Milk, objects, and the stories we tell: still life photography with everyday materials
You don’t need elaborate sets or expensive props to tell a story. As a San Francisco still life photographer, I return again and again to everyday objects. The ordinary things we pass by without noticing often hold the most meaning in product and still life photography.
Objects are shared
A single object, placed with intention, can stir memory, emotion, or curiosity. Objects carry nostalgia, history, and endless possibilities without needing to be complicated or rare.
Leaving space for interpretation
When I create, I like to leave the story unfinished. What is not being said? What lingers in the quiet? My images open a door and invite viewers to step inside with their own memories, questions, and interpretations.
Trusting voice and process
Lately, I have been thinking about finding my voice. I am realizing it is less about chasing it and more about trusting it. Making the work I am drawn to. Being playful. Letting things stay strange and simple. Following what feels real.
Why milk?
For this project, I created a series of vignettes connected by a single thread: a glass of milk. Milk is both a blank canvas and a symbol, woven into countless moments and memories. It invites viewers to bring their own story, whether comforting, mundane, nostalgic, or a little unsettling.
Simple styling, open narratives
I kept the styling simple. Just enough to suggest a narrative, but open enough to leave space for the imagination to take over. In the end, that is the kind of work I want to make: strange, simple, familiar, and open. Work that does not close the story but begins one.
What everyday object sparks a memory or story for you? For more reflections on still life storytelling, visit my Creative tools, reach out if you’re looking for brand photography, or follow along on Instagram @sara.anderson.photo.