I need to pay someone to help with my photos.

[sj022698]

First off, I might be in the wrong forum so mods, please move if need be. I am doing a cookbook and I don't think that I have the skills to take all the pics well as I don't know enough. The other problem I have is hiring someone as it's sporadic to when I get around to it. SO, I'm looking for someone who can create different backgrounds, make them look nice, add their artistic opinion, etc...for a fee.
I can take as many pics as you'd like to work with in a photo tent. I will be using different platters for each but I don't want everything to look the same. I'm basically just using a black background. I also suppose I need to learn to take better macro shots of the food itself, rather than the stuff surrounding stuff. I'm trying to figure out how to blur other parts so I can also pay for ongoing advice. I read so much stuff, I feel I know less now
I use a canon digital rebel eos.
Please feel free to PM me or email me at [email protected] with some ideas and pricing ballpark
Thanks!

 

[Sideburns]

I'll give you free advice.

Get a Macro lens, that will get up close and blur the background. (you blur the background by focusing close and opening up the aperture all the way.

Also, to get a black background just use a black fabric over a chair back and set the food on the chair...pretty simple....

Try sidelighting with a reflector...and perhaps a light fill flash if you absolutely need it...

Don't go and pay for something just yet...there's lots of free advice all over this forum.

 

[sj022698]

Thanks. I'll give that a shot first.

 

[Flash Harry]

Food photography is a pretty specialist field, look for a book on the subject, you'll need all sorts of stuff to make the food look its best, look in a few mags for ideas, you'll not see any using a black backdrop, possibly only wine adverts, try setting a table with silverware etc, in a kitchen or dining room and shoot on that, good lighting is the key. H

 

[JIP]

Or you could just use nice natural light good angles and nice areas of your kitchen. A suggesion near a window with directional light, a well worn wood cutting, board nice plates, the right cutlery..... It might help to show us what you have done so far (if you have) amd we can help you to improve it.

 

[bjrouse]

Have a look at these


=

Cheers

Brendan

 

[el_shorty]

Article on Shutterbug Magazine from a few years ago. An Insider's Look At Food Photography.

 

[skieur]

If you are into a black background then I would use velvet since it does not reflect light. Lighting however is key as has already been mentioned which is why I would tend to set up a table in an outside environment on a deck or patio and use the patio umbrella to for example soften harsh sunlight. Using auxilliary lighting inside for food photography creates the challenge of dealing with the heat that makes vegetables wilt as well as with shadows. You also need expertise in the presentation of food too, and some compromises between food presentation for eating and food presentation for photography. There are also two basic styles of food photography. One goes for the the very shallow depth of field sometimes combined with a high key approach to lighting and the other tends toward more natural lighting and an extreme depth of field. It is necessary to look at the styles and see which one best fits what you want to do with your cook book.

skieur