Photographing still life

Photographing of still-lifes is considered one of the most difficult areas in the photo. Here, in contrast to the landscape or porter shooting, the photographer will need more imagination, as him as a true artist, it is necessary to create a future story pictures on a clean cloth, relying on your imagination, sense of composition and sense of light. The perfect combination of the three main components of the photo-artist gives a perfect still life.

Why still life begins?

Still life starts with an idea. Look at the items in your house could be suitable for still life. It may be books, flowers, vases, fruits, vegetables, table lamps, tablecloths, napkins, candles, cards, watches, tea service, etc. Anything. What matters is that these objects are well combined with each other and do not contradict each other in color.

 

Start with the simplest - still life with flowers in a vase. Perhaps this is the most common and the usual subject for still life, but at the same time and the most beautiful, because nothing can be luxuriously well-decorated bouquet of flowers! Think about how everyday objects can be combined with a bouquet of flowers in a vase. But do not forget that your future Still should tell the viewer any story, for example, this: a bunch of flowers in a vase, a cup of coffee and a book - the beginning of a good day.

 

The place for photographing still life

As the stage for taking pictures of still life you can use any coffee table, an old wooden cabinet, a shelf in the closet and the window sill. The main thing that a sample stage "was strong and would have enough space for your imagination. As for the future photoNyuPanorama items can be placed on the floor with a wooden or any unusual texture. In any case, the ugly face of the table can be hidden under a delicate cloth, or any cloth that is suitable for the scene of still life and background.

 

By the way, the background color in the shooting still life is also very important, as it was he who sets the tone for future pictures. Dark-cinnamon, black and burgundy background lends an aura of drama and photos to some extent gloom. Light background, on the contrary, will add still-life tenderness and sensuality. As for the background material, it may be made of a thick fabric or plywood, painted in desired color.

Create a still life composition

 

The hardest part of taking pictures of still lifes - a composition. It would seem that so tough - set up the things on the table and ready. But the budding photographers who first thought that way, faced with the problem of disproportionate and harmony pictures. It turns out, correctly place the objects and, thus, create the perfect still life quite difficult.

 

So, how to create the perfect composition of still life? To start, determine the center of interest, ie, the main subject. For example, it would be a vase of flowers. It should not be in the center of the composition, so it is recommended to move it to the side. You can add to a vase with flowers still an object or leave it to stand in splendid isolation. As they say, the true beauty - simplicity. But it is better to spread the vase near any objects connected to each other and the main subject is a certain sense, shape or color. It can be red apples in a case in a vase are roses or poppies, a box of chocolates, which shows exactly the same flowers or flower solitary, stray from the vase. Such items only complement the composition of still life and revive it.

Put the light for shooting still lifes at home

At home, still life shooting the best use of daylight, placing the stage near the window or in front of him. The soft directed light from the window will create long shadows and thus accentuate the shape of the still life (give it volume). Control the direction of light and shadow density, you can use a reflector and flaps made of plywood, cardboard and other materials at hand.

 

In the evening for shooting still life using a portable flash, previously having put on her lens, not to create harsh shadows behind the still-life, or better yet, a source of constant light with a softbox. As an additional light source (for example, in order to highlight the background light or highlight the center of interest) you can use a desk lamp. But due to the fact that it gives a rather harsh light should be installed at a distance of 1 meter from the still life.

 

Once everything is ready for shooting still life, set the camera on a tripod or hold it so that no matter what she was trembling. When shooting still life interchanges objects, change the direction of the light and camera settings. By doing so, you will find your "gold frame". If your still life has a lot of white color, then be sure to check WV white balance settings in the camera's menu, so you do not spend much time on the color correction in Photoshop.

 

Original article