Can you believe this stunning shot was one of Ken’s first attempts at still life photography? The beautiful snake’s head fritillaries and vase were photographed in a bedroom using only natural window light. A rusty tray was then photographed and overlaid onto the image as a texture layer in Photoshop, which helped to produce the attractive sketch-like aesthetic.
A great deal of work went into this charming image. From the pine trees to the snow, the wintry set was constructed specifically for this photo. The snowfall was created by blowing flour through a straw and coloured card was used to represent the buildings. We particularly like the colour grading, which has produced a colour-film aesthetic.
At a glance you’d be fooled into thinking this tastefully edited and subtly lighted photograph was an oil painting. The spotlight on the background has produced an attractive gradient, and the shadows together with the glass in the foreground convey plenty of depth. The fallen flowerheads are a fine finishing touch that balance the composition.
This attractive flatlay was lit using a strobe and two flags either side to help control the light. The 50mm focal length and aperture of f/11 has produced a distortion-free image with front-to-back sharpness. We like the arrangement, but it’s the muted colour palette and gorgeous green details that really caught our eye. The result is a subtle in-camera colour popping effect.
This colourful still life uses the rule of odds to create a pleasing arrangement of five flowers and five vases. Four of the plants have had their heads removed, creating both interest and a strong narrative. The natural-looking lighting and soft shadows were created using window light on the left and fill flash on the right, while the painterly texture was added in post-production.
Candice mentions in the description: “The colour as they [the roses] dried was exquisite, and I wanted to capture this beauty in a unique way.” Unlike the withering roses, the resulting image is timeless. The camera has immortalised this stunning moment, while the traditional, painterly style of the composition will no doubt prove equally enduring. A very well-deserved winner.
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809 Images entered
506 Photographers
50,429 Ratings
Brief
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In this Nikon-only contest – brought to you by N-Photo magazine – we're asking for your best still life images. So, whether it’s a beautifully lit fruit bowl, a painterly flower arrangement or a social-media-friendly flatlay, we’d like to see your best still life photographs. DO: Ensure your photo was taken on a Nikon camera Have EXIF data in your photo (in the info section) Provide a title for your photo Write a description of the photo you're entering of at least 50 words to give us the background of what the image is of and how the it was taken. A little context can go a long way! Check your photo has a resolution of at least 3000 pixels on the longest edge of the photo as we will be printing our top 10 images in N-Photo magazine. DO NOT: Have a watermark on your photograph Any photo not following the above rules will be disqualified from the competition.
We ask that all NPOTY entries are taken on Nikon cameras and supplied with EXIF data. However, we still wanted to review this image because it’s a simply stunning example of a surreal still life. We love this photograph’s sketch-like quality and front-to-back sharpness. And the glass ball is a great addition that provides a clear focal point to draw the viewer’s gaze.
