Consider get a 2nd hand Tamron 90mm at $400......
OR
If you shots are mainly shooting the whole entire food including the bowl or plate, just get a 50mmf1.8 at $140. Use a 25mm extension tube (around $90) if you need to shoot close-up with it.
What setup is recommended for taking FOOD?!?!
- Thread starter terrencepang
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Consider get a 2nd hand Tamron 90mm at $400......
OR
If you shots are mainly shooting the whole entire food including the bowl or plate, just get a 50mmf1.8 at $140. Use a 25mm extension tube (around $90) if you need to shoot close-up with it.
Does this mean that getting the 450D with KIT I can do the job?? There's a promotion right now going at $1099 (Street price varies).
Saw some second-hand ones selling around $850. i think buying brand new ones better.
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Why do you need this specific requirement, which normally involves a much higher-end camera body? Why can't you use the optical viewfinder, which has served photographers (including food/menu photographers) just fine for so many years?
My current menu has a mixture of closeups and "whole-plate" photos with props in the background.
Thanks again for your recommendation. It has been helpful... i'm considering the 50mmf1.8 option...
why dont i do it just $400 for unlimited number of pieces for raw shootings... done something similar before 
sms me @ 92279446, we can nego the price
sms me @ 92279446, we can nego the price i have learn this from people at PGS...
- they output the footages live onto their Mac, so that they can have a close up look at the details.
- because sometimes taking some food, you cannot wait (esp. food with sauce)
- for eg. taking a salad, they output the footage to the LCD, arrange the leafs to desired position, then they pour in the dressing...
- it's very difficult to adjust the leaf viewing thru the viewfinder.
- and the sauce will flowing down very fast, and you cannot "re-pour" the sauce again.
- since now DSLR comes with live-view, i can simply hook it up to my 15" digital photo-frame.
- i believe older models of DSLR do not have live view.... only compact cam... that's why people have been using viewfindersssssss
- job done at fraction of the cost....
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why dont i do it just $400 for unlimited number of pieces for raw shootings... done something similar before
thanks for your service... i did consider getting freelance photographers, but sometimes, it's a impromptu kinda of thing.
and food arrangement require a lot of patience...
I did ask my friend to help me take before, spend a lot of time on the food arrangement. in the end, only took 4 dishes the whole afternoon.... (he din complain because he got to eat the food :bsmilie
So i figured if i have 5-6 sessions of food photo taking, i might as well get my own gear.
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Correct me if i am wrong....
i think photo taking food for menu is a different ball game.... i have been there and done that.... but i am still a newbie.
A lot emphasis is on the food arrangement.
- i have used a lot of toothpick to support the food, tissues to beef up the food, all these cannot be seen from the camera angle.
- Some food need to be half cook so that you can retain the colour of the food.
- Some food need to paint cooking oil to give a shining look.
- Final topping can only be added seconds before snapping away.
- mirrors are used to deflect light into/around food.
Sometimes, the camera is in a fixed position and you manupilate the food more.
Sometimes, you move around with the camera to get closeup shots and shots with "props" in the background.
Hope that i have shared my findings with this community eventhough i am just a newbie who just registered with Clubsnap today
Hope that others too will share... thanks leong & cartman
i think photo taking food for menu is a different ball game.... i have been there and done that.... but i am still a newbie.
A lot emphasis is on the food arrangement.
- i have used a lot of toothpick to support the food, tissues to beef up the food, all these cannot be seen from the camera angle.
- Some food need to be half cook so that you can retain the colour of the food.
- Some food need to paint cooking oil to give a shining look.
- Final topping can only be added seconds before snapping away.
- mirrors are used to deflect light into/around food.
Sometimes, the camera is in a fixed position and you manupilate the food more.
Sometimes, you move around with the camera to get closeup shots and shots with "props" in the background.
Hope that i have shared my findings with this community eventhough i am just a newbie who just registered with Clubsnap today
Hope that others too will share... thanks leong & cartman
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Yes, you are correct.
Go ahead and get the gears. =) It aint very expensive anyway and it would be one great experience. Just watch the exposures when taking under uncontrolled environment..
Regards
the professionals did not just charge you just for their gear...
you're more likely to pay more for their experience, skill and knowledge
compare photos from fine dining restaurants, hotels, chinese restaurants, hawker centre/kopi tiam/food court signboards, and those self-taken restaurants, and you should be able to tell the differences
food photography and food styling are different skills, and you have none of these, so what makes you think you can create nice photos with your new purchases?
if you really think that just by buying the camera and lenses is going to get you nice photos, why don't you just rent the gear? for less than $200, you can get a 5dMK2 + macro lens + studio lights, and you might even get some free pointers from the person you are renting the gear from
FYI:
1. Food photographers will be charging you at least $3500 for 35 picts and that fee does not include food stylist fee, and will take at least 2-3 days to finish the job
2. $2000 for 35 picts is considered very cheap for professional services
3. $400 for unlimited shots is almost as good as shooting for free or shooting for folio.
you're more likely to pay more for their experience, skill and knowledge
compare photos from fine dining restaurants, hotels, chinese restaurants, hawker centre/kopi tiam/food court signboards, and those self-taken restaurants, and you should be able to tell the differences
food photography and food styling are different skills, and you have none of these, so what makes you think you can create nice photos with your new purchases?
if you really think that just by buying the camera and lenses is going to get you nice photos, why don't you just rent the gear? for less than $200, you can get a 5dMK2 + macro lens + studio lights, and you might even get some free pointers from the person you are renting the gear from
FYI:
1. Food photographers will be charging you at least $3500 for 35 picts and that fee does not include food stylist fee, and will take at least 2-3 days to finish the job
2. $2000 for 35 picts is considered very cheap for professional services
3. $400 for unlimited shots is almost as good as shooting for free or shooting for folio.
Because questioning you and your current point of view might trigger some thinking - it has done for many people here. Your questions show that you are already very narrow-minded in "must get camera, can do alone". And those with experience here have questioned you correctly because they know it needs more. But you just throw off simple calculations, dismiss valid questions ... :dunno:
Do you really think a glimpse over the shoulder of some experienced people is enough for you to pick up all what it needs? Your question about lifeview / photoframe just shows you know nuts. Looking positively: lots of space to improve and to learn. The purpose of viewfinder was not to sit and wait till lifeview was invented.:bsmilie:
I can understand the pride of taking such images which will serve as advertisement on the menu. But pride has never been a good adviser.
Take professional help for now and if you know that you will need the same shooting again in 5 months then use the 5 months to practice. Maybe you will achieve roughly the same output by then, maybe you are talented. Congrats to you then. Let us know where we can try your food
Because questioning you and your current point of view might trigger some thinking - it has done for many people here. Your questions show that you are already very narrow-minded in "must get camera, can do alone". And those with experience here have questioned you correctly because they know it needs more. But you just throw off simple calculations, dismiss valid questions ... :dunno:
Do you really think a glimpse over the shoulder of some experienced people is enough for you to pick up all what it needs? Your question about lifeview / photoframe just shows you know nuts. Looking positively: lots of space to improve and to learn. The purpose of viewfinder was not to sit and wait till lifeview was invented.:bsmilie:
I can understand the pride of taking such images which will serve as advertisement on the menu. But pride has never been a good adviser.
Take professional help for now and if you know that you will need the same shooting again in 5 months then use the 5 months to practice. Maybe you will achieve roughly the same output by then, maybe you are talented. Congrats to you then. Let us know where we can try your food
Nicely said.
But TS, i would honestly ask a friend with more experience to help out first and you can always help in the art direction. You can pick up pointers from your friend and both stand to gain in the end. Free food for your friend while you learn for free.
Care to promote your restaurant so that we can support it?;p
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You are on the right track that's what I've done in the past for food photography.
Cheesecake
Senior Member
Cheesecake
Senior Member
think u're talking abt the Sinar LF cameras with digital back that they use in the past.
u happen to remember the fotographer's name?
that is very cheap.
I know some food stylists charge more than this, we have not talk about photography rate yet....
i hv...
i use my d90,tokina 50-135 n tripod.
use a light tent and avoid harsh shadows,look out for them on ur plate especially if ur plate is white colour.
the colour of ur table top is important also, dun use bright colour as they will rob some attention from ur food.
white or black is good dependin on ur plate colour
try to take ur pic from the same angle so that the pics in the menu will be presented in a uniform way.
of course, for ur poster etc, u can try some other angle.
a marco len helps.
i use my d90,tokina 50-135 n tripod.
use a light tent and avoid harsh shadows,look out for them on ur plate especially if ur plate is white colour.
the colour of ur table top is important also, dun use bright colour as they will rob some attention from ur food.
white or black is good dependin on ur plate colour
try to take ur pic from the same angle so that the pics in the menu will be presented in a uniform way.
of course, for ur poster etc, u can try some other angle.
a marco len helps.
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