As the first chapter of a long series of insights related to the photography art world, today we want to present you some still life photography examples. But that's not all… Because to truly understand what still life photography is, it's necessary to look backwards through the great tradition of art, especially to the 17th Century. If you are a photo lover there are some events that you can not miss as Photo Basel and Athens Photo Festival, read more about these appointments and mark the next dates on your calendar.
Indeed, it was about that time a large rose of big name, begin to represent an animated object characterized by a powerful metaphorical meaning. There are familiar great masterpieces such as “Still Life with Fruit on a Stone Ledge” painted by the master Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. A bit later on, there are also cutting-edge examples as the Jan Vermeer allegories, with his reinterpretation of the Flemish tradition, always attentive to minute detail and to an innate photographic cut.
We have already spoken about important photographers in the art world, don't miss our latests articles dedicated to Wolfgang Tillmans and Luigi Ghirri.
These two examples already suggest to us one of the first tricks for great still life… the light! Thanks to the enhancement of this fundamental element used in the painting field, the photo's pioneers as Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre and William Henry Fox Talbot had the possibilities to the discover this new tool and develop it.
All the painting tricks incorporated in still life technique were fundamental also in the development of this genre in the photographic field. As in the paintings also in photography another still life photography ideas were to valorize enhance the setup. Especially in recent years, the advertising world has mobilized good photographers that besides a perfect technique could amaze with their incredible creativity in the productions. “Creativity” is the latest keywords to make a great still life photo. Without this essential quality also for us is really difficult to make original photos to share on our social networks.
Thanks to the contribution to the important artist as David LaChapelle, Oliviero Toscani and Adolf de Meyer, just to mention a few names, often linked to the fashion world, art gets inside fully into the world of advertising photography. We can also think about the provocative experience of Andy Warhol or the fashion shots of Sarah Moon. In the end, the necessary skill to make great still life photo is a growing good spirit of observation.
Be inspired by some works on Kooness, take a glance to the photos of Michele Ranzani, Ugo Ricciardi, Giuseppe Lo Schiavo!