2nd attempt at Pabellón Criollo

[redbourn]

First attempt, I ended up with blown out white rice the first time

Spent more time getting this better.

Moving camera, softbox and reflector.

Don't know if seeing edge of table was a good idea, but a five minute fix in PS

I used a slightly gray plate.

Michael

 

[gsgary]

The right hand side of the shot where you can see the edge of the table is very distracting

 

[redbourn]

The right hand side of the shot where you can see the edge of the table is very distracting

Thanks. Was just experimenting. A few minutes in photoshop to extend the table.

 

[tirediron]

Much improved. The plating is pleasing, and overall the exposure is good. I might have opted for a bit more DoF and not cropping off the near edge of the plate, but those are personal choices. As far as the lighting goes, you still have excess specularity on the table, and compositionally, I agree, the edge of the table is visually irritating. I would also like to see a little more set-dressin. Maybe a napkin, some utensils...

 

[redbourn]

Much improved. The plating is pleasing, and overall the exposure is good. I might have opted for a bit more DoF and not cropping off the near edge of the plate, but those are personal choices. As far as the lighting goes, you still have excess specularity on the table, and compositionally, I agree, the edge of the table is visually irritating. I would also like to see a little more set-dressin. Maybe a napkin, some utensils...

Thanks.

The napkin, utensils thing is a problematic for me.

I have about 1900 Facebook friends and followers and hope to have 5000 by the time I finish the photos for my book.

Every time I shoot the same (similar) photo with and without knives and forks etc.

People pretty much universally prefer the photos with just the food.

The find the extras, and I bought many of them, distracting.

We can easily look down on them, but who are we shooting photos for, and why ?

Was easier and perhaps more aesthetic to crop the the table.

 

[chuasam]

Plate feels too full.
use less ingredients or a bigger plate.

 

[redbourn]

Plate feels too full.
use less ingredients or a bigger plate.

Thanks for the comment.

I can't use less "ingredients" because it's the Venezuelan national dish, and some people even put a friend egg on top.

I could have used smaller portion sizes, but then the meal, often a festive one would look skimpy.

I used a standard size plate and realize that with photography it's common to cheat perspectives.

Maybe a plate about inch or so bigger in diameter would have been better, but I don't have one.

 

[redbourn]

The right hand side of the shot where you can see the edge of the table is very distracting

Thanks for the post.

 

[gsgary]

The right hand side of the shot where you can see the edge of the table is very distracting

Thanks for the post.


View attachment 115057

That looks better

Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk

 

[redbourn]

Much improved. The plating is pleasing, and overall the exposure is good. I might have opted for a bit more DoF and not cropping off the near edge of the plate, but those are personal choices. As far as the lighting goes, you still have excess specularity on the table, and compositionally, I agree, the edge of the table is visually irritating. I would also like to see a little more set-dressin. Maybe a napkin, some utensils...

I will buy a product to cut down the table reflections, thanks ..

 

[table1349]

I would have to agree with a previous poster. Pabellón con barandas, the term I learned for this dish when fried plantains are a side, in long halves, is not only considered by many to be the Venezuelan national dish, but very much Venezuelan comfort food. Good comfort food too.

Food photography is not my thing, but the culinary arts are. I love to cook, do so in our household daily, subscribe to a couple of the better, to me, culinary magazines and have a book case full of cook books. Personally I have always found that photos of food as being set in front of one to eat as a more pleasing overall presentation of the subject than food that looks like it was set out for show. You might consider perhaps pulling back a bit, showing more of the table with basic utensils as well as perhaps a drink with it. Maybe even with a fork positioned on the plate. Just my take on it from the perspective of a foodie.

 

[redbourn]

Thanks for the response.

Several people on this forum have suggested several times that I add cutlery and props and I went out and bought maybe 20 different small props.

So what's the problem with using them?

I am writing a cookbook (printed and online) and can almost say that the book itself is close to written and it's the photos that are holding me back.

I have about 1800 Facebook friends and followers and am looking to have 5,000 before publishing or posting the book.

Think about immediately posting details about the book (several times) to 5,000 people many of whom already want to buy it.

I know Facebook followers and friends are not photographers, but they are the public and the potential buyers.

Anyway, after buying the props I several times posted two images on FB, one with the props and one without and almost universally people said they liked the ones without the props. Cutlery pointing towards the food etc. and some slightly out of focus glasses or a cruet etc. they found very distracting.

I have asked twice asked about this issue on the forum, "Who are we taking photos for, and why are we taking them?".

Nobody so far has wanted to go near this but they have helped me a lot with lighting and other things.

I worked in the film industry for 35 years and almost the first question asked before financing a film is, "What or who is the audience?".

BTW - the book is somewhat different and will be called something similar to, Tips, Tricks & Substitutes. Its for beginners with very detailed instructions that are hopefully foolproof. Lots of tips and what to substitute if you don't have what's in the recipe. Weights and temps are both US standard and metric etc. The photos in the printed version will only be about 7x7"

 

[tirediron]

...I have asked twice asked about this issue on the forum, "Who are we taking photos for, and why are we taking them?"....

Huh... I thought I had responded to this. I would say you are taking photos for potential buyers first and foremost, and then for those who have bought the book. The pictures are the hook, people might look at one or two recipes when thumbing through a potential cookery-book purchase, but they'll look at a LOT of photos. I would guess that the reason your facebook audience isn't raving about your shots "with props" is that they need some further refinement. How about sharing some of them here?

 

[redbourn]

You most likely did and I thank you.

For whatever reason, this forum has the most complicated posts that I have ever encountered.

I belong to many forums about many different subjects but only have this problem here.

When I get several responses, it's hard to know which ones I have responded and which ones not.

Anyway ..

I like your idea of of posting examples of why my FB readers much prefer photos of food without the distraction.

Photo was shot on my phone and a download from FB

 

[redbourn]