Photography Interviews: Still Life

Welcome to an interview of the amazingly talented Still Life Photography artists: Pamba, bebefromtheblock, Balakov, mantiswind, asainemuri, and kixkillradio representing the various galleries within Still Life. We hope you will enjoy the insight this interview might provide you on the Still Life Photography gallery, and each artist's personal experiences and views.

What do you use as inspiration to create Still Life photography?

asainemuri:

For my doll photography, I would say real life events and experiences inspire me the most. I tend to put a lot of myself in my photos. Whether it's a situation I've been in, or an emotion I've felt (or feeling) that I want to somehow convey through a photograph, it's definitely what inspires me the most. Music is also a huge inspiration for me. It tends to draw out a lot of ideas, concepts and emotions.

Balakov:

Most of my ideas for photographs come from combining elements from different areas. Mixing up Star Wars, LEGO, and everyday situations or scenes. Ideas come from watching movies, reading books or just messing about on the Internet. In the back of my mind there always something looking out for a potential photograph idea.

How do you bring "life" to your Still Life photographs? What makes a quality Still Life photo?

Pamba:

This is somethig I find very hard to answer. You have to organize the things you want to photograph just as it could be in real life. But sometimes other things work too. For example I made a picture of a vintage camera in a tree full of blossoms. It's not a place where you can often find a camera haha. But it worked out.
I also have a picture where I placed the camera on old hat, boxes, and suitcases. That picture is much more realistic but it doesn't make it better. The picture needs to attract your attention.

asainemuri:

For doll/toy photography, I think movement and a sense of realism is very important. I always strive to take photos that make people say, "I thought that was a real person!". So coordinating the shot appropriately is important to me. There's a certain way that people carry themselves, how material falls, how we stand, sit, gesture and do things in everyday life that look natural. Finding a similar realism really makes the photo, in my opinion! Also, lighting...I can't stress good lighting enough.

Balakov:

For my particular brand of still life photography it's all about making lifelike scenes with plastic figures. Most of that comes down to posing. Even though LEGO figures are very limited in their range of movements you can still get an awful lot of expression from a slight head turn or a little arm or hand movement. I've "cheated" slightly on occassion by replacing the hard plastic head inside a character's helmet with plasticine to allow more movement options. I also have some modified LEGO hats and hairstlyes with parts cut out to allow more head movement.

kixkillradio:

Since I am photographing figures in 3-4 inches tall, I create an entirely new world in their sizes. I also make props and diorama to make it look real, I also look into properly applying shadows and lighting to give a desired character in my shoots.

What is the most difficult aspect of photographing Still Life?

bebefromtheblock:

The most difficult aspect for me is when there is not enough natural light. I don't take pictures when there's little natural light. (Representing Cut Flower & Plant Arrangement)

mantiswind:

For me the most difficult aspect of still life's is getting exactly what I am picturing in my mind to transfer into the image I want to make. You have to have a good grasp of the effects of different lenses and how spacing between items changes with those lenses. I personally like to make my own changes to a set, I can control things to a much more accurate extent. I have worked with stylists and while they are great at what they do and they know how to do things I don't, it is always difficult to express the exact change I need. Most of the time its a matter of millimeters, moving things just slightly to achieve the result I am looking for.

Pamba:

I think the hardest part is how to position your objects right and make it interesting for the watcher.

Balakov:

I think the hardest thing is coming up with the ideas. With other branches of photography you're generally taking a photograph of something that already exists, but with still life you have to create everything. It's very rare that you'll stumble across a scene that's perfect. On the other hand, this does give you more freedom, you don't have to stick with your original plan. You can start off with an idea which evolves as you start taking photos. Camera angles change, characters get swapped out for others, and you end up with something better than your original idea.

What is the "behind the scenes" process for you when it comes to your Still Life photography?

asainemuri:

Most of my doll/toy still life photography is very spontaneous. I rarely have the time to set things up the way I want to, planned out and perfect. Usually I get a very random idea, and if I have the time and means, I will quickly set up a small set, position lights, and snap away until I see the result I'm looking for. Patience is very important, because it's SO easy to get irritated and discouraged when taking doll/toy still life photography. Sometimes I don't get that "special" photo that stands out to me and call it quits! For my food styling still life photography, it's a much bigger process. I do all my own cooking and the quality of my food and cooking is very important to me. I want it to look delicious, after all!

bebefromtheblock:

Buying and collecting vases/bottles/cute things is a must. Choosing the right vase for these wild flowers i just harvested from the field, arranging them by the window in the kitchen, it's much easier when i'm alone at home, because it can be very messy. I usually shoot when this natural morning/afternoon light shines through my window. Sometimes I shoot video as "behind the scenes“ as well.

mantiswind:

I begin finding the key piece for the shoot and then come up with ideas for the shoot. Occasionally I will sketch out ideas to get a feel for how something will look. Once I have a basic idea for the shoot I will collect samples to compare colors and textures to find the right feel for the piece. I then get everything into a close proximity of what I want. I prefer to shoot tethered using live view so I can look at a monitor to see how my changes are affecting the piece in real time. Once I have the pieces where I am happy with them I will start playing with lights, making sure things are lit to accent shapes and colors and textures. The final step at this point is to go through to double check all the details, make sure things are clean where they need to be, make sure little accent pieces are right where I want them.

Could you show us one of your favorite Still Life photos from your gallery, and explain the process in making it?

Pamba:

What tips do you have for beginners?

Balakov:

From a technical aspect, pay attention to light. No matter how fancy your camera it's not going to take a good photo with bad light. It makes me sad when people blame their "crappy camera" for not being able to take sharp photos at night. Some advice from an artistic perspective, have an intention with your photographs. I see so many beginners just "taking photos of things". Your photo should be more interesting than the subject.

mantiswind:

Practice, practice, practice! Seriously though, don't be afraid to play with lighting. Just because something might not stand out to you there are ways to make even simple items really pop. When you get to a point where you feel happy with your idea, take that picture but then try to keep going with it and really push your idea. Don't get hung up on what equipment you have or don't have, figure out how to make the idea work. Sometimes tools like tweezers and paint brushes can be your best friend on a set.

asainemuri:

Always have a concept in your mind of what you want to do. Try to incorporation realistic elements to the photo. Be patient and don't throw things together out of frustration, and practice, practice, practice! The small details are what make still life photography so special.

What camera do you use, and what kind of post-processing/editing do you usually do.

Balakov:

I use a couple of cameras depending on whether I'm out and about or in the studio. For Studio work I use a Nikon D800 with either a 35mm, 60mm or 105mm macro lens and a couple of Nikon Speedlight flashes. When I need a more mobile setup I use a Fuji XE-1 with the 60mm macro lens.
I tend to keep my post-processing light. Sometimes I need to remove supports for elaborate staged shots, but mostly I just clean up the dust and lay over one of the Alien Skin Exposure film simulations to boost the contrast a little.

mantiswind:

I am currently shooting with a Canon 5D Mark iii, and for still life shoots I typically use a Tamron 90mm Macro lens. I love the sharpness it provides for a reasonable price. I try to get most things right in camera but most of my editing is done in Lightroom 5. If I need to do something more complex or isolated I use Photoshop CC. I typically add a touch of saturation and sharpness to every image.

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