The still life is the most completely controlled type of image in photography and demands a rigorous and measured approach. Because of these factors, the scale of the subject matter, and the time normally put into still-life images, most are photographed in studios. Nevertheless, just as in the longer tradition of still life in painting, this field of photography can be practiced anywhere.
Because so much depends on the photographer's own ideas, the still life can be a very personal accomplishment. Equally, though, it lends itself well to commercial use; being the photography of small to moderate-sized objects, it is frequently used as a means of presenting and selling merchandise. At its most imaginative, it can enhance the appearance and qualities of objects in an advertising campaign and is also a favorite vehicle for conceptual imagery.
There may sometimes, but not always, be an idea underlying the still life, and this may be stated obviously, or left to the viewer to discover and interpret. Thus, at its simplest, a still-life image is an exploration of the physical qualities of an object, but techniques such as juxtaposition and lighting can be used to make a point.
