Still life photography generally means photographing mostly inanimate subjects, often arranged or composed by the photographer. Typical subjects can be natural objects like flowers, food, plants, shells, or rocks, or man-made items like books, glasses, jewelry, or other everyday objects.

There are no strict rules about style or intent. A photo is usually considered still life because of its subject matter, not because it must look a certain way or be "artistic." It can overlap with product photography or macro photography, but still life is broader than either.

A common theme in still life work is deliberate arrangement: objects are often placed in relation to a background and to each other. Because the subjects may be ordinary, composition, light, texture, shape, and perspective become especially important in making the image interesting.

So, still life can feature many kinds of non-living subjects, and it does not need a specific style. What matters most is that the image centers on inanimate objects and uses composition and lighting effectively.