Aspects of Still Life Photography
Subject Matter: Typically includes, but is not limited to, food, flowers, plants, household items, and antiques.
Control: The photographer has total control over all elements, including lighting, background, and arrangement, which is ideal for experimenting with mood and style.
Lighting: Techniques vary from soft natural light to dramatic studio lighting to create depth and texture.
Composition: Essential to the genre, techniques like the rule of thirds, leading lines, and depth of field are used to create, for example, a balanced or chaotic, artistic, or, say, minimalist scene.
Purpose: It ranges from artistic expression and commercial product photography to, for instance, documenting "found" objects. 

Common Sub-genres and Themes
Tabletop Photography: The most common form, involving small objects arranged on a surface, such as kitchen utensils, books, toys, and more.
Product Photography: Focused on showcasing commercial items like jewelry, clothing, or electronics for marketing.
Food Photography: A subset that arranges food to look appetising, often styled with utensils and ingredients.
Vanitas / Memento Mori: A traditional style featuring symbolic items like skulls, candles, and watches to represent the brevity of life, say {Link: Vault Editions and Study.com.
Abstract Still Life: Focuses on colours, shapes, and textures rather than the literal, recognisable form of objects.
Found Object Photography: Captures natural or man-made items in their environment without rearranging them (e.g., leaves on the ground).
Rustic/Antique Still Life: Emphasises nostalgia, using aged artifacts, wood, and stone to create a specific mood.

Essential Equipment
Camera: Any camera (mirrorless, DSLR, or smartphone) works, but manual control is preferred.
Lens: A 50mm to 100mm lens is generally recommended to minimise distortion.
Tripod: Critical for precise,, and, and, to, for, and, composition and, say, using, slow shutter speeds.
Lighting and Modifiers: Natural light, flash, desk lamps, and, for example, softboxes, reflectors, or white cards. 


Still life is a highly accessible, rewarding, and creative field that emphasises technical skill, patience, and, in addition to that artistic vision, it is the ability to see everyday objects in a new light.