Low-key lighting
A single principal light source allows shadows to dominate the composition, creating drama, depth and atmosphere.
Studio Photography · The Still Life in Black and White
Chiaroscuro Geometries
The project
Light as sculptural form
Chiaroscuro Geometries: The Still Life in Black and White is an artistic concept for a photography book focused on studio lighting.
Stark contrasts and dramatic illumination transform everyday objects into sculptural forms, emphasising texture, shape and mood. The central theme is an exploration of the way light and shadow define space and volume, particularly when applied to fundamental geometric shapes.
By removing the distraction of colour, black-and-white photography directs attention entirely towards the interplay of light across surfaces. The traditional still life is reimagined as a modernist, minimalist form centred on graphic compositions and essential lines.
Backlighting & rim lighting
Edge light separates the subject from the dark background and clarifies its geometric silhouette.
Highlighting texture
Precise light placement reveals contrasting material qualities—from the polished surface of a sphere to the rough texture of the plinth beneath it.