The 8 Best Still Life Photographers in Charlotte

Looking for one of the best Charlotte still-life photographers to partner with? At Peerspace, we get it! Still-life photography is a favorite subject of ours to explore because it covers so many interesting subject possibilities! We often think of it as flower bouquets, tabletop spreads of fruit, and other classic approaches.

Yet, the work of these Charlotte still-life photographers goes much further. You’ll also come to appreciate how commercial businesses and brands use still-life product photography. Still-life includes advertising shots featuring what they’ve created as well as photos that grace the cover of editorial publications. It’s truly everywhere you look!

1. Dan Routh

The portrait, food, and still-life photography of Dan Routh is consistent in character. Exactly what you’d expect of a fine artist who has found his personal style. Dan favors subdued yet natural colors, with an emphasis on textures, contrast, and shapes that are both organic and man-made. Single items as well as seemingly chaotic collections of similar items both appeal to him.

Dan’s work is also exemplary of the genre, taking goods that seem common and not worth a second glance. Yet through the power of his compositions and eye for lighting, you find yourself captivated by what he reveals! Dan grew up in a rural farming community and many of his still-life subjects hearken back to this upbringing. We see this in his choice of photographs featuring things like farm produce, workman’s tools, and paint cans!

2. Hadley Henry

Hadley Henry is a Charlotte still-life photographer and a native to North Carolina. However, she’s done quite a bit of traveling in her educational career. She first obtained a bachelor of fine art in photography from Savannah College of Art and Design before moving to New York City, where she pursued a career in commercial photography for seven years. Her select clients include brands like Martha Stewart Weddings, South Magazine, and Hudsonville Ice Cream.

Hadley’s still-life photography includes studio flat-lay images, artistic arrangements, and e-commerce product shots. She masterfully showcases products in ways that accentuate their best features and enables consumers to make educated choices while also appreciating how well-crafted they are.

3. Tori Sutton

Tori Sutton is a production assistant and photographer active in Charlotte, North Carolina. She’s talented with everything from post-production software to large-format camera use. Anything your commercial project requires! Yet she’s also an amazing still-life photographer who specializes in several styles, which includes isolating her subjects in studio settings.

Tori uses ideal lighting and clean yet colorful backgrounds to showcase their textures, tones, and shapes. In other instances, she will use natural light and backgrounds that convey lifestyle elements to the viewer.

4. Herman Nicholson

Herman Nicholson is a portrait and Charlotte still life photographer. His work makes ample use of classic studio lighting to bring out subtle tones in the skin of his human subjects and as fine details in his still-life subjects.

Herman is also an educator who runs workshops for aspiring portrait and still life photographers in North Carolina. His work explores various artistic motifs, including social justice, textures, natural forms, and the innate beauty of a human portrait. He also uses classic still-life techniques, including chiaroscuro lighting, which naturally isolates his subjects while accentuating key features.

5. Haylie Jeter

Haylie Jeter has been a Charlotte still-life photographer since 2014. She initially worked for a regional retail chain before branching out to form her own commercial studio. Haylie offers her clients several skills, including graphic design, brand identity development, and art direction. So you not only get well-composed still-life product shots but also the direction to ensure it reaches your target audiences!

Haylie is also active in the lifestyle niche, where products and narratives combine to create a story. You will find her work featured by many brands and publications, including Charlotte Living Magazine, Mae Nicole Candles, and Aviv Jewelry!

6. Kent Hogan

Product and lifestyle still-life photography is what Kent Hogan does best! His images not only showcase the best elements of a given item but also convey a story about it. The kind of people who might use it, the setting, the mood, and so on. That’s why Kent counts brands like Bissell, Degree, and Suave as partners of his.

Kent also captures still-life portrait images, where a single item takes center stage. Ideal studio lighting, clean backgrounds, and expert retouching enable us to appreciate everything about the subject. Simple touches like condensation, an open lid, and directional light then add to our initial study.

7. Kevin Chelko

As a top Charlotte still-life photographer, Kevin Chelko counts major national brands like Fresh Express, Boar’s Head, and Green Giant as satisfied customers. Each one of them aims to highlight the innate beauty of their food and beverage products through still-life photography. Some of these images find their way onto packaging while others grace advertisements or the inside of lifestyle publications.

In all of his images, Kevin demonstrates a great balance between life-like color and attention-grabbing editing. He uses just enough saturation and contrast to highlight what makes each item beautiful without spoiling it with overly strong filters or grading techniques!

8. Rico Marcelo

Rico Marcelo has been active in the Charlotte photography space since 2007. His work began as an exploration of the visual arts and has blossomed over the years into a full-fledged commercial business!

Rico’s work includes not only food-oriented still-life photography but also event, wedding, family, and portrait images for North Carolina clients. Local brands like Pizza Chapel and Honeybear Bake Shop prefer Rico’s vibrant, punchy still-life shots. Sprinkles, sauces, and other elements are highlighted for their visual impact, and compositions are carefully chosen to suggest both sensory elements and lifestyle narratives to viewers.

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