Out of depth - food pics

[GetCarter]

Mrs Get has decided to self publish a cook book. (yum). I have been designated the photographer (sigh)

I know how to take a fairly decent pic of a hill or loch, but will be busking these 12 dishes with a tripod, 2 x 200w lights, a white sheet, and a 'clean' plate of food, and I'm crap at indoor pics.

Any tips?

TIA

Steve

[mr noble]

Don't do it on an empty stomach!!

[Gemm]

Why don't you do it in YOUR own style, in your environment, rather than doing the normal boring studio food photos? I think it'll be far more interesting, and you'll enjoy it more.

Edited by Gemm on Tuesday 2nd January 20:14

[GetCarter]

Gemm said:

Why don't you do it in YOUR own style, in your environment, rather than doing the normal boring studio food photos? I think it'll be far more interesting, and you'll enjoy it more.

Edited by Gemm on Tuesday 2nd January 20:14

what ... on a hill somewhere?

[D_Mike]

I really like the photography in Nigel Slaters recipe book "The Kitchen Diaries: A Year in the Kitchen" (also contains nice recipes and is generally a nicely made book). I think he took them all himself in his house, before eating what he had prepared. I would check it out!

[Gemm]

GetCarter said:

Gemm said:

Why don't you do it in YOUR own style, in your environment, rather than doing the normal boring studio food photos? I think it'll be far more interesting, and you'll enjoy it more.

Edited by Gemm on Tuesday 2nd January 20:14

what ... on a hill somewhere?

Yep, with a nice natural background.

[S500]

I sense Charlies'lips are salivating at the thought of this project.

[GetCarter]

Gemm:

OK... I'll put it to Mrs Get.

(don't hold ya breath)

Edited by GetCarter on Tuesday 2nd January 20:40

[D_Mike]

should also have said: here is the website for the book I mentioned www.harpercollins.co.uk/microsites/nigelslater/

[Gemm]

GetCarter said:

Gemm:

OK... I'll put it to Mrs Get.

(don't hold ya breath)

Good luck!

Seriously, I've been tempted to buy books purely for great photography even though I'm not interested in the subject, so I think it'll be an interesting idea. What kind of food is it BTW?

[GetCarter]

Gemm said:

What kind of food is it BTW?

I'll send you the first copy... tasty but left field if I know her.

[Bacardi]

Food photography is very specialised (if you want it to look professional that is).

GetCarter said:

Any tips?

Can't possibly tell you all the tricks (there're top secret and I would have to kill you).... but mainly because I don't know them all. Someone did mention a book on here a little time back? Don't know if it was any good though.

Most food stuff is studio but, if you fancy going outside have a look at some of Rick Stein's books for ideas. If using lights is not your thing, scrap them and use a window, keep it simple. The current trend is to use wide open apertures to keep the dof shallow. Most proffesional food photography involves a home economist for the preparation, a stylist for the presentation and... err ... styling. If the missus can cook and it looks alright, it will most probably photograph OK but give the props, plates, knives background some thought. Pay attention to detail. Depends on the style you/she wants, but here's a couple of random professional folios for inspiration.

www.marielouiseavery.co.uk
www.stevecavalier.co.uk/food.htm

You could also search in image libraries, here's one for food:

www.abpl.co.uk

HTH, happy new year

[GetCarter]

Thanks Paul... food for thought

[Platinum]

Massively over expose each shot too.

[iain_cam]

Make the plates neat - the food in pleasing patterns and the plates nice and clean (ie. no sauce or pasta slittered across the side. . . ).

I think another point is to avoid patterened plates - go for solid colours that go with, but not detract from, the food. Watch the backgrounds too - you want a homely feel, but don't make it too overpowering or distracting. As the food is what you want to convey in each shot, the background cannot distract the viewer, as then the photo ultimately fail its objective.

Hope this helps.

Iain

[GetCarter]

I'll be pleased when she's stopped the soup course.

Do you like the 'half a plate' look? It enables getting closer (and looks a bit like a cook book)

[doodah]

like the crop on the first one - maybe a nice wooden worktop of table background? give a warmer more homelike feel?

would also maybe experiment with lighting it from behind with a gentle reflected fill from the front?

don't like the mixed colour temp on the second one.

very good start, food it very tough to get perfect.

[elderly]

The 'Green' soup looks convex ..... more like a green pudding

My tip - Do NOT put Ice Cream too close to your Blondes or Red Heads

[graham@edinburgh]

I'm not sure green is that appealing a colour for soup.

I'm sure it's tasty though

I've had some great potato and leek soup in my time, but it would make a godawful photograph.

[GetCarter]

graham@edinburgh said:

I'm not sure green is that appealing a colour for soup.

I'm sure it's tasty though

I've had some great potato and leek soup in my time, but it would make a godawful photograph.

Know what you mean. It's watercress soup (actually tastes great) - but it's kinda stuck with green!