Food and beverage styling shoot

[johnhunter]

Yoyo all,

I m not new in photography but feel like shooting alone or keeping this hobby alone is a kind of selfishness.
Btw I also not new to the forum, just that not very active due to work.

Recently, feel that interms of photography is very much to exchange of experience so I wish to share around with all brothers and sisters here. also hope to make more friends here.

May a day that we will meet and shooting together;p
Would like to share some of my work on food and beverages.
All comments are really welcome and appreeciated.


Chinese food = 东坡肉

cinese herbal soup.

more photos will be upload shortly.

 

[small pig]

nice... a black or red table cloth will be even better

 

[johnhunter]

tks tks Yup, somehow agree too.....but the subject are in dark color that why i feel that light-color background may contrast out subject.

 

[johnhunter]

western dish :

Grill filet

appetiser

cheers,

 

[johnhunter]

Dessert time.....

hope u guys like my works, do comments ya.......cheers

 

[ntheni]

Nice lighting. How many light you use?

 

[johnhunter]

Nice lighting. How many light you use?

hi ntheni,

tks,I use 2 light and a few self made reflector........
No those studio pro-reflector cause the reflecting is too harsh for food.

 

[HazeMaze]

Thanks to you, Im hungry now.

 

[johnhunter]

Thanks to you, Im hungry now.

No worry sir, more food will be serve later....
Or u may order ur kind of food, but allow me to talk to my chef:bsmilie:

 

[ntheni]

hi ntheni,

tks,I use 2 light and a few self made reflector........
No those studio pro-reflector cause the reflecting is too harsh for food.

I really noob in lighting hahha
My guess are from the photo 1 light should be on the left side back of the food subject.
Reflctor should be infront of the food.
Then where to place the other light????:dunno:

 

[johnhunter]

I really noob in lighting hahha
My guess are from the photo 1 light should be on the left side back of the food subject.
Reflctor should be infront of the food.
Then where to place the other light????:dunno:

Wahha, bro seen u can guess it correct....than i dont think u are noob in lighting.

 

[ntheni]

Wahha, bro seen u can guess it correct....than i dont think u are noob in lighting.

hahaha Just some lucky guess :bsmilie:

 

[EricS1]

Mmm. Love looking at these, so take any comments as mainly a way to contribute to the thread, even if simple with unsubstantiated opinions.

1) Have you given any thought to something other than high key shots? Maybe I've been conditioned by television commercials, but the "Western food" looks a little bit stale (the fries, especially), and I feel that the high key has something to do with it.

2) Not sure how well you're equipped, but since you obviously know your way around a studio, could you find a way to put the highlights in nicer positions? The Western food one is overwhelmed by unattractive highlights (gobo the fish?). The scrumptious glaze on the dong po rou is pretty nicely handled, but the highlights are a little bit in the way. Necessary, but maybe you could place them elsewhere and make them more contiguous?

Anyway, the main reason I mention this is because I'm curious what your answer would be. How hard is it to style this food? Are there styling challenges that are not obvious to those of us that haven't attempted food photos in a studio?

 

[johnhunter]

Mmm. Love looking at these, so take any comments as mainly a way to contribute to the thread, even if simple with unsubstantiated opinions.

1) Have you given any thought to something other than high key shots? Maybe I've been conditioned by television commercials, but the "Western food" looks a little bit stale (the fries, especially), and I feel that the high key has something to do with it.

2) Not sure how well you're equipped, but since you obviously know your way around a studio, could you find a way to put the highlights in nicer positions? The Western food one is overwhelmed by unattractive highlights (gobo the fish?). The scrumptious glaze on the dong po rou is pretty nicely handled, but the highlights are a little bit in the way. Necessary, but maybe you could place them elsewhere and make them more contiguous?

Anyway, the main reason I mention this is because I'm curious what your answer would be. How hard is it to style this food? Are there styling challenges that are not obvious to those of us that haven't attempted food photos in a studio?

first and for most, tks for ur comments......
Shall I answer to ur 2 qus ;

1) I suppose i did mention here or to some other thread starter and encourage as well sharing with about on light handling / management.
Should I say nobody can be 110% perfect on light hightlighting with food, especially while doing this is on working situation.
Beside that, the shooting is carry out on mobile set up basic which is not inside a cool, quiet studio.....So as I my thread stated clearly
"food styling" not lighting management.
So please allow me to share with, keep practicing....like folks says "practice make perfect" hahaha, to me "nobody is perfect so why
practicing"
As for my thread "food styling", I shall says I m more focus on how to stack or placing the dish or food in it better way.
thread stated "food styling"

2) Food styling, offen the food photography shooting most of the time the display will be done by the chef....but on my theory
I would rather done by the photographer unless the chef know about food photography.
So of the way to made your food to look nice, example a "western bun" it maybe flat and dry we will cut it stuff in with tissue and
some other gimmicks to make it look nicer for photoshoot.

if you wanna know the hardest food items to take, may I tell you Ice-cream? dessert, local (ice-kacang)....drinks? even some meat.....
especially when u need to show or shine out the meat texture.......Try it, then u will know or understand better. THANK YOU

 

[johnhunter]

dear folks,

Some of my work and try agains.....hope u guys like it, btw comments are welcome......

one of my drinks shoots,

more food to be serve.....;p

 

[ntheni]

first and for most, tks for ur comments......
Shall I answer to ur 2 qus ;

1) I suppose i did mention here or to some other thread starter and encourage as well sharing with about on light handling / management.
Should I say nobody can be 110% perfect on light hightlighting with food, especially while doing this is on working situation.
Beside that, the shooting is carry out on mobile set up basic which is not inside a cool, quiet studio.....So as I my thread stated clearly
"food styling" not lighting management.
So please allow me to share with, keep practicing....like folks says "practice make perfect" hahaha, to me "nobody is perfect so why
practicing"
As for my thread "food styling", I shall says I m more focus on how to stack or placing the dish or food in it better way.
thread stated "food styling"

2) Food styling, offen the food photography shooting most of the time the display will be done by the chef....but on my theory
I would rather done by the photographer unless the chef know about food photography.
So of the way to made your food to look nice, example a "western bun" it maybe flat and dry we will cut it stuff in with tissue and
some other gimmicks to make it look nicer for photoshoot.

if you wanna know the hardest food items to take, may I tell you Ice-cream? dessert, local (ice-kacang)....drinks? even some meat.....
especially when u need to show or shine out the meat texture.......Try it, then u will know or understand better. THANK YOU

Agreed on the hardest food to take is ice cream. Melt too fast haha If with lighting set up melt even faster!!!
That is also why those ice cream photo are not edible :bigeyes:

Hope to see more of your work :bsmilie:

 

[johnhunter]

Ntheni, sure will upload more photos when free. Btw the tricks behind of taking ice-cream is potato....cheers ya!

 

[EricS1]

Should I say nobody can be 110% perfect on light hightlighting with food, especially while doing this is on working situation.
Beside that, the shooting is carry out on mobile set up basic which is not inside a cool, quiet studio.....So as I my thread stated clearly
"food styling" not lighting management.

Wow, this was all done at the restaurant with a portable kit? That's really cool! Well then I'd say the lighting is pretty darn good!

How many of these dishes are still edible after you get done photographing them? One reason I've been looking through more food threads is because I recently read a book on food styling (not just arrangement, but that too). Challenging stuff, indeed.

Your "models" are very nicely "posed" in these shots. I like the shot of the drinks. Real ice? You must have had to shoot fast.

 

[ntheni]

Ntheni, sure will upload more photos when free. Btw the tricks behind of taking ice-cream is potato....cheers ya!

Yup I know that. But with all the coloring added inside don't think anybody would want to eat it haha

 

[johnhunter]

Yup I know that. But with all the coloring added inside don't think anybody would want to eat it haha

Wow, this was all done at the restaurant with a portable kit? That's really cool! Well then I'd say the lighting is pretty darn good!

How many of these dishes are still edible after you get done photographing them? One reason I've been looking through more food threads is because I recently read a book on food styling (not just arrangement, but that too). Challenging stuff, indeed.

Your "models" are very nicely "posed" in these shots. I like the shot of the drinks. Real ice? You must have had to shoot fast.

Yo,

EricS1....actually my shooting equipment consider a mini studio not portable kit.....( refering to those mini lighting and soft box) infact my work seldom in resturant as most of my clients are so call (high end foodcourt) so under those kind of enviroment while doing shooting also a kind of challange.

nethni,

Haha, nobody will dare to eat those after my shooting done......as most of the time my product for shooting is not for consuming......!
btw lack of mentioning the most diffcult item to shoot is float drinks too.....although nowdays u may just download and do editing on but somehow there is still people want us to take very (Self own photos on their menu board / list)......

share this with u guys,

potato float cola......

bottoms up, cheers!