lens and the odds of an object moving or taking a smoke break (thus killing the whole composition) are minimal. The trade offs for such control, of course have their disadvantages. First off all, the fashion photographers seem to get laid far more often, the portrait guys seem to command the bigger expense accounts, and quite frankly, I really miss the real daylight sometimes. Regardless of the fact that I work with clients all over the country, I never get to leave my humble little studio, thus I generally refer to myself as the veal calf of photography.
Still life, itself is even a pretty vague category. Within it you have the Food Group, the Catalog Factories, the always stylish Iconophiles and we can't forget the Edward Weston-Wannabe-Gourdheads. Personally, I am trying to drum up support for a new ASMP specialty group of Toy Still Life Photo Illustrators (ASMP/TSLPI). Despite the nuances of these sub-cultures, I find one thing true and that is, unlike the more glamorous types of photography, still life shoots are not what I consider a spectator sport. I will never understand "circus shoots" where everyone wants to be in the studio to observe a still life session? I will be having a ball, playing with my lights and moving things around, and I look over to the corner of the studio and there sits the account executive, the director of marketing and some person with a Dayrunner whose job I don't quite get. They sit there drinking coffee with anticipation that any moment now, the music will get pumped up and I will start poking the objects I am shooting and saying things like, " Oh you're hot, oh yeah, work it baby, I am so jazzzzzzed!", but, of course I keep working and they just keep getting more hopped up on caffeine. That's why I keep a pinball machine not far from where the clients hang out. The bells are so much easier to get used to then, "can you move it to the left... now back to the right... no, back to the left again?"
When I opened my studio five years ago, the days of having to be a generalist had subsided, which was fine by me. I never realized how different a mindset the various disciplines in photography can be until recently when I watched with amusement as a good friend who is an excellent portrait guy tried to do a product shoot. A week later I was photographing a real person for one of my photo-illustration clients in a jam, and as I was using dulling spray to tame a glare on the subject's nose, it came to me how diverse we all really are. This realy hit home recently when my wife gave birth to our first child, which means that I must now take lots of pictures for the grandparents. With much hesitation, I loaded my Nikon and walked out the studio door to meet my father/photographer calling. Within a few feet, a sudden shortness of breath and cold sweats seized me immediately and did not cease until my feet were once again safely within the confines of my studio. I am currently looking to have action figures created of my daughter at various stages of development, and thus fulfilling my duty as a father.
The big challenge in doing still life is to bring to life something that is inherently a static object. Anyone can take a picture of a telephone so the designer can use it in a piece about "communication". But to take that same phone and make it say "Technical support through global communications in an integrated system, thus, making the workload of the end user less complicated" takes a real pro. In still life illustration, the craft, or I dare say, art, is to delicately treat the subject matter as icons to communicate an intangible message. Even in the case of product photography, the goal should always be to portray the hero object in an environment that best enhances the desired end use. When approaching the object, try to reduce the subject down to its basic essence and rebuild from there. Put yourself in the right mood, much like you would the subject of an environmental portrait. A well chosen music selection playing in the studio will usually help. For instance, if you are doing an image that deals with "death and dying", Mozart's "Requiem" would be more appropriate than, say, B-52's "Rock Lobster." Once you are on the same wavelength of the desired emotion, the lighting and composition choices will come to you very easily. Since the moniquer, "still life", is an oxymoron, you have the option to lean to the latter and seek to create life and, above all, have fun.
The Rules
Do do a do, but don't do a don't. And when that doesn't seem to work, do the don'ts and don't the dos. Yes kids it's really that simple. I guess what I am trying to say is that their are no universal rules, but here are a few gems that keep me on the straight and narrow.
Don'ts
Bulky sweaters and coffee are a bad mix when working with a delicate set.
Don't use "trendy" props. It gives a short life span to your images. Antique or classical props, if treated well, translate very well to contemporary messages.
Never fall in love with a prop- The art director is fair game.
Formula Lighting- When you are done with an image put ALL of your lights away. This will prevent you from lighting every shot the exact same way. Your work becomes less predictable for you and your clients. (This is a good thing)
Soft Boxes- I have two words for them, "lazy lighting."
Dulling spray- Never, ever use it unless it is absolutely necessary, which for me is all the time, so ignore I said this. Just remember to cover your lens.
Do's
Hot Lights- It's "still" which means it isn't going anywhere, unless it has the ability to melt. You have so much more control to create beautiful atmospheres with hot light because of its WYSIWYG quality. Strobes are only necessary when the music requires it.
Always be looking for props- Still life photographers have the luxury of being able to make tax deductible trips to flea markets and toy stores.
Be inspired- Look at Dutch expressionist paintings for lighting and the Bauhaus for composition. Consider anything but photography as inspiration.
Talk to yourself a lot, the voices in your head will keep you company and may come up with a few good ideas.
Invest in a really good hot glue gun, one that Martha Stewart would approve.
(This story originally appeared in Image, the Ohio Valley ASMP Magazine)
©1997 Stephen Webster