Food Photography - C&C before I submit

[Parker219]

You need more lights and you need to get them closer and use less power and more diffusion.

This is not a studio shoot, this is in a crowed restaurant, the owners are not wanting for me to come early or later, I cant bring in whole bunch of lights in. I know its not ideal, but I have to make the best of it. I am hired by a company, so its not like I can set my own rules. If was like, " I need to shoot when the restaurant is empty, so I can bring in all my lights", they would say...um...no. I ask all the restaurants I go to ahead of time.

My goal is to produce photos for these mom and pop places good enough for their website, facebook, and the magazine my company puts them in.

 

[Parker219]

i think the plate doesn't help matters. White plates are good for foods with lots of color in them. This meal would have been better suited with a earthen red or yellow, maybe even a blue.

True, but the restaurant uses white plates...the food has to look like it does when people order it.

 

[tirediron]

You need more lights and you need to get them closer and use less power and more diffusion.

This is not a studio shoot, this is in a crowed restaurant, the owners are not wanting for me to come early or later, I cant bring in whole bunch of lights in. I know its not ideal, but I have to make the best of it. I am hired by a company, so its not like I can set my own rules. If was like, " I need to shoot when the restaurant is empty, so I can bring in all my lights", they would say...um...no. I ask all the restaurants I go to ahead of time.

My goal is to produce photos for these mom and pop places good enough for their website, facebook, and the magazine my company puts them in.

Part of your job as a professional is to guide the client. The client finds these acceptable because they've not seen better. Why not spend a weekend and make shoot 2-3 similar sort of dishes at home under optimum conditions? Take those in to the client and show them how much more effective images taken under proper conditions can be.

 

[Parker219]

^ You are right, they normally have blurry cell phone photos on their web sites, but I need to worry about how to impress a high end client, since they may pay more.

 

[tirediron]

^ You are right, they normally have blurry cell phone photos on their web sites, but I need to worry about how to impress a high end client, since they may pay more.

Exactly!

 

[KmH]

IMO the camera is to low, show the entire plate, and you need 3 or more lights and some black flats so you can subtract light..