Still life photography represents one of the most demanding aspects of photography. In this area the photographer is expected to have a highly refined sense of lighting coupled with superb compositional skills because the photographer is making pictures rather than taking them. Knowing where to look for propping and surfaces is also a valuable trait.

In addition to knowing the fundamentals of photography, successfull still life photographers are intimately familiar with the tools of this field: tremendous studio lighting skills, ability to use large format view cameras, a strong visual technique, and distinctive stylistic approach.