The 8 Best Still Life Photographers in Nashville
- Date: December 17, 2022
- Topic: Photography
- Contributors: Written by Earl Goodson

Source: Instagram / @tomclarkphoto
Still life images by the top Nashville still life photographers are more than just flower arrangements and tables full of fruit. It also includes products like shoes and clothing and the culinary creations of some of Tennessee’s top dining destinations!
That’s why each one of the top Nashville still life photographers has to be a master of several subgenres. Their brand partners have diverse needs and different target audiences to reach with visual media. So what sort of still life photography are you interested in? Whether you prefer a bright and vibrant style or something moodier, there’s a photographer here with your vision in mind!
1. Tom Clark
Tom Clark has more than 13 years of experience as a commercial photographer! Based in nearby Chattanooga, his mission is to engage viewers in a way that gives a sense of what brands have to offer before engaging with their works in person.
And once the subject experiences Tom’s images, they are guaranteed to remember them! The saturated colors, ideal lighting, and careful compositions he favors all invite closer study. The plain backgrounds he favors further isolates each still life subject in a distraction-free setting. In short, it’s a classic approach to the genre that’s simultaneously perfect for commercial and advertising needs.
2. Alex Crawford
Still life, food, products, and people are the favored subjects of Alex Crawford. Based in Nashville, he also has experience in the Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and Portland markets. Alex counts brands like Mont Blanc, AOL, and Nordstrom as satisfied customers of his.
Alex works both in the studio and on location as needed. His still life product images sometimes have a whimsical character to them thanks to the use of color, light, and composition. At other times, he prefers a contemporary style, with isolated subjects and backgrounds that further our interest in them.
3. Nicholas McGinn
Architectural wonders, interior designs, and products are Nicholas McGinn’s favorite still life subjects. His portfolio is an exploration of lines, light, and form, often through a minimalistic lens. Nicholas also has an eye for how shapes contrast and complement each other. He is a natural, which is to be expected given that photography goes back multiple generations in his family.
Even from the very beginning of his career as a professional photographer, Nicholas was able to quickly land multiple national campaigns. And he’s only achieved further renown since then!
4. Sheri Oneal
https://www.instagram.com/sherionealphotography/
The commercial still life images of Sheri Oneal demonstrate that you don’t have to choose between artistry and effective engagement. You can have both since her vision is one of vibrant colors and technical expertise. Each element in the frame helps guide your attention and conveys a powerful narrative.
Sometimes the composition is straightforward as in her e-commerce product images. And other times, Sheri includes complex elements and backgrounds that contain lifestyle characteristics. We see this most often in her food and beverage still life images. The table spreads tell the kind of holiday, cultural, and family stories that only a top Nashville still life photographer can create!
5. Kylie Hull
Kylie Hull has been interested in photography for decades now. Even as a child, she would take her camera while exploring the rural regions around her home. She ended up majoring in photography in college and worked as an in-house photographer for a florist in Fort Worth, Texas.
But Kylie’s interest in the genre could not be contained to a single genre! She now photographs weddings, portraits, and brands. That said, her portfolio also contains still life photography, bringing us back to her roots in floral images.
6. Amy Miller
The still life photography of Amy Miller is rooted strongly in the product world. Specifically, footwear! She has several years of experience working as an in-house photographer for two local footwear companies. Her work is a prime example of how still life product photography can be merged with fine art principles.
Amy uses compositions that often convey lifestyle narratives to viewers. We get a sense of the sort of person that might be attracted to the shoes that are visible. The placement allows us to appreciate the craftsmanship thanks to her eye for hero angles yet the sense is casual without feeling like an artificial arrangement.
7. Nick Bumgardner
Nashville still life photographer Nick Bumgardner has more than a decade of experience working in the commercial arena. His partners include ABC/Disney, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee, the Kansas City BBQ Association, and many other customers. His images help these organizations reach their target audiences using media that gets the word out about their products and services.
Nick started out in photojournalism before switching over to commercial still life work. These images have found their way into the publications of over 180 restaurants, not to mention 200 recipes in need of illustration. His still life food images masterfully convey the taste, texture, and other sensory elements through purely the visual sense!
8. Chris Parsons
Chris Parsons is a Nashville still life photographer whose work takes us to an earlier era. Rather than the ever-present digital medium, Chris favors tintype images! His prints are physical in nature. Rather than sterile and precise images, he embraces a process that is slow, and methodical, and reveals a fine art presentation of life.
As he shares with you: “When working with the wet plate collodion process, Chris aims to capture the symmetry and simplicity of human subjects and the natural world using a medium that embraces the beauty of imperfection.”
We also love the mood created by his medium; still life subjects are rendered in stark relief and without color. It invites a careful study of textures, natural forms, and their relationship to any objects (or lack thereof) in the frame.
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