11 Most Famous Still Life Photographers in 2023
Get inspired by our curated list of the most famous still life photographers of the year, including the best still life photography Instagram accounts to follow.
You’re about to discover 11 of the best still life photographers and their websites in 2023.
I’ll introduce you to a list of both modern and historical still life photographers from around the world.
I’ll also answer some frequently asked questions related to still life photographers in general.
You’ll find a ton of inspiration for your own still life photography in this guide.
You should also check out our related guides:
Who Are The Most Famous Still Life Photographers in 2023?
#1 Sara Tasker
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Sara Tasker uses still life photographs to tell a story of family life and peaceful solitude.
Her moody images captivate over 200,000 Instagram followers and showcase her appreciation for the simple things in rural Yorkshire, England.
Tasker’s photography journey started on an iPhone in January 2013, just before her baby Orla was born. She started a 365 photo-a-day challenge and never looked back.
#2 Yukiko Masuda
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Yukiko Masuda is one of the most popular contemporary still life photographers using an iPhone.
Inanimate objects are brought to life with her unique perspectives of food and flowers.
The Japanese photographer adds a hint of moody romance in her floral still life photographs, and even teaches her skills in flower arrangement classes.
#3 Shihya Kowatari
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Another Japanese still life photographer is Shihya Kowatari, who uses natural objects to make beautiful images.
Her unique style of story telling results in dreamy floral shots and fun silhouettes of ordinary objects.
She shows flowers and leaves in different colors, creating a dynamic art form with innovative camera work.
#4 Jonathan Knowles
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Jonathan Knowles brings new ideas to mundane objects as an advertising photographer specializing in still life work.
His beautifully composed images showcase his commercial photography skills with a unique lighting technique and style.
He’s been inspired by popular drinks like milk and soda since he was a child and has gone on to work with Coca-Cola, Guinness, Nescafé, and Smirnoff.
#5 Evelyn Bencicova
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Evelyn Bencicova hails from Slovakia and uses symbolic elements in her still life photography.
The saying “more than meets the eye” definitely applies to her still life images, which entice viewers to study them in depth to find hidden meetings.
Her award-winning contemporary still life photography has appeared in Elle and Vogue magazines, as she works with big brands like Gucci and Cartier.
#6 Marcel Christ
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Marcel Christ uses still life photography techniques to combine movement with fine arts.
The commercial photographer and short film director is based in Amsterdam, where he’s hard at work creating stunning images for Prada, Nespresso, and Heineken.
He calls his style “controlling coincidence” as he uses unpredictable and surprising elements in an otherwise carefully controlled dark room studio.
#7 Mat Collishaw
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Mat Collishaw is another talented artist in still life photography.
Looking at his still life image collection, you may find it slightly confronting, but that’s his goal while telling stories through art.
The contemporary artist attended Goldsmiths’ College and has been showcased at notable institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art and Tate Modern.
#8 Robert Sulkin
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Robert Sulkin spent four decades teaching photography at Hollins University, and he’s an established expert in fine art.
As one of the more experienced still life painters still creating today, Sulkin’s work can be found in a number of solo and group art shows.
He won Best in Show at 2008 Photospiva in Joplin, MO and was recognized at the 2013 Academy of Fine Arts National Juried Photography Exhibition in Lynchburg, VA.
#9 Henry Hargreaves
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Henry Hargreaves uses his study of art history and interest in still life photography to guide his art direction.
He makes edgy yet funny food still life images from his base in the Big Apple.
His photography has appeared at The Lunch Box Gallery in Miami and MAXXI in Rome.
#10 Olivia Parker
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As one of the best still life photographers, Olivia Parker has decades of amazing work to her name.
The American artist was working in silver print photography but turned to digital still life photos in the mid-1990s after a leg injury made it hard to work in a dark studio.
Parker’s successful career in contemporary still life photography includes over 100 solo exhibitions and a series based on her and her husband’s experience with Alzheimer’s disease.
#11 Krista van der Niet
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Krista van der Niet is a clear leader in still life photos, especially food photography as she likes to use fruits and vegetables with a deeper meaning.
Based in the Netherlands, this popular still life photographer is known for mixing clothing textiles in with food shots as she pokes fun at consumerism and pop culture.
Her professional experience has covered numerous solo and group exhibitions, including Dutch Design Week.
Her 2014 project A Cornucopia of Contemporary Still Life is a prime example of stunning still life images by innovative artists.
FAQ
What are the 2 main types of still life photography?
Found objects and created scenes make up the two main types of still life photography. Found still lifes capture an existing scene, whether that be food items or flowers arranged on a table.
Created still lifes require a more technical approach, as photographers arrange objects to set the scene specifically for pictures.
Who was the first still life photographer?
Some of the earliest examples of still life photography were produced by Baron Adolf de Meyer, William Henry Fox Talbot, Jacques-Louis-Mandé Daguerre, and Charles Aubry.
As technology improved, still life photography gained momentum and became a hallmark of contemporary and modern art.
What are the 4 types of still life?
Still life photographers work with four main categories: flowers, animals, banquet/breakfast, and symbolic. Artists take a meticulous approach to draw attention to simple objects and convey a different mood depending on the subjects and how they’re arranged.
Why is it called still life?
Still life photography gets its name from the Dutch term stilleven, which means motionless, silent, or still. This name was coined in the 1600s when paintings of fruit, flowers, and other everyday objects became common.
Still life compositions often have a more complex meaning behind inanimate objects, offering insight into human life.
Who invented still life?
The first still life painting was finished in 1504 by Jacopo de’Barbari, an Italian painter who depicted a dead partridge and gauntlets.
Still life paintings became more popular throughout the 16th and 17th centuries and eventually led to still life photographs in the mid-1800s. William Henry Fox Talbot and Jacques-Louis-Mandé Daguerre used still life as photography inventors.
Where did still life become popular?
Still life painting dates back to the early 1600s in Northern Europe. Once photography was invented in the 19th century, still life photography flourished as artists took photos of everyday objects.
Modern still life photography is heavily featured throughout interior design and art galleries around the globe.
More Famous Photographer Resources:
- Sports
- Architecture
- Travel
- Celebrity
- Street
- Fashion
- Black
- Landscape
- Female
- Portrait
- Nature
- Portraits
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Jeff Collier is an experienced film photographer who enjoys experimenting with modern digital photography equipment, software and apps. He’s also an ex-world champion triathlete and avid cyclist, clocking hundreds of km each week in the beautiful Tweed Valley of northern NSW, Australia.
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