The artist Olha Afanasieva lives in a small town in Ukraine, surrounded by colorful apple, cherry, and nut trees. Her mother has a mini-garden where she grows fresh produce.
At her daughter’s request, she’s recently started growing kale, a leafy cabbage that adds rich greens to Afanasieva’s fresh and vibrant still lifes.
For the photographer, sustainability has always been a fact of life, beginning with her grandmother.
“My grandmother always used fabric shopping bags, long before it was so widespread,” she tells me. “We followed her example. I learned from a young age that nature must be protected and that we are responsible for the future.”
As a result, Afanasieva’s photographs are styled with environmentally friendly details, including cloth shopping bags and mason jars. She sources many of her ingredients directly from farmer’s markets.
“Ukraine is very rich in fruits and vegetables,” she explains. “There are many fields of corn, wheat, and sunflowers within a ten-minute drive from my house. More and more farmers understand the importance and benefits of growing organic and sustainable products with a minimal footprint.”
License these images via Olha Afanasieva Images. Gear: Canon EOS 5 Mark III camera, Canon 24-70 f2.8 lens. Settings: 1/125 second exposure time at f/7.1 and ISO 100.
Lush Inspiration
Afanasieva finds creative inspiration in her surroundings. In summertime, it could be the colors of a lush sunset that sparks her imagination. Often, it’s a trip to the garden.
“Where I live, you can grow your own apples or strawberries,” she tells me. “You can see people harvest raspberries or watering vegetable beds from a watering can. If you have a mini garden, as my mother does, then harvesting can be a kind of meditation.”
After the invasion of February of last year, I remember reading about Ukrainian farmers, whose wheat, barley, and sunflower fields were violently attacked. I also read about the heroic work being done by small family farmers, who provide an estimated 85% of fruits, veggies, and berries to the Ukrainian people, according to the FAO.
License these images via Olha Afanasieva Images.
As families were forced out of their homes, many turned to neighbors, who shared fresh and nutritious foods when they were able.
As for Afanasieva, she has continued making beautiful photographs, even during this brutal war. In summertime, her local farmer’s market opens up, and if she can’t find ingredients there, she can usually find organic produce at her neighborhood supermarket.
Composition, Light, and Styling
Usually, she will start with a notebook and pencil, sketching out her compositions and planning the light and styling in advance. She makes detailed lists of the ingredients she’ll need and plans accordingly.
Because she relies on fresh seasonal produce, some shoots take months to finally bring to life, requiring just the right ingredients. Others might be more spontaneous, unfolding over the course of a single day.
“Just the color of radish can inspire me,” she reflects.
Afanasieva’s still lifes recall memories of carefree summer days, fresh flavors, and golden sunlight. When shooting outdoors, she chooses the magic hour around sunrise and sunset for that glowy, directional light—but she’s not limited to natural light alone.
License these images via Olha Afanasieva Images.
“These days, the main trend I see is the use of bright backgrounds and direct light, imitating a sunny day,” she says. She replicates the mood of bright, natural sunlight in the studio at night.
“When the city is sleeping, nothing interferes with creativity,” the artist says.
Gear of Choice
Her lighting kit includes a Godox QT-400 Flash Light, two stripboxes, one softbox, standard reflectors with honeycomb grids, and white and black flags.
She has two Canon camera bodies, the EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR and the mirrorless Canon EOS R, which she’ll pair with a variety of lenses, including a Canon EF 24-70mm 2.8 L, Canon EF 100mm 2.8, Canon EF 50mm 1.4, and Canon EF 135mm f/2.0 L.
“These lenses deliver high-contrast images, and they make it easy to focus on the right place,” Afanasieva explains. “They are very reliable and predictable.”
For still lifes, she uses a Manfrotto tripod with a geared head for full control and stability.
Backgrounds and Color Theory
At the beginning of her career, Afanasieva purchased professionally-made backgrounds but, these days, she makes many of her own. For summer photos, she usually prefers clean, neutral backgrounds that allow the subject and light to take center stage.
Other times, she’ll play with color theory to create a “riot of color.” For example, she might pair bright orange apricots with deep blues for a complementary palette. Red cherries, on the other hand, work well with dark greens.
License these images via Olha Afanasieva Images. Gear: Canon EOS 5 Mark III camera, Canon 24-70 f2.8 lens. Settings: 1/125 second exposure time at f/8 and ISO 200.
Props
The artist has a diverse prop collection for every mood and style, with many unique items discovered in secondhand shops.
“I often visited flea markets in the past, but now we have a war in our country and, therefore, I buy most of my props online these days,” she tells me. “I also have ceramist friends who make beautiful dishes with their own hands, and I use those pieces in my work.”
For emerging food and still life photographers, her advice is simple: Let your imagination roam free.
“What inspires me the most is the freedom we have when choosing the style of an image,” she says. “You can photograph modern still lifes, or you can shoot with vintage props.
“Shoot a lot, and photograph in as many conditions as possible. Learn to work with light and your environment. Play with textures and backgrounds. Cut vegetables and fruits, and photograph them whole. Shoot not only trendy stories, but classic stories as well. There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to make a photograph.”
License this image via Olha Afanasieva Images. Gear: Canon EOS 5 Mark III camera, Canon 50mm f 1.4 lens. Settings: 1/125 second exposure time at f/7.1 and ISO 100.
One of Afanasieva’s favorite summertime pictures features garlic, kale, zucchini, and carrots sourced directly from her mother’s mini-garden.
“For this image, I wanted to find ‘imperfect’ vegetables and greens, so that they would remind us of the diversity of our world,” she remembers. “I chose an uneven zucchini, crooked carrots, small kale leaves—not ‘ideal,’ perhaps, but each of them has a sense of individuality. That’s what I was looking for.”
License this photo via Olha Afanasieva Images. Gear: Canon EOS 5 Mark III camera, Canon 50mm f 1.4 lens. Settings: 1/125 second exposure time at f/8 and ISO 200
For more from Olha Afanasieva, be sure to visit her Offset portfolio. From there, head over to her website, and follow along on Instagram at @olha_afanasieva.
License this cover image via Olha Afanasieva Images.
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