Cheesecake Galore

[itsybitsyspidy]

Had the chance to do a cheesecake shoot today for a magazine. Very nice cheese. Enjoy the cakes. Heh.

[grumpy]

they all look nice and yummy.
my only gripe is the shallow DOF

[psychobiologist]

yumyum! looks good

[Dream Merchant]

Can yer say: "C-H-E-E-E-E-E-E-S-S-S-E-E CAKE?

YUMZZZ!

If I could ask, which mag was it for itsybitsyspider? Wanna see the final layout.

[itsybitsyspidy]

Originally Posted by grumpy they all look nice and yummy. my only gripe is the shallow DOF

Thanks. Trying to learn how to use my micro lens more effectively. Quite bad with bokeh control.

Originally Posted by psychobiologist yumyum! looks good

Thanks.

Originally Posted by Dream Merchant Can yer say: "C-H-E-E-E-E-E-E-S-S-S-E-E CAKE? YUMZZZ! If I could ask, which mag was it for itsybitsyspider? Wanna see the final layout.

It's shot for a school magazine, so i doubt you can find it outside my school. I don't know who's designing it so i don't have ideas on how it will turn out.

And yes, I can say CHEEEEEEESEE CAKE, what about it?

[chengsing]

like the 3rd background. lol

[ndroo]

Haha. At first I thought you did a TFCD for Cheesecake (another CSer) :P Yeah, the 1st three looks yummy. Not so sure about the last two.

[ResourceNINE]

Originally Posted by ndroo Haha. At first I thought you did a TFCD for Cheesecake (another CSer) :P Yeah, the 1st three looks yummy. Not so sure about the last two.

but nice photos..... i like the colours and the composition....

very nicely done..

i hope cheesecake is looking at this thread.. his fellow brdders are here...

[grumpy]

Originally Posted by ndroo Haha. At first I thought you did a TFCD for Cheesecake (another CSer) :P Yeah, the 1st three looks yummy. Not so sure about the last two.

hahaha, I thought I was the only with such a thought.

[lsisaxon]

Originally Posted by itsybitsyspidy Had the chance to do a cheesecake shoot today for a magazine. Very nice cheese. Enjoy the cakes. Heh. http://kj.sg/gourmet/gc_cheesecake_-1.jpg http://kj.sg/gourmet/gc_cheesecake_-2.jpg http://kj.sg/gourmet/gc_cheesecake_-3.jpg http://kj.sg/gourmet/gc_cheesecake_-5.jpg http://kj.sg/gourmet/gc_cheesecake_-7.jpg

Wah! They allow you to post the images here ah?

[lsisaxon]

Originally Posted by itsybitsyspidy Thanks. Trying to learn how to use my micro lens more effectively. Quite bad with bokeh control.

Shallow DoF is ok, it's where you focus that matters. The last 2 are ok. The focus slightly nearer to the front will bring the viewer into the cake. For the first and third, closing down one stop on the aperture will help to increase the DoF a little, rotating the cake slightly so that part of the toppings will be in focus together with the front portion will make it look nicer. Similar with the 2nd image, focusing slightly towards the front will help to draw the viewer's attention, maybe because psychologically, that's going to be where the first bite is going to be taken. A PC-Micro should come in useful in this situation.

[itsybitsyspidy]

Originally Posted by lsisaxon Wah! They allow you to post the images here ah?

Lol school magazine... and i have some say in it as well. Of course with control over my own photos.

Anyway not impt. got nice food must share. Sharing is caring.

[itsybitsyspidy]

Originally Posted by lsisaxon Shallow DoF is ok, it's where you focus that matters. The last 2 are ok. The focus slightly nearer to the front will bring the viewer into the cake. For the first and third, closing down one stop on the aperture will help to increase the DoF a little, rotating the cake slightly so that part of the toppings will be in focus together with the front portion will make it look nicer. Similar with the 2nd image, focusing slightly towards the front will help to draw the viewer's attention, maybe because psychologically, that's going to be where the first bite is going to be taken. A PC-Micro should come in useful in this situation.

Thanks man. Dunno why every time after shoot i den i realise i make such mistakes.
I will note your words and really really work on it for my next shoot.

[Godzilla Invades]

Originally Posted by lsisaxon Shallow DoF is ok, it's where you focus that matters. The last 2 are ok. The focus slightly nearer to the front will bring the viewer into the cake. For the first and third, closing down one stop on the aperture will help to increase the DoF a little, rotating the cake slightly so that part of the toppings will be in focus together with the front portion will make it look nicer. Similar with the 2nd image, focusing slightly towards the front will help to draw the viewer's attention, maybe because psychologically, that's going to be where the first bite is going to be taken. A PC-Micro should come in useful in this situation.

I think you don't need a PC Micro (I am assuming that you are talking about the legendary 85mm PC Micro f2.8 T/S lens) to shoot this kinda of food. A normal macro lens helps a lot liao.

PC Micro is one heck of a lens to have (priced more than $2,500) but it's fully manual. Plus on top of that, you need a tripod as it's too difficult to handheld.

[lastboltnut]

Hi, I love the cakes.....look delicious.

BTW I have 2 comments:

1. I will try to focus the front of the cake...I always find that front OOF and rear focused is like a distraction....unless the rear has the most interesting element. In this case, pic 2 is very distracting to me as the rear has nothing extra to offer compare to the front and the front is OOF. Compare to #4 and you will see the diff...

2. Check the food you shoot....cake #3 has "something" sticking out on the left edge. Now you can only PP it away...

Suggestion, if the cakes have layers inside, can cut open to show them too.

[Colin Quek]

I love cheese cakes...can I ask about ur shots...they are cropped almost halfway... what happened to the other half? My first and only suspicion is that they are so tasty...you took a bite before u shot

Ok stop pulling your leg... nice shots

[garou12]

they're good but i think the shots could benefit from having more cutlery in them to make them look more authentic as a desert to be munched...i'm craving NY cheesecake now thanks to you...

[itsybitsyspidy]

thanks guys for the kind words. will do some PP before i send it to the mag designer. I think I do have some shots of different cakes with different focusing points for DOF. lol. i think i have to dig out the correct one. talk about being kiasu. lol - well the benefits of shooting in digital.

I'd like to have plates, cutlery etc. but this was done in a study room in my school. just tables, and the cakes, organisers didn't tell me there was going to be nothing, else i would have brought some tablecloth/forks(maybe even plates) etc. *roars* the room smelt nice afterwards though. Cheesy~

[Dream Merchant]

Originally Posted by itsybitsyspidy ... got nice food must share. Sharing is caring.

YEA! Common itsybitsyspider - show us your loving! LOL!

Looks like you had fun. Danged! Now I gotta go far far to ta-pow cheesecake! Arrrgh! All your fault!

I won;t comment on the technicalities as other have already offered comments much more valuable than mine, so I will offer this:

Next time do a checklist of the entire logistics of the shoot, and make sure the whoever I/C sit down with you and go through the list.

Break down that list to the type of shots, art direction, layout (so you know where to leave space for graphics/text etc), colour and nature of the individual item and so on. That way, you have a very clear idea of exactly what is needed for each shot, and also what to prepare for the shoot and who does what. Basically, plan it down to the last detail.

You will find that not only does it help you forsee and avoid problems, but it will constantly serve as a reference/guide during the shoot where you will be concentrating fully on the technicalities and have no time/focus to think of logistics.

CHEERS!

[munkey]

Backgrounds were boring as hell, I mean what the hell were you thinking shooting in, daylight? Even the white background looks grey already. An immediate failure in all ways.

For the 4th picture, the red stripe that is running in the background totally spoils the mood in the shot, taking away the viewers attention notwithstanding.

Were they shot handheld or with a tripod?