The 8 Best Still Life Photographers in New Orleans

Curious to see the work of some of the best New Orleans still life photographers? As one of America’s cultural hubs, New Orleans is an excellent place to look for still-life photographers. The city is home to museums, exhibitions, and artistic gatherings that happen each year. Photographers come from all over the nation to feature their work, tell stories about the city, and make their homes here.

So when you explore the work of the top New Orleans still life photographers, see if you can’t also learn how The Big Easy has influenced them!

1. Noel Marcantel

From personal branding to still-life product photography, Noel Marcantel’s work helps businesses showcase their creations in the best possible light. He is a top three commercial photographer, as rated by Three Best Rated. You will find his work published in major national outlets like Fortune, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal, to name a few.

Noel’s specialties include e-commerce photography, with plain white backgrounds and perfect lighting. All the better to feature a still-life product with minimal distraction for online marketplaces!

2. Aaron Hogan

Aaron Hogan is the founder of Eye Wander Photo, a New Orleans still-life photography studio centered around commercial imaging. Food and architecture are major subjects of his. He helps brands find their target audience by featuring the lines, form, texture, and artistry of culinary creations. And considering what a food Mecca New Orleans is, there is an endless demand for his talents.

Aaron’s style is bright yet natural, with hints of the establishment’s venue to add a lifestyle narrative to his images. Such still-life food photos are perfect for advertising, menu, and social media usage!

3. Kristina Knipe

The still-life photography of Kristina Knipe is an exploration of art and how it meshes with her relationships and life in the city. Her work includes stories like how her friend broke an ankle or how she navigates the world of mental health and repurposes the possessions of others for her own.

As she explains in her Talisman still life series: “My story is intertwined with those I photograph- we cohabit spaces and experiences within a community of artists, activists, and healers.”

4. Will Jacks

Culture, relationships, objects, and places are what Will Jacks explores in his photography. His work blurs the lines between photojournalism and art, telling real stories while also highlighting the beauty of the moment.

His still-life photography often explores conceptual realms that touch on scientific facts, like his Absolute Rest series. We enjoy Will’s preference for altered tonal presentations. He favors strong color or monochrome as needed, presenting an altered reality that invites you to reconsider what you know about the world!

5. Michael McGrane

As a street, architectural, and New Orleans still-life photographer, Michael McGrane’s work is deeply rooted in the history of the city. We most admire his cemetery collection, which is an atmospheric series of shots that capture the character and mystery of the city’s mausoleums. Michael’s projects have found places at The New Orleans Contemporary Arts Center, the Louisiana State Museum, and other major outlets.

And when not exploring cemeteries or buildings, Michael engages us with the colorful people of New Orleans! His street photography is a rich collection of humans dressed up in all kinds of ways for all kinds of reasons. Day of the Dead, Mardi Gras, and street buskers of every stripe are just a few of the interesting characters he’s gathered.

6. Les Schmidt

The still-life photography of Les Schmidt finds places in exhibitions and publications throughout the country. Her work is fine art in character and often illustrates major moments in her own life. For example, Les’s “Dorothy Jean” series explores the various stages of decay that the bouquets she received in the wake of her mother’s passing undergo.

From vibrant to decrepit, the project offered a grounding, ceremonial activity for Les. This sort of heartfelt narrative attached to her work is a rare gift as personal grief is something many artists avoid exploring in their work!

7. Lovejoy Creative

Emily Lovejoy is the founder of this NOLA photography, interior design, and artistic brand! After graduating from the University of New Orleans in 2012 with a degree in fine art, she dove headfirst into the city’s creative avenues. She has managed galleries, curated group exhibitions, and crafted some of the best paintings, portraits, and still-life images we’ve come across.

Emily’s still-life photography is warm and inviting. Food is one of her favorite subjects; a perennial favorite of all New Orleans still-life photographers! She brings us up close and personal with each dish, allowing us to savor details that would escape a casual inspection. The crispy texture of a dessert, the overhead beauty of dishes and dumplings, and other subjects all catch your attention without fail. Emily is especially good at creating arrangements that are strong in composition!

8. David Halliday

David Halliday is a New York City and New Orleans still-life photographer. His work lands places and awards in exhibitions across the country, including the Arthur Roger Gallery in NOLA.

David is well known for his preference for creating muted-toned silver gelatin prints. Instead of rich colors, he uses classic sepia, which is warm and old-fashioned in character. They evoke an era believed to be forgotten yet can be revisited in a nostalgic instant through his camera lens.

His portfolio does include color photography, however. Arrangements of produce are favorites of his, using wood, marble, and other backgrounds to evoke lifestyle narratives in viewers. Props like knives and chopped fruit ask us to consider what brought the ingredients together. Are we looking at just a fine art collection…Or someone’s lunch? The unintentional manner of his images has a whimsical, playful quality to them and reminds us to look more deeply at everyday objects.

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