Conclusion of the food photography blog

Based on the food photography lessons which have been conducted throughout the term, the author had attained several photographic techniques through the practical and theoretical knowledge gained during the on-going lessons. Furthermore, before learning about food photography, the author had a mind-set where professional photographs could only be captured using DSLR cameras or other high quality cameras. However, the lessons had helped to change the author’s mentality towards photography, as the author is now aware that the secret of a high quality photograph lies on the skills of the photographer and not on the quality of the camera (Rockwell, 2013).

In addition, the author also learnt and realised that food styling techniques in regards to the vast utilization of colours, textures of food and placements of the compositions within the plate plays a crucial role in food photography. Also, the position of various types of lights such as fill light, key light along with the reflector at the correct angle elevates the intended outlook of the food component by creating a three-dimensional appearance. Moreover, the author also learned that background colour choices are essential to complement the components in the picture. The other factors which the author had  learnt are the leading line technique and the framing technique which helps to convey the details of the picture in a clear and concise manner as they give depth to the whole outlook of the photograph (Baier, 2014). 

Moving on to the equipment knowledge, the importance of the aperture, shutter speed and ISO settings has played a vital role in the author’s day to day photography not just in relations with the food but also on the daily life. In conclusion, due to the skills attained, the author is now able to capture good quality photographs with the available resources such as the iPhone 5 and the IPad; with the concentration on the elements and surroundings of the subjects which has elevated the final appearances of the photographs. Moreover, the author now sees photography as a form of skilful enjoyment instead of a complicated procedure.

Baier, L. (2014) Food Photography Tips, A Sweet Pea Chef, [online] Available at: http://www.asweetpeachef.com/food-photography/food-photography-tips/ [Accessed 28 November 2014].

Rockwell, K. (2013) Your Camera Doesn’t Matter, [online] Available at: http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/notcamera.htm [Accessed 28 November 2014].

Recreation of a professional photograph

Figure 1: original picture

Figure 2: recreated picture

The students decided to recreate an existing photograph related to food. Therefore, figure 1 was the chosen image which was recreated into figure 2. 

Figure 1 has a wider outlook. Therefore, more vegetables were showcased. In addition, the dark background elevated the vibrant colours of the vegetables. Also, as the vegetables are halved, the picture did not need any form of decorative element due to the natural patterns and colour variations of the vegetables. Therefore, figure 1 had solely gained a magnificent outlook with the earthy elements. However, it is prominent that figure 1 looks less natural when compared to figure 2. Moreover, the uneven structure of the soil had given depth to figure 1. It also creates an illusion due to the placement of the vegetables. In addition, the composition of the vegetables was cleverly done in figure 1 as the root vegetables with leaves were placed on the top while the root vegetables without leaves were placed in the bottom, thus creating a realistic outlook.

Figure 2 was captured with an iPhone 5 and it has a narrow outlook when compared to figure 1. Therefore, lesser vegetables were showcased. The lumps in the soil have contributed to the realistic outlook of the photography. Furthermore, the wooden background choice had matched with the earthiness of the elements. However, figure 2 looks less attractive and professional when compared to figure 1. This is because no artificial form of lightings, reflectors or Photoshop was used. In addition, figure 2 looks gloomier when compared to figure 1. Also, the illusion effect which figure 1 showcased could not be done with figure 2 due to the lack of equipment.

In conclusion, when analysing both the figures individually, they tend to showcase their own magnificence through the choice of soil, composition of vegetables, combinations of colours and background choices. However, when compared with one another, figure 2 is considered to have its own originality and does not seem like a recreation in the eye of the author.

How burgers are photographed to look appetizing

This picture depicts a classic beef burger captured with an iPhone 5 under a professional circumstance. Therefore, fill lights, white background paper and reflectors were used in order to attain this shadow-less picture. By looking at this picture, one could directly identify the types of food components placed in between the burger buns. This outlook was not attained naturally. The ingredients have been placed in such position where they protrude out of the buns, just on the front side in order to capture the burger components into the picture. In addition, the top part of the bun was pushed backwards in order to make the components between the buns more obvious in the photograph .Besides that, the white background elevates the  vibrant colour combinations from the beef,  lettuce, cheese and tomato. Thus, helping to enhance the appetizing outlook of the burger. In conclusion, even if this picture looks very simple, it still does contain technical requirements. 

No to overcrowding components & the importance of framing

The picture above consists of two dishes. The first dish consists of a beef wellington, beet risotto, pickled mushrooms, butternut squash puree and water cress. The second dish consists of foie gras torchon, crispy brioche, candied kumquat, cherry gel and pomegranate. Therefore, both the dishes have the same amount of components. However, the second dish looks more appealing than the first image. This is due to the arrangement of component on the plate.

Even though the beef in the first image has been cooked to perfection, the human eye would find the foie gras more appealing. This is because the first plate is overcrowded with the components, which would not allow one to visualize the various colours and textures in the food. According to (Kathy, n.d.) separation of the components during plating allows to portray the individuality of each component on the plate. Therefore, this is the main reason why the second image looks catchier and appealing when compared to the first one.

Lastly, the second picture had more depth when compared to the first picture due to framing. As seen in the picture, the plate rim has perfectly framed the foie gras which enhances the depth of the picture as it gives a clear idea of the size, texture and taste of the subject; which the first image failed to portray.

Kathy, C. (n.d.) Plating Food, How to Live Gourmet, [online] Available at: http://www.howtocookgourmet.com/platingfood.html [Accessed 2 November 2014].

Photography is not defined by the brand nor quality of your camera

If an individual want to get the best out of their photography, they would need to know their camera's function in and out. The type of camera does not matter. For example, the picture above shows a tempered chocolate squirrel which had been captured with an iPhone 5 camera. The brightness of the picture was due to the artificial light, which was right above the chocolate centrepiece. The light had complemented the outlook of the chocolate squirrel as the art of tempering could be clearly visualized on the chocolate piece due to the shine which has been created by the direct light reflection. Moreover, the iPhone 5 camera has clearly adjusted its aperture by focusing on the subject, and blurring out the background; which attracts people's attention towards the chocolate centrepiece. Therefore, fundamental photographic skills are needed to attain good photographs.

Importance of background choices

Even though the elements used in the picture above does not depict a food item or component, these are the daily elements that would be present in any kitchen around the world. Firstly, a blue background has been chosen because the glass chemicals naturally release a blue tinge under light. Therefore, to avoid such effect, the clever choice of blue background has complemented the outlook of the glass as people would expect it to be blue. Besides that, this picture has been captured with the help of natural as well as artificial lighting. The well diffusion of the light has prevented the form of obvious shadows. However, since the artificial light was projected towards the top left hand corner, the surface of the cup has been bleached off. Last but not least, the blue background has helped to make the hot elements in the picture to tone down; resulting in a cooler outlook.