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LIGHTING FOR STILL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY

Quick Guide
Written by Stacey Hill

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 In my first article, Beginner’s Guide to Still
Life Photography, I talk about the physical
and storytelling elements involved in
setting up a still life scene. Of course, the
missing component of that article was the
lighting, and such is its importance that
I am dedicating an article specifically for
the lighting of a still life photograph.

One of the benefits of still life

photography is that it doesn’t necessarily
need to take up a lot of space. My spare
bedroom functions as my studio. My still
life work is done on a craft table that
measures 2 x 3 feet and folds up out of
the way when necessary.

Photograph by Stacey Hill

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 I am lucky that I have a spare room
with a window. The window allows me
to use natural light as the basis for my
photography. Natural light is my preferred
choice, but it isn’t the only option.

What you will use to light up your still

life photos may depend upon your
preferences or requirements, and while
there are recommended concepts to
consider, how you create your lighting is
up to you.

Here we will consider the following:

1. What is light and why does it matter?

2. Shaping and controlling light
3. Mood and impact
4. Tools

Recommended Reading: If
you’re interested in learning more
about light and how you can use it
to improve your photography, grab a
Photograph by Stacey Hill
copy of Photzy’s bestselling premium
Studio setup with a cat sleeping where he shouldn’t be.
guide, Understanding Light Book
Two.

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 WHAT IS LIGHT AND
1 WHY DOES IT MATTER?

There are all sorts of scientific

explanations about what light is,
which I won’t bore you with. From a
photographer’s point of view, light is the
necessary ingredient that allows us to see
our world and capture images of it.

Light is made up of two components

that are especially important to still life
photography: light waves and shadow.

If you only have direct (frontal) intense

light shining upon your scene, then there
are no shadows, which means your shot
will look very flat. You will also likely have
colors that are washed out and highlights
that are blown out.

While harsh bright light can be used

Photograph by Stacey Hill
artistically – often in high-key lighting
High-key lighting scenario scenarios – if you are taking photos of
food, it may be difficult to make the
subject look tasty and delicious with very
harsh bright lighting.

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 The reverse is when you have minimal
light and lots of black and shadows –
this is referred to as a low-key lighting
scenario. When you incorporate lots of
dark shadows, it makes the color tones
rich and intense, and this lighting scenario
can work very well as a style choice for
your still life photography.

Lighting is critical to the mood and the

story that you might be telling with your
still life photo.

For example, if the scene is a cold winter

night, with a hot chocolate sitting in front
of a fire, you will probably go for a darker,
moodier lighting option.

However, a summer cocktail would likely

be best portrayed with a lighting scenario
that is brighter, with light tones, and
displaying a more cheery mood.

Key Information: The brightness

and intensity of the light that you
have on your scene is important. It
has a direct impact on the quality of
the image and the mood/story that
you are trying to tell.

Photograph by Stacey Hill

Low-key lighting scenario

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 2 SHAPING AND CONTROLLING LIGHT

When you are outside working with landscapes, you The easiest (and cheapest) option for lighting is to
have little control over the lighting conditions. You go with natural light, especially if you are just getting
can’t turn the intensity of the sun down. started. Hopefully you have access to a room with a
window that you can work in front of.
So instead, you go out when the light is softer:
on overcast cloudy days or at the Golden Hour. Natural light is preferred because it is the color that
You make choices that impact the lighting on your we expect it to be, and it can be managed through
scenes. diffusion and using bounce techniques.

One of the benefits of shooting still life photography Artificial lighting can vary in color temperature,
indoors in a studio is that you have a lot more control especially the low-end affordable options. It can be
over the lighting. quite focused, directional, and intense. This means
it will take a lot more management on your part to
Here are some of the ways that you can shape and be made to look natural. It is also more expensive as
control the lighting in your scene: you have to buy it. However, if your only option is to
·· Choose the direction of the light – back, front, shoot in a garage, or a basement room, then artificial
or side lighting lighting may be your best option.
·· Choose the angle of the light
·· Filter the light to make it softer and more
diffused
·· Opt for natural, or artificial, light sources
·· Reflect or block the light
·· Change the color of the light

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 We can control and shape the results of
artificial lighting in different ways as well:

·· If there are shadow areas, we can

bounce or reflect light back into
them to lighten them up.
·· We can intensify and deepen the
shadows by blocking light.
·· The color of the background, and
any reflectors we use, will have an
impact on the tone of the image.
·· Black cards create and deepen
shadows by blocking light.
·· White reflectors add more light by
bouncing the light back into the
scene.
·· Diffusion material can soften the
light.
Photograph by Stacey Hill
·· Mirrors can intensify, bounce, and
This was shot with an electronic flash. The shadows are very
hard and dark as a result of the lighting. focus light back into the set.

Shaping the light, and managing the

shadows, has an important impact.

The balance between light and shadow is

what gives the physical elements on your
set their 3-dimensional presence, and that
can be part of your creative style when
lighting a still life photograph.

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 This is why many still life photographers
prefer side lighting, as it allows them to
use both light and shadow as a physical
element within their scene.

Backlighting offers different creative

choices.

Key Information: You can

control, shape, and manage your
lighting to enhance your image, and
you can also add your own personal
style, or creative flourish, to the final
image by making lighting choices.

Recommended Reading: If
you’re interested in learning more
about light and how you can use it
to improve your photography, grab a
copy of Photzy’s bestselling premium
guide, Understanding Light Book
Two.

Photograph by Stacey Hill

Gerbera flower – backlit by a window covered in white fabric to diffuse the light.

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 MOOD AND IMPACT
3
Let’s look at a range of different images
that were shot in my studio (my setup
for these different shots was always the
same).

The primary light source is a window on

the left so that the light comes from the
left, and slightly behind camera.

The window has a translucent net curtain

to soften the light (sometimes I use
an extra piece of white gauze if it is a
particularly bright sunny day).

I use white or black foam core for the

backgrounds, reflectors, and flags (a flag
is used to block light).

My personal preference is toward the

dark moody style, but I have included
something for everyone here as
inspiration.

Photograph by Stacey Hill

Notice how the side lighting provides “curvature” to the blueberry.

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 Photograph by Stacey Hill

My favorite style – dark and moody

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 Photograph by Stacey Hill

An example of a high-key still life

photograph. Notice how it has a
light, dreamy, and ethereal mood.

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 Photograph by Stacey Hill

Proper lighting can make colors pop.

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 Photograph by Stacey Hill

The shadows give depth to a still life photograph.

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 Photograph by Stacey Hill

When the lighting comes

toward the subject from
a very low angle, it can
dramatize the shapes
of your subject.

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 When I shoot dark moody images, I have a particular The food shown in a still life photograph is always the
message in my mind. I want the colors to be rich and star of the show, but the props and backgrounds can
intense. make the food more approachable and help set the
story.
In a food still life photograph, the food should be a
focus and look tasty and delicious. In fact, I want it to As far as impact goes, here is a sequence of images
appear sexy! (pages 16-19) that I shot with exactly the same setup,
except for one thing…
The brighter images (for me) are a bit more playful
because there is more light to work with. I used a dark flag to increase shadow, and block light
from hitting the set, by positioning it in different
I can experiment with techniques like pouring a liquid places around the scene.
and then capturing the motion – while the rest of the
still life retains sharpness. You can’t see where the reflector is. It is sitting
outside of the frame, but you can see the impact it
I can tell more of a story with different props and has had on this series.
backgrounds.
Sometimes the difference is very subtle; it might just
tone down the highlights around the rim and handle
of the jug, for example.

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 Photograph by Stacey Hill

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 Photograph by Stacey Hill

The jug is lighter in comparison to the first image. My flag darkened the jug.

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 Photograph by Stacey Hill

My flag created more shadows to the camera left side of the jug, but the raspberries in the jug are still quite evenly lit.

LIGHTING FOR STILL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY // © PHOTZY.COM 18

 Photograph by Stacey Hill

There is more light on the foreground and the jug to camera left. My flag was placed to camera right of the jug.

LIGHTING FOR STILL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY // © PHOTZY.COM 19

 Controlling the light in your still life scene
has a direct impact on the whole feel and
tone of the image.

It also has technical implications.

If you block a lot of light to go for the

dark, moody, heavy, shadow style, you
absolutely need to shoot on a tripod.

Some of my shutter speeds were as low

as 1/10th second, or it can be even slower.

Photograph by Stacey Hill

This was my setup, showing the tripod in position and at the angle that it was
being used for all the images of the raspberries in a jug on the previous pages.

LIGHTING FOR STILL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY // © PHOTZY.COM 20

 You may also need to raise your ISO; however, this Key Lesson: We already know that
can affect the quality of your final image, depending controlling the light has direct impact on the
on how well your camera copes with the higher ISO feel and mood of your final image. It may also
settings. require you to make technical adjustments to
the way you shoot a scene. The intensity of the
If you want to practice capturing some movement,
light accounts for exposure settings and,
try sprinkling some sugar or pouring salad dressing
ultimately, image sharpness.
while you click the shutter release.

You will need to have the right shutter speeds to get

the outcome that you want, and that may impact
the decisions that you will make on how to light the
scene.

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 4 TOOLS

Artificial Light Source – Accessible options for White fabric for covering a window light source
beginners might be the Lowel Ego Light Unit or a – This is very important. You don’t want an opaque
camera flash (I recommend off-camera lighting with fabric unless you’re trying to eliminate all of the
an electronic flash). You can also start out using light coming through the window. You want a white
simple household lamps. translucent fabric. Many fabric stores sell a material
called “white rip-stop nylon.” This works really well
Reflectors/bounce cards/flags – A 5-in-1 unit option for diffusing window light. It also comes in black, and
gives you a translucent base and also a White, Black/ if you’re handy you can make some neat flags with
Silver and Gold reflector covers to put around the black rip-stop nylon.
base. These are available in a range of sizes. Earlier,
I mentioned foam core. This product is very useful White/Black (or colored) large foam core sheets
as a reflector or a flag as well. It can generally be for backgrounds and backdrops.
found at art supply stores or some camera shops. It’s
inexpensive and can be easily cut to size.

Tripod – A good sturdy one for extended exposures.

Light stand for the electronic flash (if you’re using

one).

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 Let’s look at a couple of my shoot
setups so that you can see the different
elements being used.

Key Lesson: Having the right

tools to modify your light allows
you more control over the final
outcome. Plus, it allows you to
extend the scope of your creative
lighting choices.

Recommended Reading: If
you’re interested in learning more
about light and how you can use it
to improve your photography, grab a
copy of Photzy’s bestselling premium
guide, Understanding Light Book
Two.

Photograph by Stacey Hill

For this dark raspberry shot, the background is a black painted card. The backdrop and the side
drop are black foam core. The shallow V-shaped light modifiers are heavy black cardboard.

LIGHTING FOR STILL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY // © PHOTZY.COM 23

 Photograph by Stacey Hill

With this much lighter, brighter shot,

the background is white painted
beadboard. The backdrop is white
foam core draped with a white
gauzy fabric that gives a seamless
universal background in the distance.
It also adds a bit of fabric texture
to the right side of the shot.

LIGHTING FOR STILL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY // © PHOTZY.COM 24

 SUMMARY

Light is a critical factor in all photography, but not Not only does the lighting have technical
just any light. It has to be the right light for the considerations, but it is also a key element creating
situation. the mood, or feeling, that you wish to bring to the
image.
Still life photography that is shot within a studio
setting offers you a greater scope of control over the By using your light creatively, you can elevate your
lighting. still life images from Good to WOW.

The color, direction, angle, and balance of light/

shadow are critical components in composing your
still life image.

LIGHTING FOR STILL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY // © PHOTZY.COM 25

 Self Check Quiz

1) What are the lighting styles

called that are either very bright
tones or very dark tones?

2) What kind of lighting

is preferred for still life
photography when starting out?

3) Does the light generally need

to be softened or diffused?

4) Does light affect the story your

image is telling?

5) What kind of materials can you

use to control light?

Answers:

1) High-key and low-key

2) Natural light
3) Yes. This helps to avoid blown-out highlights, and it softens the
shadows for a more natural look.
4) Yes. Absolutely.
5) Foam core, mirrors, paper, cardboard, and different types of
cloth (translucent and opaque)

LIGHTING FOR STILL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY // © PHOTZY.COM 26

SPONSORED Advertise with us

Hey there!
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we're here to help you every step of the way! Here are 3 of our most useful (and
FREE!) photography resources:

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Grab 3 free photography cheat Take this 30 second quiz to find out Free access to our library of 250+
sheets that will help you the #1 thing holding your downloadable (pdf) tutorials on
understand the basics. photography back. everything you can imagine.

Download Cheat Sheets → Take Quiz → Download eBooks →

Want quick photography tips?

Check out our friends at DailyPhotoTips.com they'll send you 1 solid photography tip
to your inbox, 5 days a week. So you can start your day right, with actionable tips to
help you on your creative journey. Subscribe now →
(free for a limited time)

SPONSORED Advertise with us

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Congratulations! You’ve completed
this Photzy guide!

If you liked this photography lighting tutorial on

still life, check out this premium lighting guide
to help you master light and produce amazing
photographs: Understanding Light Book Two

Stacey Hill invested in her first DSLR back in 2007. While

having many adventures out and about in the South Island of
New Zealand, Stacey took to blogging about her experiences
learning photography. Eventually she discovered the fun and
creative possibilities to be had with Photoshop. Stacey can be
found having an opinion all over the place:

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evokeartisanphotography/
IF YOU’D LIKE TO CONTINUE
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