Peter Lippmann: Turning the Ordinary Into the Extraordinary

It will be an absolute pleasure and honour to welcome Peter Lippmann to my studio this September for what I expect to be one of the most memorable interviews we’ve hosted on Visual Education.

Peter, in my opinion, is one of the greatest photographers alive today, I have studied his work explicitly, scrutinised his style, lighting and post production for over a decade. His images have been an inspiration for me and countless other photographers who have been mesmerised by his innate ability to turn the mundane into the magical.

Peter’s work crosses genres and boundaries with an elegant finesse that, to me, defies the standard aesthetics expected in photographic images. His compositions often deliver bewildering complexity yet still manage to convey the message with intent and certainty, a skill that can not be underestimated. In my own work I have rarely found the key to unlocking such elaborate and intricate scenes and make them work with such fortitude.

This interview will provide photographers of all levels a unique insight into the mind of one the worlds premiere photographers and also provide you the opportunity to ask Peter questions live or in advance during the show which will be broadcast live on Visual Education and available on replay thereafter.

I hope you can join us on September 29th for what I expect to be one of the most memorable interviews I’ve conducted.

Karl Taylor

Notes on Peter Lippmann's work:

• Notice how every object feels considered.
• See how shadows have purpose.
• Realise how each surface is considered .
• Identify how colours and contrast have a relationship that hold the image together.

These are just a few reasons as to why his work is so valuable to study.

In a world where images are created, shared and forgotten faster than ever, Peter’s work reminds us of something very different.

Patience. Taste. Craft. Observation. A deep understanding of light.

His photography does not feel rushed. It feels built.

The final image is the result of decisions. Where the light falls. Where the shadow holds. Where the eye travels. Which objects belong. Which ones should be removed. How much imperfection should remain. How far the image can be pushed before it loses its quiet authority.

This is what separates a still life photograph from a simple arrangement of objects.

Peter’s work often carries the atmosphere of a classical painting, but it never feels trapped by the past. It moves between commercial photography and fine art with a rare sense of elegance. His images can be luxurious, decayed, beautiful, strange, restrained and theatrical, sometimes all at once.

They are not just pictures of things. They are pictures about time, beauty, value, memory and transformation.

Still life photography has never existed in isolation. Like many areas of photography, it draws heavily from painting, art history and the visual language developed by artists centuries before the camera existed.

The Old Masters understood something that still matters today: an object is rarely just an object.

A piece of fruit, a flower, a skull, a watch, a glass, a book, a shell or a dead animal could all carry meaning. These objects were often arranged not simply for decoration, but to suggest ideas about time, beauty, wealth, knowledge, mortality and decay.

This is especially clear in "Vanitas" still life paintings, where symbols of opulence and pleasure are often placed alongside reminders of death and impermanence. A skull beside fine objects. Decaying fruit next to polished silver. Wilting flowers beside luxury fabrics. The message is direct, but beautifully expressed: everything fades.

That sense of symbolism is one of the reasons still life has endured for so long. The best still life work does not simply show us things. It asks us to look at what those things mean. The following images are great examples:

There is also something interesting about the way we now perceive many of these older paintings. We often associate 'Old Master' imagery with warm, muted, yellow-green tones, but that is not always how the paintings originally appeared.

Ageing varnish, dirt and changes in pigment can alter the colour dramatically over time. When paintings are cleaned or restored, they can sometimes reveal brighter, cleaner and more saturated colours beneath the surface. That matters because photographers often imitate the aged version of history, not necessarily the original one.

The mood we associate with 'Old Masters' still life is therefore partly historical truth and partly the result of time itself.

Peter Lippmann’s work sits within this longer visual tradition. His images are unmistakably photographic and contemporary, but they also carry echoes of painting: careful object placement, symbolic detail, controlled light, rich texture, atmosphere, and a willingness to let beauty and decay exist in the same frame.

That is why his work is so interesting to study. It does not simply borrow the look of historical still life. It continues the conversation.

Still life art and photography has endured for hundreds of years and I hope that it continues to do so as it is a fascinating and captivating medium that anyone can try to emulate. Think about symbolism and meaning if you’re creating your own still life rather than just random objects. Also consider looking at still life through the ages and different periods of art. Here are a few that you may want to google: ‘Renaissance art period’, ’Baroque art period’, ’The Dutch golden age’

Incidentally one of my favourite artists is from the slightly later period; ‘Neoclassicism & Romanticism’ from the mid 1800’s, an artist named Petrus van Schendel who had an incredible understanding of light in his mesmerising scenes of people under candle light, lanterns or sometimes moonlight.

Although his work was not strictly ‘still life’ his work often featured people and still life together in, I suppose, what might be framed today as ‘photojournalism’ if it were photography.

One of the reasons I’ve returned to Peter’s images so often is that they reward close looking.

This kind of photography asks more from the photographer.

It is not about filling the frame with interesting props and hoping the result feels sophisticated. It is about restraint. It is about knowing what to include, what to remove, and how to let light create the mood rather than simply reveal the subject.

That is a lesson every photographer can take from Peter’s work, regardless of genre.

Whether you photograph products, portraits, food, fashion, interiors or still life, the same questions remain:

• What is the image really about?
• Where should the viewer look first?
• What does the light need to say?
• What should remain in shadow?
• What details are adding meaning, and which ones are only adding noise?

These are not questions a camera can answer for you.

They come from looking, testing, adjusting and slowly refining the image until it begins to work.

Looking at Peter’s work is a reminder that still life photography is not simply about arranging objects in front of a camera.

It is about light, atmosphere, texture, restraint and the slow process of making decisions that strengthen the image.

For members who would like to explore some of these ideas in practice, we are creating Project 4: Ordinary Objects, Extraordinary Light. which launches on July 30th when I will be providing guidance during the project launch show. Following the launch there will be 3 easy to follow modules to help you formulate your own still life image.

The project is not about copying Peter’s work. It is a practical exercise in using simple objects, controlled lighting and careful composition to create a more considered still life image of your own.

You can start with very simple equipment: a table, one light source, an object and a piece of reflector card. From there, the project guides you through light direction, shadow control, surface choice, supporting objects, refinement and even post production.

This project will lead into our live interview with Peter on September 29th, where selected member submissions may form part of the wider discussion.

Peter Lippmann joins me live on Visual Education on Tuesday 29th September September 2026 - 15:00 BST / 10:00 EDT.

During the interview, we’ll discuss his approach to still life photography, lighting, composition, post-production and the creative process behind images that continue to hold your attention long after you first see them.

Members will be able to watch live, ask questions, or catch the replay afterwards.

I hope you’ll join us for what promises to be a rare and memorable conversation about photography, craft and the art of turning the ordinary into something extraordinary.

Karl Taylor

Follow Peter's work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peterlippmann/