Assignment #5: Food and Still Life Photography

While searching endlessly for interesting photographs of still life and food, I’ve come to realize that they are few and far between. Anyone with some basic knowledge of photography and lighting can take a few items, rearrange them aesthetically and produce a nice photograph that is appealing to a general audience. However, ‘interesting’ food/still life is a whole other genre that I would probably classify more as Fine Art. These photographs are meant to be artistic, stirring in the viewer a curiosity – they are studies of light, shape, pattern and form whereas general, fluffy, pretty food photography is meant to stir appetite and assault the eyes with color.

There were a few photographers I found who’s photographs caught my eye and they are mostly recognized and established artists: Irving Penn, Laura Letinsky, Paul Outerbridge, Edward Weston, Jan Groover, Edward Burtynsky (although he doesn’t necessarily shoot still-lifes per-say since he doesn’t arrange the objects, I still find that what he photographs are ‘found’ still-lifes, if that makes any sense, and would still consider him in this category), and a few randoms I found on flikr.com.

Here are examples of Still Life and Food photography that I find interesting:

10 Examples of Still Life and Food Photography that I find interesting

5 Examples of Still Life and Food Photography that take it to another level