Restaurant...

Took photos for some folks I know, who run a small restaurant about two blocks from my house. It was fun and I would like to try a re-shoot, as they are a stones throw away. Any thoughts on what I could do differently next time? Thanks in advance!

1

Great series! Fit for brochure. All I would do is tilt #3 so they stand a bit straighter.

Cheers

rpcruab wrote in post #15402422
Took photos for some folks I know, who run a small restaurant about two blocks from my house. It was fun and I would like to try a re-shoot, as they are a stones throw away. Any thoughts on what I could do differently next time? Thanks in advance!

Great series...Looks delicious.

Nice shots; should help in promoting the restaurant.
In #3, MAYBE a reflector to throw a little more light on their faces?
I like what you've done.

#1 I would center the dish and crop out the excess table at the top.
#3 I agree with others about the tilt though it looks like they are standing with a slight lean as opposed to your shot being tilted.

Overall very good and would be quite effective marketing.

pic 1 doesn't work for me. Plate looks like it has crumbs on it unintentionally, and there's something about the shadow that doesn't work. Pic 2 is the best of the series. Very nice. I think 3,4 and 5 may need more light. Not sure what kind of ambiance the place has, but it looks a bit old and dilapidated? Maybe they want it to be quaint, though.

#1: This would be more appealing if cropped so it's square, with the plate centered. You might try a tablecloth under the plate to see whether you and the owners find the shot more attractive with it. More-even lighting would help, and greater depth of field so the stray berries are in focus as well as the big dessert bar. I agree with russ71 about the crumbs. Some photos of fancy desserts include decorated plates where the chef has sprinkled something around, but these chocolate bits (?) look randomly fallen.

#2: The meat looks good, but the rice looks gummy. If all their rice looks like that, put the rice in the background where viewers can think it's merely blurred. Or change my order to potatoes, please. Assuming the present composition is repeated, maybe shoot from a higher angle so the beans are clearer. Try a contrasting-color tablecloth for this one, but not distractingly bright. Show more space next to the plate at the right and less at the top.

#3: Too dark overall. The man's pose is very good, with the plates at different heights, but next time get the woman to hold her tray level! Good choice of colors for their clothing, given the background.

#4: Also too dark. I don't like the way the chair at the right is cut off.

#5: Too dark, and it could stand some cropping at the left, where there are many small OOF objects that seem irrelevant. (You can cut off the chair this time. It isn't there as an invitation for a guest to sit in it.) The much lighter area at the window--I don't know, my eye keeps going there, and I don't think that's what you want if the subject is personnel.

EDIT: One more thing about #5. What is this man's job? Is he waitstaff, cook, or something else? Maybe a caption will say, but posing him with tools of the trade would communicate it instantly. As the advice to fiction writers goes, "Show, don't tell."

grunticus wrote in post #15402458
Great series! Fit for brochure. All I would do is tilt #3 so they stand a bit straighter.

Cheers

Thanks! I'm glad you pointed out the tilt, didn't really notice until you mentioned it.

rrblint wrote in post #15402464
Great series...Looks delicious.

Thank you!

NCSA197 wrote in post #15402752
Nice shots; should help in promoting the restaurant.
In #3, MAYBE a reflector to throw a little more light on their faces?
I like what you've done.

Good call! I think the shadows were a little too harsh.

Aepy wrote in post #15402834
#1 I would center the dish and crop out the excess table at the top.
#3 I agree with others about the tilt though it looks like they are standing with a slight lean as opposed to your shot being tilted.

Overall very good and would be quite effective marketing.

I've been shooting with 8x10/8x12 prints in mind lately, and completely forgot that square cropping was an option, as these will not be printed anyways. Thanks!

russ71satellite wrote in post #15402869
pic 1 doesn't work for me. Plate looks like it has crumbs on it unintentionally, and there's something about the shadow that doesn't work. Pic 2 is the best of the series. Very nice. I think 3,4 and 5 may need more light. Not sure what kind of ambiance the place has, but it looks a bit old and dilapidated? Maybe they want it to be quaint, though.

It is a sort of country/antique/farm style restaurant, (does that make sense? :lol. I suppose that they do want to exude that sort of vibe, but it is a very dark dining environment. Different strokes for different folks, I suppose. Do you think that I could spruce up 3-5 by adjusting some levels in post, or should I spread and diffuse the light a bit more next time?

OhLook wrote in post #15403192
#1: This would be more appealing if cropped so it's square, with the plate centered. You might try a tablecloth under the plate to see whether you and the owners find the shot more attractive with it. More-even lighting would help, and greater depth of field so the stray berries are in focus as well as the big dessert bar. I agree with russ71 about the crumbs. Some photos of fancy desserts include decorated plates where the chef has sprinkled something around, but these chocolate bits (?) look randomly fallen.

#2: The meat looks good, but the rice looks gummy. If all their rice looks like that, put the rice in the background where viewers can think it's merely blurred. Or change my order to potatoes, please. Assuming the present composition is repeated, maybe shoot from a higher angle so the beans are clearer. Try a contrasting-color tablecloth for this one, but not distractingly bright. Show more space next to the plate at the right and less at the top.

#3: Too dark overall. The man's pose is very good, with the plates at different heights, but next time get the woman to hold her tray level! Good choice of colors for their clothing, given the background.

#4: Also too dark. I don't like the way the chair at the right is cut off.

#5: Too dark, and it could stand some cropping at the left, where there are many small OOF objects that seem irrelevant. (You can cut off the chair this time. It isn't there as an invitation for a guest to sit in it.) The much lighter area at the window--I don't know, my eye keeps going there, and I don't think that's what you want if the subject is personnel.

EDIT: One more thing about #5. What is this man's job? Is he waitstaff, cook, or something else? Maybe a caption will say, but posing him with tools of the trade would communicate it instantly. As the advice to fiction writers goes, "Show, don't tell."

Thank you for your detailed feedback! Very helpful.

I like all but #1. That one needs to be closer . . . Dave Dugdale has a good video about shooting some compelling close-ups of food.

alintx wrote in post #15403994
I like all but #1. That one needs to be closer . . . Dave Dugdale has a good video about shooting some compelling close-ups of food.

ditto, really digging the last photo.

Nice set. I like 2 and 4 the best.

Fantastic shots. I like #2 and 4 as well. With # 3 its a little bit darker. Great series.

I'd change the angle used in #1. It looks rather bland to me. The rest look FANTASTIC!