New to this genre, here are my first shots

I'm a landscape/architecture photographer, and bought some studio equipment from a guy selling his stuff, and since I don't really have any interest in people, I wanted to experiment with food and other still life images.

Looking for any feedback, good or bad. These are my first two test shots...

IMAGE LINK: https://www.flickr.com​/photos/ap_imagery/327​42860553

Food Photo Experimentation

IMAGE LINK: https://www.flickr.com​/photos/ap_imagery/327​42864463

Apples and Oranges

Very nice. Love the soft, warm light & long shadows.

Good color palette and clarity in both images. Composition is wonderful in the second, much better than in the first, where the objects are too scattered so I don't know what I'm meant to look at.

A minor point on #1: when a knife is included, I think its cutting edge should be on the side toward the food to be cut.

I like both.. even with knife out and unfocused... really does well...

so what did you get? I think it would be cool if you could take a pic of your setup as well to give an idea.. then people that know lighting can then see and tell you more of a ... hey move that one umbrella on right closer, etc...


here is my example...
mine is a whitebox but it shows the how and what can I do better.. but this is my opinion.. taken with another beer oweD!!!!

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/bgUn​wH

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/bgUn​ua

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/bgTZ​CH

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/bgTZ​Ht

TeleFragger wrote in post #18307577
I like both.. even with knife out and unfocused... really does well...

so what did you get? I think it would be cool if you could take a pic of your setup as well to give an idea.. then people that know lighting can then see and tell you more of a ... hey move that one umbrella on right closer, etc...

Sure, I could do that. I've got a few softboxes, strip boxes, and some Alien Bees.

OhLook wrote in post #18307568
Good color palette and clarity in both images. Composition is wonderful in the second, much better than in the first, where the objects are too scattered so I don't know what I'm meant to look at.
A minor point on #1: when a knife is included, I think its cutting edge should be on the side toward the food to be cut.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind for future shoots. I need to figure out "product/still life" basic rules of the genre.

i not saying you have to use a softbox or anything.. just mentioning if we can see the full setup then can be easier to see and help...

if you use a softbox you will lose that beauty of a cutting board in pic 1...

pic 2 though now thinking of it... looks like food on a floor... and i woudnt want to eat it!!!!!

I'll post the setup when I get home. Both of these shots were taken on the same table, with a larger octobox CL and a strip box CR.

Youre off to a great start!
Lighting is really nice for your first few attempts!

Me too! thinking in a box! issues with strength of the "structure" made mine out of a 16 x 18 box but is not stable but am so happy to see my box idea isn't just nuts its had made me think a lot about smaller things to shoot and.......how to make a bigger box! thanks for leading the way!

Maybe one of those translucent storage totes from a big-box store?

http://images.lowes.co​m …d/071691/071691​429883.jpg

Should be plenty stable and when you're done shooting you can safely stow some of your gear in it.