Robert Mapplethorpe

 Robert Mapplethorpe's still life photos are mostly done using very dramatic lighting, and I would argue most of the time singularly focused on one object, or maybe a couple at most. His backgrounds are simple, or have nothing at all to them, and are often very dramatic, and very direct.

This piece, titled Tarantula was done using what looks like a direct light shining directly at the tarantula, seemingly coming to a close the further back it goes. It looks as if it was taken from a dark room as a door way opens slightly, letting in a bit of light. Mapplethorpe probably used a similar technique to get his lighting this way, of course here it's done artificially, blocking off two sides of the light, making a sort of doorway like structure in front of the light. Not the best way to describe it I suppose but I see how he did it. It seems rather direct too rather than shining on top of the subject the way the shadows go directly behind the spider instead of being under it. This makes for a much more interesting photo.

This next one labeled Orchid looks to be more natural lighting, almost looking like it sits in a window which has the sun shining through. Based on the shadow on the right of the vase, its obvious it is a direct light on the left side, most likely shining down upon the plant. It seems to use a coned method, creating a more directional light. There also still seems to be a softer light illuminating the background a bit still though, as only one directional light would not illuminate a background and object unless they were very very close together, which this looks like it is not the case.