Still life photography is a genre of photography where the subject of the photos are typically small groups of object. Still life originates from the middle ages and Ancient Greek/Roman art, and genre gives the artists creating paintings and photographs more leeway in the arrangement of the design elements within a composition compared to other photographic genres, such as landscape or portrait photography. Lighting and framing are important aspects of still life photography composition. The most popular subjects in still life images include groups of flowers, food, desk space, and many others. Normally still life images are taken close up to the subject but it also isn’t too far away, but instead taken at a medium distance from the subject.

Image Analysis:

This image was taken by Claesz, who was one of the most important Dutch still life painters in the 1600’s. Everything om the table, from the fluted glass and goblet to the lobster and crab, all look very life like. Claesz has captured all these objects together as during the 17th century the Dutch would proudly present these expensive status objects in their homes to show their wealth and remind them of the better things in life. Fish was very expensive and hard to get hold of during the 17th century, so having fish on the table would show wealth. The Dutch would also have bread and wine on the table to add a touch of Christian symbolism, and if it was white bread that would also symbolise wealth as the less fortunate, such as the poor, would either eat rye bread or porridge.