Creating A Story: Ambience in Still Life Photography

BY TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS WE STOP TIME, we save a moment, and sometimes we create a world which could exist.

How often do you take photographs? For pleasure, for yourself or for someone else? How do you get ready to preserve a moment that will never be repeated?

fig and cheese crostinis — Photo by Inna Kostukovsky

IT CAN BE QUITE SIMPLE: just glance at the viewfinder or the screen of your smartphone and press the button for fun! But if you manage to create the atmosphere for your photograph, you will be able to control the mood and thus give more meaning to the moment.

honey-caramelized pears with nuts — Still Life Photography | The Lokal

THE VERY PROCESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY IS FASCINATING and even a little magical. Last May, the Lokal team was pleased to bring together amateurs and professional photographers. We talked and shared many experiences. But the main goal of our day was a desire to get acquainted with Inna Kostukovsky, a London-based photographer whose works were published by magazines like “in Provence”, “Bon Appétit”, “Once Wed”, “Style me Pretty”, “100 Layer Cake” etc. She works with film and digital cameras to create authentic, emotional stories about people who love each other to pieces. Last year, Inna visited the workshop of D’Arcy Benincosa, an American photographer, in Provence. She shared with us her secrets of film photography and told us about her workshop.

Still Life Photography — From left to right – Ira Kruglova (Illustrator), Angelika Poletaeva (Photographer), Julia Latkina (Designer), Inna Kostukovsky (Photographer), Veronika Zhivago (Photographer), Nina Hazhala (Stylist)

The preparation for the workshop took some time. We knew it was not enough just to talk about photography. Instead, we wanted to implement Inna’s vision and expertise into creating the magic together, experience the process collectively, and cultivate personal photo-stories out of it.

THERE ARE A FEW IDEAS we used to build up an inspiring ambiance.

LOOK AT THE COLLECTION OF YOUR HOME RECIPES and make something light and aesthetically pleasing. What about fig and cheese crostinis (for rich textures)? Or honey-caramelized pears with nuts? As a dessert, you could choose a berry tart (for vibrant and contrasting colors). Add some champagne mixed with rose lemonade and pour it into glasses (for light pink hues). Then find your grandmother’s china set and decorate a table with it (vintage objects always add some history). Wild flowers and plants in vases will add lightness and brighten the mood. Do not forget to put on proper outfits and invite fellow photography enthusiasts.

Photography meeting Chicago — Photo by Angelika Poletaeva

a berry tart — Photo by Inna Kostukovsky

NOW THAT EVERYTHING IS READY, take a camera, summon up all the inspiration, emotions, and creativity and enjoy the moment of the birth of your ideal shot.

Ambience in Still Life Photography — Photo by Inna Kostukovsky

Food photo inspiration | Lokal Home Design Food Chicago — Photo by Veronika Zhivago

IN OUR OPINION, the creation of the atmosphere is the best way to reevaluate your relationship with photography.

You can photograph from your own angle or use the usual settings. In any case, the result will depend on the microclimate and the mood around you as well as the ambiance you have created for yourself.

Develop your inner world and improve the beauty of the world around, and your photographs will be full of sense and depth.