Series description
Experiments in Stillness reflects the photographer’s long-standing connection with objects and their journey of using them as a form of expression. Framed with intention, everyday objects gradually create a visual language, gain the ability to hold meaning, and give form to abstract ideas. The series explores the quiet dialogue between the object and the viewer, allowing space for multiple interpretations and moments of stillness, where even the smallest things can carry presence.
Biography
Gargi Sharma is a visual artist from India. She works with objects through the medium of photography and styling. Trained in photography and communications, her work blends intuition and technique to create images that evoke emotion and meaning through objects.
Desert of Fallen Sun
Here, the photographer wanted to create a scene where there is no sun left in the sky — where the sun has fallen and scattered across the land. It is a world where warmth doesn't come from above, but from the earth itself.
© Gargi Sharma, India, 2nd Place, Professional Competition, Still Life, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
Ember in the Garden
This work draws inspiration from the still life paintings of the old masters. Deep shadows create a dramatic contrast, making the central drink glow like a coal in a fire. This vibrant focal point sits nestled within a lush garden of florals and citrus, blending classic techniques with modern studio precision.
© Gargi Sharma, India, 2nd Place, Professional Competition, Still Life, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
Orbital Balance
This work presents the dessert as a central sculpture within a meticulously staged environment. The composition relies on the repetition of forms and rhythmic patterns to establish a sense of balance.
© Gargi Sharma, India, 2nd Place, Professional Competition, Still Life, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
Reaching Out
In their work, the photographer often uses objects to mimic the human gesture of fingers reaching out towards the unknown. ‘This piece explores the dual nature of longing: the hand that reaches out to touch the world, and the finger that reaches in to touch the soul.’
© Gargi Sharma, India, 2nd Place, Professional Competition, Still Life, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
Scenes of Heart
‘This image maps out the messy, beautiful journey of the human heart.’ By placing different stages of love together in one frame, the photographer has created a cycle where every emotion has a home.
© Gargi Sharma, India, 2nd Place, Professional Competition, Still Life, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
The Rhythm of Many Selves
Carefully controlled lighting was used in this image to explore how our various versions coexist. Different forms and textures reach out to support and complement one another. This composition captures the rhythm found when our many selves work together, creating a harmonious balance within a single, carefully staged studio environment.
© Gargi Sharma, India, 2nd Place, Professional Competition, Still Life, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
Moving Still
Here, the photographer’s goal was to create a sense of movement and flow, making it feel as if something could change at any second. It is a balance between the calm we see and the invisible motion that is always waiting to break through.
© Gargi Sharma, India, 2nd Place, Professional Competition, Still Life, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS EXHIBITION, 17 APRIL - 4 MAY