Gemma Leary is a still-life photographer based in the UK. Her practice centres on studio-based still life photography, using constructed compositions and digital manipulation to explore contemporary social and cultural issues. Through the use of everyday objects as symbolic devices, she recontextualises them to communicate ideas surrounding identity and societal expectation. Her work is underpinned by a strong commitment to advocacy, developed through collaborations with domestic and sexual violence charities across the West Midlands. These experiences have informed an approach in which still life functions as a means to communicate sensitive experiences, raise awareness, and encourage reflection on more complex social issues. Gemma’s current practice interrogates perfectionism within the beauty industry, using overused cosmetic products as visual metaphors for excess, pressure and control. Her work challenges idealised cultural standards and the social pressures that shape perceptions of perfection. Her photography uses still life as a tool to question dominant narratives and invite viewers to reflect thoughtfully on contemporary social issues.