Still-life photography in the studio

In this two-day photography workshop, Caroline Heinecke and Andreas Marx bring everyday objects to life. The focus of this creative workshop is on colors, materials, and storytelling in still life photography, as well as the fundamentals of still life photography and the importance of optimal lighting techniques.

Day 1: Fundamentals of Still Life Photography and Lighting Techniques
After a brief introduction round and an overview of the workshop program, the course begins with a presentation of Caroline’s work and working methods, introducing the history and significance of still life in photography.

In the first practical exercise, the focus is on artificial lighting. Participants are divided into pairs. Each pair selects an object of their choice to stage and later photograph. Objects are provided by the instructors. Participants receive an introduction to the use of studio lighting and light modifiers and experiment with different light sources to create various moods.

Day 2: Colors, Materials, and Stories in Still Life Photography
The second day focuses on color design and the selection of props. The importance of color and its influence on the mood and meaning of a still life is explained, and practical tips for choosing suitable props are provided.

In a practical exercise, the instructors address the topic of color-based staging, with the goal of creating specific atmospheres. Participants deliberately place their objects in relation to colors and materials. In a third practical exercise—narrative staging—participants create a still life that conveys story and emotion. Throughout the process, attention is paid both to the arrangement of objects and to the chosen lighting.

After printing, the images are discussed and analyzed together. The results are examined on two levels: first, in terms of color composition, material choices, and narrative elements; and second, with regard to the chosen techniques, lighting setups, and the mood created.

Vita:

Caroline Heinecke, born in 1986 in Nordhausen, Thuringia, in the Harz region, lives and works in Berlin. She studied visual communication at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences in Dessau. In 2017, she decided to express her sensitivity for compositions of color, form, and arrangement through another medium—photography. From 2017 to 2020, Heinecke studied at the Ostkreuz School of Photography in Berlin. Her passion lies in still life and fine art photography.

The patient objects often play supporting roles until the photographer allows us to see through her eyes. Starting from staged objects and situations, she creates a visual world that engages with themes such as niche societies, identity, and the future. In addition to various group exhibitions—such as Les Rencontres de la Photographie d’Arles (2022), the LUMIX Festival (2020), and the Copenhagen Photo Festival (2020)—she has numerous publications to her name, including features in photography magazines such as Der Greif, Photonews, and Stern Magazine.

www.carolineheinecke.com

Andreas Marx was born in 1958 in Mussenhausen in the Allgäu region of Germany and completed his foundational photographic training at the Bavarian State Institute for Photography in Munich.

After an intensive period working as an assistant—both in fashion and editorial photography as well as in still life—and a year in the master class, also at the State Institute, he became self-employed in 1984 together with his wife Susanne in Memmingen.

The range of his work was very broad, spanning architecture and industrial photography as well as product photography. During the era of classical analog photography, the Marx Studios also included a fully equipped professional darkroom.

Alongside his professional work, Andreas Marx has been actively involved in various professional associations up to the present day and served for many years as Master Craftsman (Obermeister) of the Swabia–Upper Bavaria Photographers’ Guild.

With the transition to digital photography in the early 2000s, technical developments emerged through collaborations with the company NOVOFLEX. This collaboration eventually led to Andreas Marx joining NOVOFLEX in 2012 as Head of Photographic Technology.

In addition to product development for NOVOFLEX and photographic work for long-standing clients at MARX STUDIOS, Andreas Marx has been sharing his extensive knowledge for many years through workshops on architecture and panoramic photography, still life and product photography, macro photography, lighting techniques, and focus stacking.

www.novoflex.de