FOOD!

[Emperorwendy]

After seeing so many food thread, it really encourage me to go into food photography as well.

I am new in this so please, dont be stingy in ur C&C to help me improve!!!

Thank you.

[1]

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[3]

[4]

 

[AK 47]

The WB is off and pics are all under exposed...try bringing out the texture of the food as much as possible...

 

[Emperorwendy]

Thank you for your comment. Will try to improve on the points that u said.

 

[Emperorwendy]

What about this?

[5]

 

[rickygck]

What about this?

[5]

Placement of the prawn is off, slightly under exposed. Careful that bright light behind as it will takes away the attention of your initial subject. Just my 1 cents of thought.

 

[chvictor]

It would be good if you could show a wholesome prawn to bring out some of its texture. Just playing with different angle.

 

[Dream Merchant]

Some folks shoot food in an almost abstract, often graphic manner. It's sexy, and usually very seductive, but does not always make the viewer's mouth water.

Some shoot food in a more straight-forward, even slightly boring way, but boring has been chosen over and over again to make mouths water and open wallets.

Others marry different styles or do an entire departure and create the new wave of editorial approaches where a food photo is used to tell a storey as opposed to a pax shot used to tell as much as possible about the product.

Shooting food is one of the most demanding and difficult photographic disciplines around. What do you want your food photos to do, and how hard do you want to work?

 

[Emperorwendy]

It would be good if you could show a wholesome prawn to bring out some of its texture. Just playing with different angle.

Thanks for the comment, will look for more new idea for angles. Thanks!

Some folks shoot food in an almost abstract, often graphic manner. It's sexy, and usually very seductive, but does not always make the viewer's mouth water.

Some shoot food in a more straight-forward, even slightly boring way, but boring has been chosen over and over again to make mouths water and open wallets.

Others marry different styles or do an entire departure and create the new wave of editorial approaches where a food photo is used to tell a storey as opposed to a pax shot used to tell as much as possible about the product.

Shooting food is one of the most demanding and difficult photographic disciplines around. What do you want your food photos to do, and how hard do you want to work?

Thanks for the comment but dont quite understand... but sure, i will work harder!

 

[Dream Merchant]

Thanks for the comment, will look for more new idea for angles. Thanks!



Thanks for the comment but dont quite understand... but sure, i will work harder!

Assuming that your objective is to shoot to make the food look good ... tempting ... delicious ... mouth-watering ... makes people hungry ...

Simply, taking food in a arty, graphic manner with ultra shallow DOF, extreme close-ups, unconventional angles, dark and overcast lighting and so on is COOL and SEDUCTIVE, but see already don't feel like want to buy and eat or rush down to that restaurant to eat.

The arty shallow DOF bla bla bla approach works well in editorial applications because the food photos do not have the primary job of selling the food - they are there to help tell a story, or sometimes, merely to make an article look good. Any self-respecting food photographer will do their level best to also make the photos as mouth-watering as possible and make viewers hungry, but that's not always the main purpose of such shots. And for them to work, they have to be placed in the context of their purpose - in a magazine layout.

Most of the time, it's the boring, traditional approaches in food photography that still works. It may not be the coolest approach, but it's constantly chosen over other styles because it works. It's also one of the most difficult to execute well. You won't be able to get away with the snap-shot approach.

Which food stylists and photographers works have you had a look at for reference and inspiration?

Sometimes, you also have to work smart.

 

[redmonsoon]

>...Shooting food is one of the most demanding and difficult photographic disciplines around. What do you want your food photos to do, and how hard do you want to work?

....
Thanks for the comment but dont quite understand... but sure, i will work harder!

I very much agree with Dream merchant's comments..
After seeing so many food thread, I feel that more people shd attempt to 'touch-up' the food, which are the main subject. Nevermind the lighting or bokeh,etc..

IMHO, these are the 'models' in a shoot, and shd be taken care of before even bothering with composition, etc. These should not be left solely to the chef.

I understand that most shots are in restaurants and quite impossible to go crazy arranging stuff, etc. But then,thats why food photography is not easy. Especially outdoors when u have no control over how its prepared.

For me, I'm probably too lazy to do that atm and is thus not ready to do food photography. I feel that it should really be more than just showcasing what the chef has prepared or as often in hawker centre, thrown onto a plate.:bsmilie:

For eg, these shd really be taken care of..
in 1. the spring onions are not cut well and thus still in a straight row.
in 3. the dumplings are on its side.

Hope u dont take offense, its a great 1st attempt.

 

[Emperorwendy]

Assuming that your objective is to shoot to make the food look good ... tempting ... delicious ... mouth-watering ... makes people hungry ...

Simply, taking food in a arty, graphic manner with ultra shallow DOF, extreme close-ups, unconventional angles, dark and overcast lighting and so on is COOL and SEDUCTIVE, but see already don't feel like want to buy and eat or rush down to that restaurant to eat.

The arty shallow DOF bla bla bla approach works well in editorial applications because the food photos do not have the primary job of selling the food - they are there to help tell a story, or sometimes, merely to make an article look good. Any self-respecting food photographer will do their level best to also make the photos as mouth-watering as possible and make viewers hungry, but that's not always the main purpose of such shots. And for them to work, they have to be placed in the context of their purpose - in a magazine layout.

Most of the time, it's the boring, traditional approaches in food photography that still works. It may not be the coolest approach, but it's constantly chosen over other styles because it works. It's also one of the most difficult to execute well. You won't be able to get away with the snap-shot approach.

Which food stylists and photographers works have you had a look at for reference and inspiration?

Sometimes, you also have to work smart.

Thanks for explaining. It really makes me think as i am really new to this aspect of photography.
I have indeed notice many different approaches and style with regards to food photography in this forum and many others as well. As for me, i am still trying to find a style i am comfortable with. I have seen many works by the seniors here and they are aspire me to tryy food photography again.

>...Shooting food is one of the most demanding and difficult photographic disciplines around. What do you want your food photos to do, and how hard do you want to work?



I very much agree with Dream merchant's comments..
After seeing so many food thread, I feel that more people shd attempt to 'touch-up' the food, which are the main subject. Nevermind the lighting or bokeh,etc..

IMHO, these are the 'models' in a shoot, and shd be taken care of before even bothering with composition, etc. These should not be left solely to the chef.

I understand that most shots are in restaurants and quite impossible to go crazy arranging stuff, etc. But then,thats why food photography is not easy. Especially outdoors when u have no control over how its prepared.

For me, I'm probably too lazy to do that atm and is thus not ready to do food photography. I feel that it should really be more than just showcasing what the chef has prepared or as often in hawker centre, thrown onto a plate.:bsmilie:

For eg, these shd really be taken care of..
in 1. the spring onions are not cut well and thus still in a straight row.
in 3. the dumplings are on its side.

Hope u dont take offense, its a great 1st attempt.

Sure no offense taken, i take into account all this details as well on the next attempt. So much to look forward to the next shoot!