In this inspiring interview, Nathan Kraxberger unveils the magic behind a winning shot, fueled by the aspiration to capture a heroic essence in a beautiful product with minimal embellishments. Embracing the simplicity of still life photography, the artist expresses a love for extracting beauty from everyday objects, offering a glimpse into their approach to infusing life and allure into inanimate subjects.
What is the story behind the winning shot? What inspired you to capture it?
The story behind this shot centered around using beautiful product and photographing it in a way that created a heroic view with minimal propping and thoughtful composition.
Can you describe your creative process when conceptualizing and planning a photo shoot?
My creative process usually involves two things: shooting product that is beautiful and interesting as well as full consideration of the environment in which the product will thrive. Camera angles and lighting are usually found during the creative process, with trial and error to find the best match.
What is your favorite piece of equipment or photography gear, and how does it enhance your work?
I love a large scrim, where I can adjust it to shape the light and/or highlights with the most precision.
What do you like the most about being a still life photographer?
My favorite part about being a still life photographer is the ability to take my time with a product, which allows adjustment to light or perspective.
How do you approach selecting the objects and scenes for your still life compositions? What draws you to particular subjects?
If an object speaks to me, for whatever reason, I am drawn to shoot it. It might be the shape, or color, or texture. If it looks interesting then I am interested.
What draws you to the genre of still life photography, and how do you approach arranging and photographing inanimate objects?
One thing that draws me to still life photography is often times the simplicity of it all. You don’t always need a lot on set to create beauty. I like when I see photographers taking simple, everyday objects and creating a beautiful images with them.
Can you discuss your creative process in composing and lighting a compelling still life photograph?
My process when composing and lighting an image is to first start with the camera’s point of view, then I work closely with the stylist to create a beautiful composition, and then finally I light the image in a way that gets the most out of the product’s beauty.
Gratitude to Nathan Kraxberger for generously sharing the essence of his journey as a still life photographer and the enchanting stories behind each captured moment.
