Post Your Food Photography

DonJuanMair wrote in post #17986500
A new one which is driving me crazy is to pull back far enough so that it can be a horizontal ir vertical.

Take two shots and let the clients choose when they get around to making decisions?

DonJuanMair wrote in post #17986500
Exactly this, sometimes its frustrating because i want to get way closer but they always need room for layout etc. A new one which is driving me crazy is to pull back far enough so that it can be a horizontal ir vertical. Makes it real hard there.

Yes it's frustrating that a given orientation is a key factor in how I think while photographing food. Being forced to shoot wide for both potential orientations or having to use a tripod really does cramp my artistic vision.

OhLook wrote in post #17986518
Take two shots and let the clients choose when they get around to making decisions?

They're trying to get two shots our of one here. They're not looking for options you see

Scott Spellman wrote in post #17986537
Yes it's frustrating that a given orientation is a key factor in how I think while photographing food. Being forced to shoot wide for both potential orientations or having to use a tripod really does cramp my artistic vision.

For absolutely beautiful food. A horizontal is pretty easy. But that's pretty rare so I agree here for sure!

The idea of having a 'universal' image that can work in virtually all aspect ratios has been going on for a long time with me as well. Generally I'm working in a pretty tight layout. I go so far as to make a mask overlay that we use in live view to confirm that the image will work and fit in it's intended space. Many times though, the client will say something along the lines of "what if we want to use this differently at a later time?"...or "it would be great if we had the whole plate so that we can silo it in an ad later".

It's always the start of the same conversation for me (and I've typically covered this stuff in a pre-pro call) that the image will look very different if/when the camera position changes. Sometimes I'll offer to do a 'pull back' sometimes I'll push back and say sorry, but no.

One time after looking at a preview image, the client asked if he could have an extra 1/4" all around. It was a long day and I snapped "NO!". Everybody in the room stopped doing what they were doing. The food stylist and assistants eyes opened wide, not sure what was about to happen. After a pause, I smiled and said "OK...but just a quarter of an inch..and not a sixteenth more." We laughed about it afterwards and it's since become an inside joke at the studio.

A few typical layouts in case it's of interest.

Very interesting. Thanks for posting.

Looks delicious！

I'm not a food photographer, but I have done it a few months ago.

Some of my work with Food:
Meet the Greek
Neios
Mootch and Me

missanagomes wrote in post #17993805
I'm not a food photographer, but I have done it a few months ago.

Some of my work with Food:
Meet the Greek
Neios
Mootch and Me

Hosted photo: posted by missanagomes in
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forum: Food Photography & Visual Recipes

this plate and the item looks like its begging to be shot top down.

Looks amazing though.

Here is my watercolour cake. I got feedback that my previous photos were a little dark so I hope there is some improvement. Vanilla watercolour-style icing. The sponge is poppy seed, cinnamon, ginger and black pepper.

DonJuanMair wrote in post #17994596
this plate and the item looks like its begging to be shot top down.

Sorry, don't agree with you. Food shots - in my view - are most pleasing when shot at an angle which represents the viewing angle of the eater: the view that you expect when being served the meal.
Top down food shots look often unnatural.

vk2gwk wrote in post #17994923
Sorry, don't agree with you. Food shots - in my view - are most pleasing when shot at an angle which represents the viewing angle of the eater: the view that you expect when being served the meal.
Top down food shots look often unnatural.

I think it depends on the dish, the majority of food magazines are shot top down now. I wasnt speaking for food as a whole. Just that particular dish.

Just speculating: top-down views might seem less unnatural than they could because viewers are used to TV cooking shows, where some shots are taken from directly above the work surface.

I think that if the option is available, it's worth exploring different camera positions and compositions that produce the *best* photograph. IMO, it's not a 'one size fits all' situation and different foods will often lend themselves to different approaches. Kudos to All Thyme Favorites above for exploring some of the options with the watercolor cake.

As I've mentioned, I often work from very tight pre-determined layouts, leaving little choice in where the camera view is. At other times, I simply have an aspect ratio and the green light to fill it in the best way possible....and for me that's the most fun.

One of the reasons that I think it's a pretty exciting time in food photography is *because* of the variety of approaches that are considered acceptable whereas in the past (speaking as someone who lived through it) the choices were substantially more limited.

Took these on Monday at my parent deli.

Chicken curry. Tasty.