66 Comments
User's avatar
Vangelis Sal's avatar

When I started with photography I used playmobil to compose with more than one subject and to play with shadows! Not my greatest shots but fun enough to play :)

Flowers is surely the winner though for still life

Expand full comment
Wesley Verhoeve's avatar

Ha I love the play mobile idea

Expand full comment
Gajan Balan's avatar

Really enjoyed this one! Intention and serendipity 👌🏾

Expand full comment
Wesley Verhoeve's avatar

Thanks Gajan!

Expand full comment
M.G. Tucker's avatar

Similarly, flowers. But that’s because my partner is a florist! Otherwise, it’s simply light. Some old object that’s been chosen or handed down and placed in a certain spot in the house. So much opportunity just at home.

Expand full comment
Wesley Verhoeve's avatar

Ooh cheat code, florist partner!!

Expand full comment
Christian Spies's avatar

I love propagating plants from cuttings, so our kitchen windowsill always has a selection of small glass bottles containing various herbs and plant cuttings in water. Early morning sunshine on them have been a daily reminder of beauty and really gets me inspired to shoot.... And then flowers - of course. No doubt.

Here in the west of South Africa we have what is called "Fynbos" (pronounced "fɛinbos"). It is now end of Winter here, and the Fynbos is spectacular.

Expand full comment
Wesley Verhoeve's avatar

Ha I have the same hobby! Avocado seedling everywhere!

Expand full comment
Vangelis Sal's avatar

Congrats Christian! You're the winner of this week's giveaway! Check your email for more details ;)

Expand full comment
Christian Spies's avatar

I am so amped about this!! Thank you!

Expand full comment
Kim Nelson's avatar

We live in a home full of windows and enjoy the play of light on the walls/objects throughout our house. My 'in-home' photographs tend to be shafts of light as it hits different pieces of pottery, bookshelves, unmade beds, and my creative spaces. I collect botanicals for cyanotypes, and quite often am drawn to photographing the dried flowers/plants used in my prints.

Expand full comment
Wesley Verhoeve's avatar

I have been very curious to try some botanical cyanotypes, probably next spring

Expand full comment
David Yang's avatar

I recently got a dog (a little terrier mix rescue), and he tears apart every toy we give him. I'm starting a series now photographing each toy as they destroyed 🐶

Expand full comment
Wesley Verhoeve's avatar

haha I LOVE that

Expand full comment
Aden Albert's avatar

There’s a yellow orb-weaver spider that likes to spin between the camellia and the car port, so her web catches dew in the morning. My daughter calls the spider “Ghost,” and it’s endlessly fascinating to see how many different ways she can make the same thing.

Expand full comment
Wesley Verhoeve's avatar

that's so charming Aden

Expand full comment
Campbell Greenock's avatar

I love taking photos of the windows... not like the view out the window, but the actual windows themselves

Expand full comment
Wesley Verhoeve's avatar

I love that too, and reflections!

Expand full comment
Jack M. Powers's avatar

If I’m honest, I don’t think about taking photos around the house very much. Usually my photography takes me out of the house. Now that I’m thinking about it, I have a lovely hanging plant that makes all kinds of crazy shapes and patterns with its leaves and hanging vines. This article is a really great reminder that we really need to look no further than what’s around us. Very inspired. Thanks very much!

Expand full comment
Wesley Verhoeve's avatar

so happy to read that Jack, thanks for sharing and go snap those shots!

Expand full comment
Nikolai Ursin's avatar

I’ve always been drawn to reflections of mirrors and windows throughout my house, particularly when the morning sun makes interesting and disorienting patterns in the light.

Expand full comment
Wesley Verhoeve's avatar

same for me, big time

Expand full comment
Cai Zhen | 蔡祯's avatar

Living at flat where my house area had a lot of stray cat. When sunrise, the lighting were pointed to those cats and could make a lot of interesting photo. But somehow I was still experimenting my camera. Hope to get more good photos

Expand full comment
Wesley Verhoeve's avatar

Yes!!!

Expand full comment
Roos v W's avatar

I have two floorlamps in a corner of my living room next to the windows. The glass of the lamps are a deep purple and a light but bright pink. In the summer evenings the sun always does a little dance with the lamps, and the glass bounces of colour on the wall behind them.

Expand full comment
Wesley Verhoeve's avatar

Love that!

Expand full comment
Chris D'Amore's avatar

I got more into still life during COVID lockdown, especially after the birth of our daughter. It reminded me to look closely at the things I took for granted, and I still carry what I learned through it. Travel is great, but there’s no shortage of things to document in the space you’re in at any given moment. Thanks for yet another great post!

Expand full comment
Wesley Verhoeve's avatar

thank you for the kind words Chris!

Expand full comment
Stephen Brancati's avatar

I haven't made many pictures at or around home, at least not with intention. However, several images have been of light bulbs of various shapes and sizes. You've got me thinking!💡

Expand full comment
Wesley Verhoeve's avatar

now stop thinking and start shooting ;)

Expand full comment
James Lawley's avatar

Sounds like a cheat answer but genuinely it’s just daylight - any room / wall / object / alcove in my house can be transformed by the right light...

The obvious soft dawn or orange dusk light for starters - but our house is also opposite a school building with a lot of windows which often throws huge reflections into our house and creates real surprises of shadow and colour.

Lovely post 👌🏼

Expand full comment
Wesley Verhoeve's avatar

thank you james!

Expand full comment
Kristina's avatar

The most recent thing to inspire an impromptu still life photoshoot for me was a flower bouquet I picked up from a local business. The light was hitting it just right and I was feeling bright just looking at it. Other times, it's usually light hitting a normal object in a new way that inspires a still life for me.

Expand full comment
Wesley Verhoeve's avatar

exactly that :)

Expand full comment