#mappro

There are two types of still life photography - Denotative and Connotative.

Denotative - The literal meaning of something, e.g. a word

Connotative - An association of emotions that the word provokes

What does this type of Photographer do? A still life photographer will take photos, as the name suggests, of still life. This conjures images of fruits, objects, and flowers as a main thought process of this genre.

Would they work as a free agent or within a company? Still life photographers would most likely work for both of these areas. After discussion in our group, we decided that if a still life photographer wanted to explore and build portfolio work, they could do so by freelancing. They would also be able to use stock websites to show their work. However, companies also want to have their products advertised, so would most likely hire a still life photographer to do so. 

Who would commission this type of work? Any sort of agencies/companies that would need their products to be advertised would commission still life work.

-Examples of this type of work, including niche examples, will be posted in separate posts-

Does this particular field cross over with any other? Not really, it can be linked through use of props, but then that turns into more of a background field rather than the foreground.

What kind of equipment would you need? Where would you get it?

Camera

Tripod

Any lens [there is no particular preference]

Product table

Backdrop

Props

Lights

Product being used

Do you need special preferences? Would you work from home? Would you need to travel? This field is easiest to work from at home - especially if the product is small and only needs a small backdrop. If the product is big, you may need to travel elsewhere [e.g. a hangar if photographing vehicles etc.]

Is it dangerous work? What are the risk factors? I wouldn't say that it is a dangerous line of work - still life generally is a safe field to work in. The only risk factor we have discussed is the possibility of being out of work.

Would you need specialist training? You would need to have a good understanding of what you are doing - including use of backdrops and tripods and lighting.

Could you make a living working in this field alone? If you integrated stock photography as a means of getting your work used, this would be possible. It would not be possible if it was just still life alone.

How much would you earn? Per day? Per hour? We researched a still life job and found one for a jewellery photographer. We found that this role would give you £18K per annum.

…and I want to make people cry. I know that sounds harsh but it's true. I also want to make people laugh - less harsh. I want to make people think - What is the message being conveyed in this photo? and Is there more than one message? I want to make people feel and think and experience when it comes to looking at my work.