Still Life Stories

Ashraful Arefin manipulates colour and light to create ethereal still life images that tell exciting stories about simple household objects

- Ashraful Arefin

What comes to mind when you think of a still life? It’s probably a painting of flowers in a decorative vase, or perhaps a human skull resting beside a bowl of fruit. And while we’re all familiar with Caravaggio’s Basket of Fruits and Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, have you ever thought about the objects that were used and the stories they’re trying to tell? Still life photography is equally as traditional, and at times it might seem like there’s not much to work with, or the subjects aren’t very interesting; you might think nobody would pay attention to some of the ordinary objects used, but in my opinion this is also the best part about photographing still lifes. You are forced to exercise your creativity by creating an interesting photo out of something that appears mundane and lifeless. Still life photographers breathe life into inanimate subjects by playing with lighting, arrangements and the odd special effect. My favourite thing about shooting still life is that I don’t need much to create an engaging story. This is in contrast with other genres, where you have to find a model, search out the best locations, or wait for the weather.

Instead, you can work with the common objects you already have lying around your home. And since you have complete control over every aspect of the scene, you can take the time to try out different settings and compositions, and find what works best. This is a great genre if you’re new to photography and want to learn about lighting and framing, or even if you want to double down and improve your skills in a controlled environment.