Food photos for C&C - There is BACON in some of them btw...

[Designer]

I don't see a black square thing in photo 2,

Read that post again. He is suggesting that you get one and use it.

 

[Parker219]

Can someone edit one if these photos and try to make the light not as flat?

I think that would help to visualize what you are saying.

 

[Designer]

Can someone edit one if these photos and try to make the light not as flat?

I think that would help to visualize what you are saying.

Are you kidding? There might be someone here who can do that, but you were there, why don't you make the light better?

 

[tirediron]

Can someone edit one if these photos and try to make the light not as flat?

I think that would help to visualize what you are saying.

You need to work with the restaurant owner/manager and explain to him/her that you simply cannot provide the best product in this way. You need to dedicate a day, when the establishment is closed, to come in, cook the meals, design, and shoot as required. Trying to do this without proper lighting/staging is pointless. Add to that, I would think that customers would be rather upset to know that they were getting 'used' food. I certainly would be!

 

[tirediron]

Can someone edit one if these photos and try to make the light not as flat?

I think that would help to visualize what you are saying.

I agree that the lighting isn't the most dramatic in these, but I think it works well for the sort of product you're shooting. That said, you need to work with the restaurant owner/manager and explain to him/her that you simply cannot provide the best product in this way. You need to dedicate a day, when the establishment is closed, to come in, cook the meals, design, and shoot as required. Trying to do this without proper lighting/staging is pointless. Add to that, I would think that customers would be rather upset to know that they were getting 'used' food. I certainly would be!

 

[Parker219]

Can someone edit one if these photos and try to make the light not as flat?

I think that would help to visualize what you are saying.

Are you kidding? There might be someone here who can do that, but you were there, why don't you make the light better?

If I thought the light wasn't good, then I wouldn't have taken the photo. I think the light looks fine. I am getting feedback that the light is FLAT. I want to see someone that thinks the light is flat make a photo NOT flat, to see what they are talking about.

I don't think..."...you were there, why don't you make the light better"? is helpful AT ALL!

 

[Parker219]

Can someone edit one if these photos and try to make the light not as flat?

I think that would help to visualize what you are saying.

I agree that the lighting isn't the most dramatic in these, but I think it works well for the sort of product you're shooting. That said, you need to work with the restaurant owner/manager and explain to him/her that you simply cannot provide the best product in this way. You need to dedicate a day, when the establishment is closed, to come in, cook the meals, design, and shoot as required. Trying to do this without proper lighting/staging is pointless. Add to that, I would think that customers would be rather upset to know that they were getting 'used' food. I certainly would be!

I get where you are coming from, but these are smaller restaurants that cant close for a dedicated day.

What makes you think they serve the food to the customer after I take the photos? I don't get the used food comment!?

 

[tirediron]

Okay, let's keep it polite folks... don't want to have to lock down a thread or anything!

 

[Parker219]

Ok, now that I am home and can look at these in photoshop...is this what you guys mean by "flat"?

Original -

Not Flat? -

I increased the highlights and reduced the shadows.

 

[Designer]

It is obvious that you don't understand the terminology or how light models the subject. Look up "flat" light and perhaps you will realize that it is your holding the light in the position that makes the light "flat".

Since several people have offered their opinion that the light is too flat, it should be taken as a sincere critique, and you should take that critique and either do something to correct it, or ignore it as you wish.

 

[Parker219]

Does me posting an edited photo of my trying to FIX the flat light seem like ignoring it?

 

[Designer]

Well, look, far be if from me to be hypercritical, but you're the one holding the light, so why don't you just hold the light to give optimal modeling?

 

[Parker219]

I thought I WAS holding the light correct.

You are not being hypercritical, you are just trying to be helpful.

 

[tirediron]

The term "flat" when used in relation to photographic lighting means that the lighting is very even, free of shadows, and lacks contrast. Flat lighting is NOT always bad, but many people feel that shadows are necessary to add drama, and interest to an image. If you were shooting food for a $100/entre type restaurant, then I would say these images would be sub-par, however since that doesn't appear to be the case, and they're [I assume] meant to be more illustrative than 'food portraits', it's not the end of the world. If you haven't already, please buy and READ the lighting bible!

 

[kdthomas]

I took the liberty of taking a crack at it in photoshop CC, and started with the "not flat" image.
Added a brightness/contrast layer and pushed the contrast to 30
The added a selective color adjustment layer. Under green I pushed the black to 55, and in red pushed the black to 28.

I felt like this punched the green of the garnish and the red of the tomatoes

I would still want to get rid of the glasses though