Still Life Product Photography: Playing with Light and Color
A course by Amy Currell, Still-life Photographer and Director.
Joined November 2021
Learn the core principles of still life photography, from lighting and color to set design, and capture powerful images that bring products to life
Joined November 2021
Still life product photography gives you the creative freedom to consider every detail of a shoot and transform your ideas in front of the camera. This is what drove Amy Currell, award-winning photographer and Leica Ambassador, to specialize in this branch. Through carefully crafted compositions, she artfully juxtaposes color, texture, shape, and shadows to create eye-catching images that have won over clients like Vogue, Selfridges, ELLE, and The Telegraph.
In this online course, Amy teaches you fundamentals of still life photography to compose and capture powerful images. Play with color, light, and set design in a studio environment to build striking scenes that bring products to life. Amy also shows you how to retouch your photos to send to a client or add to your portfolio.
What will you learn in this online course?
14 lessons & 13 downloads
What's included in this course?
Begin the course by getting to know the photographer and director Amy Currel. Discover how she turned her childhood passion for photographs into a successful career, along with the artists who have influenced her work.
Learn about the fundamentals of still life photography and how to pick the right equipment for a shoot. Then, cover the key principles of light before developing the creative concept for your project, choosing the products and props.
Time to build your sets, first for a fashion accessory and then a beauty product. Amy shows you how to recreate a summer beach scene with midday lighting and capture the accessory from the best angles. Once you’ve finished, move onto the beauty image, redesigning the set and adjusting the lighting for a macro product shot.
Select which pictures make the final cut and retouch them for a perfect image, focusing on color, shape, and shadows to make the product pop. Amy wraps up the course by sharing tips on how to balance business and creativity.
- 92% positive reviews (12)
- 911 students
- 14 lessons (1h 8m)
- 13 additional resources (2 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, Spanish
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish · Romanian · Indonesian
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
Recommended software & tools for this course
Adobe Photoshop
Capture OneWhat is this course's project?
Shoot two still life photographs, one for a fashion accessory and one for a beauty product, designing a unique set for each.
Who is this online course for?
Both amateur and professional photographers who want to broaden their knowledge of product photography while exploring the facets of lighting and set design.
Requirements and materials
A working knowledge of DSLR cameras and Capture One is required.
In terms of materials, you need a DSLR camera, flash lighting, and a computer with the Capture One program, along with whatever props you choose to build your sets.
Reviews
Amy Currell
A course by Amy Currell
Amy Currell is a photographer and director who lives and works in East London. She always knew she wanted to make a career out of photography and won her first contests at 13 and 15 years old, further cementing the idea. Nevertheless, she earned a degree in history before going on to pursue her passion. She started by assisting other still life photographers on set, which is where she truly learned the fundamentals of the craft and honed her skills with practical, hands-on experience.
Feeling the need to make her own way, Amy decided to open her own studio, where she works across editorial and commercial projects. In addition to being a Leica Ambassador, she has collaborated with brands such as Vogue, Tatler, Liberty London, and Selfridges, as well as publications like ELLE and The Telegraph. She also created an award-winning campaign for IKEA that propelled her to ranking among Spotlights’ Top 10 Advertising Photographers.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
The Foundations of Still Life
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Still Life Photography
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Camera Equipment
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The Principles of Light
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Developing the Concept
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U3
The Fashion Accessory Set
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Building the Set
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Setting Up: Lights and Camera
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Accessory Image Photo Session
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U4
The Beauty Set
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Preparing the Set
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Lighting the Set
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The Beauty Image Photo Session
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U5
Post-production
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Curating the Images
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Balancing Business with the Creative
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FP
Final project
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Still Life Product Photography: Playing with Light and Color
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
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Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
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Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
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Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for intermediate photographers who want to strengthen their skills in still life and product photography, set design, lighting, and client management.
You'll need a DSLR or mirrorless camera, tripod, basic studio lighting setup, props, backgrounds, and access to editing software like Photoshop. A tethering system and Capture One are also recommended for studio workflow.
You'll learn set design, lighting techniques, composition, color theory, prop sourcing, camera setup, macro and beauty product photography, post-production, and strategies for building a professional portfolio and client base.
Yes, the course includes lessons on photographing reflective surfaces and beauty products, with specific lighting setups, composition tips, and post-production techniques to minimize glare and highlight product features.
Yes, the course guides you through curating and presenting a still life photography portfolio, selecting your best work, and preparing images for client presentations and competitions.
Absolutely. You'll learn about softboxes, hardboxes, bounce fill, and how to create soft and hard shadows, as well as mimicking daylight and using color contrast for impactful product images.
Yes, you will master negative space, object arrangement, central placement, and composition sketching to create balanced and visually appealing still life images.
Adobe Photoshop
Capture One
Me gustó mucho el curso, es muy fácil de comprender y brinda las herramientas necesarias para comenzar a realizar fotografía de producto.
ciekawy kurs
Buen curso, te muestra los principios básicos para este tipo de fotografía
Good course
me encanta el curso