Guys, i need a little assistance... any suggestions will be greatly appreciated..

I'll be shooting food this coming saturday Aug 4 for a friend. She's kinda on a tight budget and really can't afford a pro food photographer and stylist. As a friend this is where i come in. hehe.. Anyway, we'll be shooting the ff:

1. fruits like oranges, grapes, and apples
2. pastries - cookies, a sliced chocolate cake, and donuts
3. beverage - coffee, iced tea, and orange juice

My equipment:

1. Canon 400D
2. kit lense
3. 50mm 1.8
4. 28-135mm IS
5. 550EX flash
6. A halogen light on monopod
7. desk lamps with incandescent/florescent lamps
8. i can probably make a DIY lightbox :)
9. and i think i can borrow a 24-70L f2.8 from a friend hehe.. (if he's in town..huhu)

What's it for:

1. Pix for packaging (not really big)
2. for product posters (more or less A3 size)

Any tips on which equipment to use, props and "cheat" stuff to prepare to better present/capture the items, tricks, etc. will be greatly, greatly, appreciated! :)

Sorry, biglaan lang din po talaga... :( was really planning to join a workshop pero kailangan na talaga matapus ito. Hobbyist lang po. No experience in food shooting yet.

Thank you very much in advance!!! :)

Pauland

Available light is ok.

dont forget water spray for the fruits para fresh looking. :)

Spray with small atomizer PARA fine ang droplets.

Hello Paul,

I understand your situation and I'm sure your heart is beating faster than an over cranked cylinder of a tricycle going uphill. I have to tell you straight, thou you have ample equipment, it will be quite harder than expected if you are after the "pro" look of your output. But not to scare you, there are things you can do to prepare for the D-day.

First, now you know what to shoot and you have assembled your gear, you should be practicing now so that Saturday will just be a 're-run' day.

Second, play with the direction of light, where should your main light come from. for the different subjects you're going to shoot, is it best for the light to come from the back, back left, back right, or in front? should you add one more light to lift shadow details?

Consider also the quality...is it better diffused through a tracing paper or somewhat hard in nature.

Set the appropriate WB to get the best colors possible.

Goodluck!

1. always shoot in natural light
2. don't overstyle
3. set the white balance correclty on your camera
4. if you want a great depth of field use the highest aperture (and thus lowest number - 2.0 or 2.2 are great)

:D:):)

thank you very much, masters!!

Will try natural/ambient light first before putting in additional lights if necessary as you've suggested, Sir Ronnel and Ma'am Isi. WB, noted :)

Thanks Sir Errol for the "spraying" tip hehe. Will look for an atomizer as Sir Ronnel said. Pwede rin po kaya yung pandilig sa orchids?

Sir Jay, you're right, my heart is racing like a horse! Kabado, but it's really more of excitement! hehe. Mapupunta na sa packaging and posters yung i-shoshoot ko kung sakali hehe. And tama po kayo, i should practice na para din may mapakita na ko sa friend ko and makapag comment na sya for adjustments.

Salamat po ng marami! i truly appreciate it! :D

paul.

natural light is fine esp with the fruits, i do suggest to bring a tripod and a cable release for your cam.:D

Your 50mm 1.8 is ok too.

Hi Paul... first thing you might wanna do is to relax, tell yourself that the shoot will just be a walk under a moonlit night, hehehe!... anyway, here is one option if you plan to shoot in natural light ( a good option for someone who is new in food photography )...

1. Find a light source ( a big window where ample light passes will do )
as Master Jay mentioned, your light source may be positioned back left, back right, side light, etc.
2. Use reflector/s to fill those unwanted shadows, reflectors could be a mirror or a tinfoil from the kitchen.
3. Since this is for a packaging, you don't want blurred images due to camera shake, so use a tripod and a cable release (as Onin suggested). If you don't have a cable release, just use the self timer in your camera.
4. Arrange your subject in a manner that you think is pleasing to you, your friend and to those who will look at your images.
5. Since you know what you are shooting, plan ahead and practice.
6. It is better if you can shoot them with an L lens but your 50 1.8 will do (as Ronnel said)
7. A safe opening of F8 is good for this type of shoot, be sure to focus on your subject. (DOF depends on your preference, F8 is just a suggestion)
8. Shoot RAW if memory is not a problem.
9. Use props, if needed, based on your friend's concept
10. Good luck and show us some of your takes! :)

Also, dont forget to include the following in your FOOD SHOOT KIT:

1. to bring soft brushes (the for painting) + vegetable oil --> to brush your food to get that shine
2. Tongs or tweezers - just in case you want to rearrange some elements in the dish
3. compact mirrors - little reflectors actually (like what ricky mentioned) - you can get these from SM Health & Beauty section
4. blue tack or double adhesives - just in case you want to stick some elements or layer up your cookies, etc
5. a toothbrush with hard bristles - i actually learned this trick from a food stylist to "sprinkle" water instead of using a spray mist. this makes the "water" droplets more natural as opposed to it looking to even. what you do is dip the toothbrush in water, then run your fingers across the bristles to let the water loose on the glass; of course, you can always revert back to spritzer

Sorry to butt in... my take...

1. Any light source will do as long as you visualize from which the main source will come from and whether you prefer hard or diffuse lighting.... don't forget to use the proper WB setting. Though natural light is still the best, you can get more consistent light from artificial sources since sunlight continuously shifts.

2. As much as possible, avoid mixing 2 light sources of different color temperatures, unless it's intentional. It's also better to use incandescent or halogen light since these sources don't flicker unlike fluorescent lamps (which also gives a greenish cast). There are special CFL lamps though that is daylight balanced and works very well with photography. You can see such set-ups in shops in Hidalgo.

3. The most common (not always) location for the main light is behind the subject (be it right, left, or dead center, hehehe) so you can get beautiful speculars given by the angle of incidence & reflectance.

4. As already been said, you can use props. But the set-up has to remain simple... there should only be one subject... or several items grouped as a single subject.

5. Pre-compose your shot using dummies (and take sample shots). If you're happy with the outcome, it's then time to bring out the main product... NO WASTE, right? :D

6. To provide moisture/droplets, you may use oil or water, but, both runs easily, and the latter dries up fast especially under hot lights. Use glycerine solution instead. It's relatively cheap and is available in drug stores. If what you buy has a very think consistency, simply dilute it with water little by little until you get the consistency that's thicker then oil. Glycerine won't run nor dry-up as fast as oil & water and gives better gleam.

7. Work in a big space so you can move your lights (as well as you) easily. I recently did a favor for a friend, too, and I worked in less than 2x2 meters of space! Argh!

8. As Alan F. said, don't forget to bring mirrors... compacts being the most compact, although you can use bigger mirrors with stand so you don't have to hold them.

9. Lastly, re-read Jay Alonzo's post in this thread, though short, it has lots of things to say about lighting when you ponder about it. After all, he wouldn't be called "The Lighting Guru" if he's not the best. :D

WOW, and haba ng sinulat ko, hahaha!I hope this helps. Goodluck sa project! KAYA MO YAN!!! :D

Chris
http://chrisalcalamd.multiply.com/photos/album/64

This will definitely be in my bookmarks.

1. always shoot in natural light
2. don't overstyle
3. set the white balance correclty on your camera
4. if you want a great depth of field use the highest aperture (and thus lowest number - 2.0 or 2.2 are great)

:D:):)

Sorry again, but correct me if I'm wrong, hehehe...

-> Great DOF = deep DOF = higher aperture setting = bigger number (say f/8-f/22) = smaller aperture opening;

-> Shallow DOF = lower aperture setting = smaller number (say f1.8-f/5.6) = bigger aperture opening

:Grin::):Grin:

Pauland,

I also suggest you look at food magazines and/or google some food pics to help you visualize your own set up. I'm not suggesting you imitate but learn from food shots that you think look appealing and create your own style. Make your pictures look so good that you would like to taste/eat it on screen or on print. yummm.......:Dum:

Paul.

The great masters of DPP has spoken, go forth and shoot. Dont forget to show us the output.

Overwhelming! :) Got the tips i was looking for.. (nakakaiyak hahaha) Sarap talaga mag-alaga mga masters ng DPP! I honor you for continuously sharing your techniques and experiences to us freshmen! I've read other threads here and you never fail to give us a hand when needed. Wag po kayo magsawa! :) Masters Jay, Ronnel, Nino, Ricky, Alan, Isi, Christian, Aly, Ronald, and Errol, Thank you po! I'll post results asap :)

the shoot is postponed to next week! :Thinking: excited pa naman ako hehe. anyway, atleast i still have time to practice some more. hehe :) will post din some of my takes sa practice para you guys could comment. thanks!!!

Find the back issue of I-mag Volume 1 no 2. It has some tutorial form the Mark Floro one of the best food photographers in the country. He gave some tips using available light with diagrams. :)

Hi Paul... first thing you might wanna do is to relax, tell yourself that the shoot will just be a walk under a moonlit night, hehehe!... anyway, here is one option if you plan to shoot in natural light ( a good option for someone who is new in food photography )...

1. Find a light source ( a big window where ample light passes will do )
as Master Jay mentioned, your light source may be positioned back left, back right, side light, etc.
2. Use reflector/s to fill those unwanted shadows, reflectors could be a mirror or a tinfoil from the kitchen.
3. Since this is for a packaging, you don't want blurred images due to camera shake, so use a tripod and a cable release (as Onin suggested). If you don't have a cable release, just use the self timer in your camera.
4. Arrange your subject in a manner that you think is pleasing to you, your friend and to those who will look at your images.
5. Since you know what you are shooting, plan ahead and practice.
6. It is better if you can shoot them with an L lens but your 50 1.8 will do (as Ronnel said)
7. A safe opening of F8 is good for this type of shoot, be sure to focus on your subject. (DOF depends on your preference, F8 is just a suggestion)
8. Shoot RAW if memory is not a problem.
9. Use props, if needed, based on your friend's concept
10. Good luck and show us some of your takes! :)

there you go paul!:) the Great Ricky Ladia!!!

Hi Paul... first thing you might wanna do is to relax, tell yourself that the shoot will just be a walk under a moonlit night, hehehe!... anyway, here is one option if you plan to shoot in natural light ( a good option for someone who is new in food photography )...

1. Find a light source ( a big window where ample light passes will do )
as Master Jay mentioned, your light source may be positioned back left, back right, side light, etc.
2. Use reflector/s to fill those unwanted shadows, reflectors could be a mirror or a tinfoil from the kitchen.
3. Since this is for a packaging, you don't want blurred images due to camera shake, so use a tripod and a cable release (as Onin suggested). If you don't have a cable release, just use the self timer in your camera.
4. Arrange your subject in a manner that you think is pleasing to you, your friend and to those who will look at your images.
5. Since you know what you are shooting, plan ahead and practice.
6. It is better if you can shoot them with an L lens but your 50 1.8 will do (as Ronnel said)
7. A safe opening of F8 is good for this type of shoot, be sure to focus on your subject. (DOF depends on your preference, F8 is just a suggestion)
8. Shoot RAW if memory is not a problem.
9. Use props, if needed, based on your friend's concept
10. Good luck and show us some of your takes! :)

The FOOD MAESTRO STRIKES AGAIN :Grin:.. thanks for the Reminders and Tips :)

hi! here are some (as in "some". i finished 5Gig for just a few items hehe.) photos i took last sunday. this is quite tiring pala. we started 10am, finished around 11pm! had a hard time with the lights set-up and getting the right angle. (so i shot all possible angles and tried all possible lighting set-up just to experiment. hehe ulit) none the less it was full of fun! client was happy but i'm quite..uhmm.. ewan. hehe. good thing this will just be printed on a small packaging box. hehe. wala na daw poster. anyway, i'm ready to be killed so shoot me!! (gently) :D

PS photos are unedited and uncropped. it's still also for editing/retouching by their artist. :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauland/1116602786/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauland/1116602024/http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauland/1106852185/http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1393/1116602786_b3dad7475c.jpg?v=0
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1362/1116602024_dacbe4551a.jpg?v=0
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1407/1106852185_ed25a8f644.jpg?v=0
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1412/1116600342_67a3216712.jpg?v=0
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1149/1115764163_1255a60908.jpg?v=0
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1264/1115764999_e1cb7b2725.jpg?v=0
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1004/1115762499_1a7eba3e7a.jpg?v=0
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauland/1116602024/http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauland/1106852185/http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauland/1116600342/http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauland/1115764163/http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauland/1115764999/http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauland/1115762499/

hi! here are some (as in "some". i finished 5Gig for just a few items hehe.) photos i took last sunday. this is quite tiring pala. we started 10am, finished around 11pm! had a hard time with the lights set-up and getting the right angle. (so i shot all possible angles and tried all possible lighting set-up just to experiment. hehe ulit) none the less it was full of fun! client was happy but i'm quite..uhmm.. ewan. hehe. good thing this will just be printed on a small packaging box. hehe. wala na daw poster. anyway, i'm ready to be killed so shoot me!! (gently) :D

PS photos are unedited and uncropped. it's still also for editing/retouching by their artist. :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauland/1116602786/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauland/1116602024/http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauland/1106852185/http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1393/1116602786_b3dad7475c.jpg?v=0
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1362/1116602024_dacbe4551a.jpg?v=0
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1407/1106852185_ed25a8f644.jpg?v=0
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1412/1116600342_67a3216712.jpg?v=0
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1149/1115764163_1255a60908.jpg?v=0
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1264/1115764999_e1cb7b2725.jpg?v=0
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1004/1115762499_1a7eba3e7a.jpg?v=0
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauland/1116602024/http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauland/1106852185/http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauland/1116600342/http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauland/1115764163/http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauland/1115764999/http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauland/1115762499/


Congratulations on your shoot, Pauland!!! Looks like a job well done!!!:Dum:

Yeah!!! Agree!!! Clap clap clap ... saw some of the images.

Not bad, Pauland... saw some blown up whites but it's really not a bad output!!! congrats!!!:)

its your first time? wow! not bad at all!!

ricky, ano to bagong alagad mo? :)

yup first time to shoot food. :) thanks po! i OWE it all to you who shared their insights and expertise. TO ALL selfless masters who untiringly coach beginners like me, salamat po! (naks, parang kumukuha ng award. hahaha!) There's so so much more to learn. Salamat po sainyo! Hope to be in your company in future shoots. :)

Shoot na ulit! :D

Congratulations bro!

congrats.. paul job well done..

@ paul

hhhmm looking to your food shoots, i am impress for one reason only, you did not attend yet any photograhy class for your shoot but the result is already enough fo a packaging layout.

hehehehe im also an amature still learning with the groups too.

wow nice shots