Photos? For Us of for others?

redbourn · Nov 7, 2015

beckylynne said:
I would try playing around with different angles, surfaces etc. If the recipe is for the chicken...shoot the chicken from the front. There doesn't need to be equal focus on all the elements on the plate. The broccoli and rice can be peaking from behind. Lot's of garnish and lot's of colour.

I also like when some of the ingredients make a debut in the image. Something like the image below. http://udhao.net/wp-content/uploads/yummy-sea-food-wallpaper-750x469.jpg

Photos for cookbook are equally art and photography in my opinion. I shot a menu once and there was 5 people on set with me all day from art directors to chefs and food stylists. At first I wanted them all to take a hike....but in the end we produced some beautiful images. I just clicked a button lol.

AceCo55 said:
redbourn said:

Photos? For Us of for others?
Although I worked in the film industry for 35 years, I only really got into photography a few months ago because I'm compiling a cookbook.

Click to expand...

If your strength is in cooking/food (and I'm assuming it is since you are compiling a cookbook) rather than in food photography I think you have two choices:
1) devote the time and effort to really learn HOW TO DO food photography well (and that will require the use of a dSLR with appropiate lenses and lighting)
2) devote your time to preparing the food and get some-one WHO KNOWS HOW TO SHOOT GREAT FOOD PHOTOS

I think it's a complete cop-out to say, "Oh I can take better photos with my phone camera and people like them better as well"
My take is that you probably don't have the skill/knowledge to produce truly great photos of food and you think you can settle for a phone camera because AT THE MOMENT you think you can get better photos with it.
If you are serious about your cookbook, then you better be serious about the images you use.
"Close enough" is going to come back and bite you (pun intended) when your photos don't live up to the quality of your cooking.

Thanks. I don't have anyone to take the photos for me so I will have to take the time to learn.

I don't prefer the photos from the phone but what bothers me is that almost 100% of people on FB prefer them.

I bought a Nikon d3300 a couple of months ago and a softbox, reflector and gray card a couple of weeks ago but am still coming to terms with the lighting and that will take some time.

I have a Nikkor 35mm 1.18G lens which I've been using for the food photos and I also have a Nikkor 18-55 mm which came with the camera.

redbourn · Nov 7, 2015

charchri4 said:
Interesting looking at the thumb size the top two I can tell what they are and with the brighter colors and more contrast they look more appealing. The bottom one thumb size with all in the same bland colors kind of looks like lumpy mush and I had to open it to tell the extremely pale broccoli was broccoli. But opening it whoa there is something brown and runny under that chicken breast...

I'm no foodie or photo expert by any stretch but I'd not include any shot in your book with something that looks remarkably like the stuff that one finds in a diaper...

Thanks, you made me smile. Are you a vegetarian or vegan? Juices come out of meat. I originally intended to become a saucier but life took me in a different direction. Sauces are wonderful and many are brown.

charchri4 · Nov 7, 2015

No dietary restrictions here! You have to remember we have no connection at all the the food you are shooting. We can't smell it or have the warm memory of the wonderful evening we prepared the dish for our sweetheart. If I knew that sauce was a red wine reduction with caramelized onions and garlic in it then it wouldn't have struck me the way it did.

My hunch is you get about a second and there is not going to be much effort put into that second. When the reader flips the page that photo has to draw the eye and look very appealing or they are just going to pass it by. There can be no negative elements in it or if there is the rest of the shot has to be so stunning and appealing that they don't pass it by.

Seriously if you took the rice, broccoli and sprig of green off the chicken and put it in any other context what would it look like to you?

redbourn · Nov 7, 2015

charchri4 said:
No dietary restrictions here! You have to remember we have no connection at all the the food you are shooting. We can't smell it or have the warm memory of the wonderful evening we prepared the dish for our sweetheart. If I knew that sauce was a red wine reduction with caramelized onions and garlic in it then it wouldn't have struck me the way it did.

My hunch is you get about a second and there is not going to be much effort put into that second. When the reader flips the page that photo has to draw the eye and look very appealing or they are just going to pass it by. There can be no negative elements in it or if there is the rest of the shot has to be so stunning and appealing that they don't pass it by.

Seriously if you took the rice, broccoli and sprig of green off the chicken and put it in any other context what would it look like to you?

redbourn · Nov 7, 2015

Thanks your comment, for the PS work and for understanding that I was just razzing you ;-)

redbourn · Nov 7, 2015

I like a lot of these photos.

17 Italian foods that aren’t Italian at all

charchri4 · Nov 7, 2015

For sure. The shot of that pizza slice being pulled from the pan totally made my mouth water! The garlic bread too looks really yummy!

Check out the shot of the chicken pasta with the fork in it. It doesn't have any bright colors in it and looks a bit dry and lifeless to me. It doesn't look like something I would want to make but the fork and the cut piece makes it interesting enough that I want to pick up the fork and try it. Humm I think I shouldn't have skipped breakfast today!

charchri4 · Nov 7, 2015

LOL OK I have to tell you I just laughed and ate my own words. I whipped up a breakfast burrito from leftovers and you know there is just nothing you can do to refried beans to make them look tasty!

redbourn · Nov 7, 2015

charchri4 said:
LOL OK I have to tell you I just laughed and ate my own words. I whipped up a breakfast burrito from leftovers and you know there is just nothing you can do to refried beans to make them look tasty!

Well I hope it tasted good!

redbourn · Nov 7, 2015

charchri4 said:
LOL OK I have to tell you I just laughed and ate my own words. I whipped up a breakfast burrito from leftovers and you know there is just nothing you can do to refried beans to make them look tasty!

Refried Beans Fotos, imagens e fotografias Stock | Shutterstock

Yep, none here make you hungry !

charchri4 · Nov 7, 2015

Oh my that is really bad! Goes to show even if the technical details are spot on the subject matter still all the difference!

snowbear · Nov 7, 2015

I wanted to take a shot of the West Virginia pepperoni roll that was here yesterday, but it disappeared before I could get my camera . . . must have been some of that mountain magic.