The 8 Best Still Life Photographers in Sydney

Hoping to work with one of the top Sydney still-life photographers? As Australia’s most populous city, Sydney is where anyone looking to find talented artists should begin their search. The Harbour City is a meeting place for businesses looking to tell visual stories about their creations. Many creatives also prefer telling stories of their own, choosing subjects like found objects and mannequins to celebrate beauty, culture, and other motifs.

Sydney still-life photographers are some of the best in the world at presenting products, food, and other subjects in an artistic manner. Let’s check out their work!

1. Benito Martin

Benito Martin developed his still lifestyle in his family-run home studio, learning how to combine artistry with engagement potential. But beauty and light are what draw him first. As Benito’s website explains: “His style is shaped by his fascination with light and how it interacts with the subjects, adding another dimension of emotion and mood to the image.”

That’s why he often chooses reflective subjects, like glass, dew-covered flowers, and metal objects, all of which create bold catchlights when lit under powerful studio lights. Benito is also talented at floating still-life photography, where portions of the subject (or the entire subject) seem to levitate in the frame. The style adds an active component and challenges how we traditionally think about the subject in question!

2. Tanya Zouev

While Tanya Zouev was always focused on the arts, photography stole her heart at age 16, diverting her from a planned study of graphic design. The magic of the darkroom was such that doing anything else simply no longer made sense to her!

Now, as a Sydney still-life photographer, Tanya’s work explores balance and beauty through cosmetics, interior design, and food subjects. She chooses colors ranging from subdued to bold, depending on the subject matter. Tanya then presents a playfulness to the scene, balancing objects off of each other and using shapes within shapes.

Yet we also find examples of minimalism in her portfolio. Here we have textures, bubbles, and other fine details as the main subject instead. Tanya’s attention to detail and love of the art form is why Tic Tac, Sheridan Australia, and Aldi all seek her out for collaborations.

3. Billy Plummer

Originally from London, Billy Plummer now calls Sydney home. As a lifestyle, portrait, still life, commercial, and editorial photographer, Billy’s work tells immersive stories. So much so that he has won awards like Photography Gold at the Midas Awards for World’s Best Financial & Marketing images. That’s why brands like Vodafone, Chang Beer, and Commonwealth Bank seek him out.

His still-life images are just as diverse in character. Sometimes they are taken outdoors, where green leaves and rusting metal form a striking palette. Other times Billy takes us into his studio, where subdued lighting and playful compositions bring a smile to your face.

4. Candid Nan

Street and still life photography are two of the most divergent genres there are, yet Candid Nan is a master of both. Her still-life compositions are classic in character, with plain black backgrounds, subdued lighting, and floral or vegetable subjects. The organic forms come in an endless array of colors, shapes, textures, and sizes.

And while all are familiar, Candid Nan demonstrates the power of still life to invite us to reconsider that familiarity. We see the extraordinary beauty of items when presented with hero angles and attention paid to how they balance and contrast with each other.

5. Andy Lewis

Andy Lewis is a Sydney still-life photographer whose work explores the commercial possibilities of the art form. He is also active in Melbourne and Brisbane and counts brands like Woolworths, Absolut Vodka, and Coles as partners of his.

Andy’s images help potential customers engage with a product or dish long before they ever meet it in person. They get a sense of the promise a brand offers, the quality of it, and even a sense of the taste, feel, and other qualities.

6. Rob Palmer

Food, travel, and the sea have informed Rob Palmer’s photography since the onset of his career. From documenting surf gatherings to telling the stories of chefs and international cuisines, Rob has always woven still-life food photography into his work.

The love of food is something we all share. And few still-life food photographers are so talented at presenting the sensory and memory cues of artfully created dishes. From the slick quality of a sauce to the fine textures seasoning creates, no element is left out.

Rob presents the people behind the scenes who make a dish possible through documentary food photography. He also presents still-life ingredients, allowing us to see the beauty of what goes into each creation!

7. Pablo Martin

Pablo Martin discovered photography in high school. The instant love affair inspired him to jump straight into professional work, where he has been a regular presence in Sydney’s still-life scene for over 15 years. Brands like Good Health and Medium Rare Content seek Pablo out for his ability to mix still and active qualities into his images.

His compositions are often busy, with several elements presented. yet the entire frame is balanced and there is often even a lifestyle narrative being presented. Bold exposure and sharp contrast are normal in Pablo’s work, giving textures, repeating patterns, and colors even more magnetism!

8. JAM Photographic

Still-life product photography comes in an endless array of styles, and JAM Photographic is one of the few brands capable of creating all of them. They are one of the most diverse Sydney still life photographers and offer everything from eCommerce and studio flat lay shots to lifestyle engagement with models and props.

JAM aims for character, engagement potential, humor, and artistry in its images. Items are arranged in ways that complement or contrast, as needed. Sometimes there is even a playful quality to it that demonstrates just how much they enjoy still life as a genre. JAM Photographic’s client list includes The Australian Women’s Weekly, Barclays, and Harper’s Bazaar.

Find unique photoshoot locations in Sydney on Peerspace