People Tell me I should be doing more of this...

So am I doing this right? Is my setup OK? I will probably do the same thing if I ever go to a restaurant to shoot food. I just wanted something simple and quick and easy to setup. I think I have what I need...

I'm no cook but I think I know how to setup a food shot. This was my breakfast... except for the coffee. Good thing it's in the bokeh area, otherwise you'd see coffee grounds floating in that cup.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/alanmars/804438​4066/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/alanmars/804439​5326/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/alanmars/804438​9595/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/alanmars/804439​0268/

I think I know why that Fish & Fries photo didn't work for me. Maybe I should have used a plate with a little more color in it like the sandwich one had.

I added the drinks after I shot the first cereal shots this morning. I felt it needed more than just a bowl of cereal. I have another shot where the cereal box is in the BG as well. Then the rest of the shots I wanted to add a drink in there because the cereal shots looked more normal.

Maybe some better looking food would make this more interesting...? If you were shooting this for a restaurant, I would not be very hungry after seeing these photos; the food is generally unappealing. Also, the location is a bit dull.

I try to get a bit more eye-level with the food items that I've photographed before. The main course should be the attraction; the chips or french fries should not be competing for attention. The faux beer in the first shot looks good but, in the shot with the fish and french fries, it looks pretty bubbly.

As I mentioned, I am no cook. Here's another one of the fish but at a lower angle.

Basically, I guess I want the food to look good but if someone else makes a stunning looking plate of food I want to know if I can do it justice with photos I guess is what I'm trying to accomplish here.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/alanmars/804449​5139/

basic flair wrote in post #15065822
Maybe some better looking food would make this more interesting...? If you were shooting this for a restaurant, I would not be very hungry after seeing these photos; the food is generally unappealing. Also, the location is a bit dull.

I try to get a bit more eye-level with the food items that I've photographed before. The main course should be the attraction; the chips or french fries should not be competing for attention. The faux beer in the first shot looks good but, in the shot with the fish and french fries, it looks pretty bubbly.

Agreed. What you presented was dull, but you're on the right track for composition. I'd like to see a little more PP in these too. They're rather flat.

Q

Hm--the lighting setup and position doesn't seem to transfer into the lighting in the photos. Given the umbrella use and given it's setup (lighting from the side), I'd expect way softer + way more oblique lighting in the Fish and Fries shot.

I think the main thing that needs to be worked on is creating moodier lighting. I'd also work on dof--the fries at the front of the plate are not in within the depth of field.

The food needs to be colorful and attractive. I don't see much wrong with your lighting or composition, but as stated by others, the food is colorless and dull. The problem is even PP and saturation adjustment can't make a plain white fish or yellow fries look overly appealing. Think of the ads that fast food chains put up. They use overly green lettuce, overly red tomatoes and overly brown hamburger, sometimes they are even painted or use oils to bring out the color and texture. With a better presentation of the product, you will end up with better results, I don't really think the problem here is the photographer or the camera.

For the fish as an example, I'd think some oil on the surface, a nice sear and some browning on the fries would make a nicer presentation. For added effect, a splash of sauce on or around the fish could add some much needed color.

RevvdImages wrote in post #15066243
For the fish as an example, I'd think some oil on the surface, a nice sear and some browning on the fries would make a nicer presentation. For added effect, a splash of sauce on or around the fish could add some much needed color.

If I get gigs like this I hope the chef would be able to prepare the food that way. You're right it's dull and colorless. I'm no Gourmet Chef. I cooked the fish myself. I don't like a whole lot of seasoning on it so that's why you don't see any pepper or anything like that on it. It was cooked in butter and I added sea salt to it and you won't notice that unless you had the plate in front of you.

Image is too centered for my liking and the setting is too bland, but even with that with a few tweaks you can make it more "palatable"

I would suggest a table cloth under the dishes and a focus on the food. The grain in that table is quite distracting. Perhaps a very shallow DOF.

Here's a page for a place we ate at recently - a chain I think:

http://www.lapellah.co​m/gallery.php?page=2

That last image is over done. nice work I think, a little warmer is good but not too much.

With white fish you need a dark plate. Agree with Titus on using a tablecloth, plain would be best. Set your lights low and in the rear (fill with a front reflector) so we can see some detail in the fish. Don't blow out the highlights on the fries. I'd say get your aperture high (f16 - f11) to get more depth of field.

Btw I am impressed with your fake beer, I may need to make that my party trick once my friends have had a few...haha.

Good for you for trying something new.