Food shots tips

[ast]

hi guys! need some tips!

we'll be doing some food shots tom., our equipments are as follows:

1.) 1 falcon eyes strobe (studio type with softbox)
2.) 2 SB-800s
3.) 1 Vivitar 500DG
4.) Tripods
5.) 2 D70s (lens: kitlens, 50mm 1.8D, sigma 70-300 APOII macro)
6.) Laptop with Nikon Capture 4.0
7.) backdrops (grey, white, apple green)
8.) reflector (round)

setting used on 50mm 1.8D lens: 1/125, f11, iso200, WB-flash, center weight metering (dont know if this is right), AF-S, Fine-L

we did some test shots lastnight, and me and my partners have some questions in mind, they are


1.) which lens (from what we have) will give us best photo quality (sharp)?

2.) when shooting food on a plate or bowl, where do we focus?

3.) if lets say we want to shoot the food with smoke coming out of the food, how do we go about it?

this will be all for now.

hope to hear from you guys!


thanks in advance!

[huynhie]

1. from what you've got the 50 f1.8D is the sharpest

2.Select your aperature and use depth of field preview to ensure either the everything is in focus or if you select a larger aperature use depth of field preview to ensure what you are focused on is in focus(I hope this makes sense, either way just use the depth of field button before taking your shot)

3i. set fire to it

3ii. shoot while the food is hot.

[Glen]

I would suggest use the tripod and use a remote if you have it or timer if you don't. Cant beat a tripod shot.

[ast]

thanks a lot for the tips so far. will try out the DOF button, some food will be on sizzling plate, it will be nice if we can capture the smoke

yup, we will use tripod and remote as well.

any more tips?

[ast]

i have an additional question, was using Nikon Capture 4.0 lastnight, but i noticed that all photos go straight to the laptop without saving to the Cf card, is there a way to set the camera to save on CF and backup on the laptop?

[kipper]

For #2

I dunno, haven't really gone into tripod setups to do food photography or still life etc yet. However I'd be inclined to setup the tripod and camera, place a plate of food (assuming plate) on the white top or whatever you're using for the plate to sit on. Aim at the centre of the plate and take a few shots with varying apertures, load them up into NC on the laptop. Pick the one with the best exposure and depth of field, and mark down these settings. Before removing the plate, I'd get a tape measure and find out the distance from the front and side to the centre of the plate. Then remove plate and mark the center with a small bit of tape. To get your centre mark. I expect it will come quite in handy to line up the position if you're bringing in freshly cooked food and want to capture fire, heat, smoke eg. Flamb''e dishes.

[redline]

my studio teacher said throw out the 50mm. anything that give you the standard human eye view should be avoided. i would suggest using a portrait type lenses /focal length. helps keep the food as flat as possible, unless your after that rounded effect. also keep the food as fresh as possible have you shot ready before your have your meal. but your using cold flash so it wouldn't go off so quickly.

[birddog114]

my studio teacher said throw out the 50mm. anything that give you the standard human eye view should be avoided. i would suggest using a portrait type lenses /focal length. helps keep the food as flat as possible, unless your after that rounded effect. also keep the food as fresh as possible have you shot ready before your have your mea. but your using cold flash so it would go off so quickly.

Redline,
You meant go out and get the 85/1.4? champion?

[redline]

no the food go off by the time you got back

[stubbsy]

ast

There's an art to photographing food. I remember reading an article about it in Choice magazine some years back. Basically the food has to be faked in many cases to make it look right. This involves things like using raw chicken that's browned on the outside with a blow torch (the raw inside makes it look plumper & juicier in the pic) and judicious use of toothpicks to hold things apart. Plus superglue and water mister bottles & the like.

[huynhie]

ast

There's an art to photographing food. I remember reading an article about it in Choice magazine some years back. Basically the food has to be faked in many cases to make it look right. This involves things like using raw chicken that's browned on the outside with a blow torch (the raw inside makes it look plumper & juicier in the pic) and judicious use of toothpicks to hold things apart. Plus superglue and water mister bottles & the like.

I have read something similar, there seems to be alot of substitution to make the food look appealing in front of the camera.

[leek]

Here's a good selection of tips / links

[kipper]

Me raises eyebrows at blowtorching raw chicken. That's quite suprising seeing as I watch quite a few cooking shows here and in the UK. I think Rick Steins went on a photo shoot for his restaurant at one stage, I don't think there was one raw ingredient in the shot

Plus if the chefs are that good, the presentation won't need superglue or toothpicks . However I have no qualms about the waterbottle to give things a bit of a fine mist.

[boxerboy]

ast

This involves things like using raw chicken that's browned on the outside with a blow torch

I've been to plenty of bbq's like that!

[sirhc55]

As far as steam coming off food it can be done naturally or in post processing.

To actually show flaming food you use metho as it has a blue flame and looks real. Did a shoot once like this and one of the assistants picked up a piece of chicken after it had been flamed and was very ill - idiot

[kipper]

May I ask what sort of dish was being photographed?

Rum burns nice and blue too
The downside of using metho, is that if you have a stupid assistant as before you might get charged with attempted poisoning

[robw25]

try these for some tips and issue 24 of digital photography made easy has a bit about taking shots of food
cheers rob

http://www.tastingmenu.com/media/default.com

http://www.timhill.co.uk

[sirhc55]

May I ask what sort of dish was being photographed?

Rum burns nice and blue too
The downside of using metho, is that if you have a stupid assistant as before you might get charged with attempted poisoning

A flambe dish - why use good rum when metho is cheaper and under health regulations the food has to be disposed of after the photography

[stubbsy]

try these for some tips and issue 24 of digital photography made easy has a bit about taking shots of food
cheers rob

http://www.tastingmenu.com/media/default.com

http://www.timhill.co.uk

Rob I think the first URL should be http://www.tastingmenu.com/media/default.htm

[robw25]

thanks stubbsy ..........

[LOZ]

If you want steam effect, try dry ice, and gloss the food with spray cooking oil. Another trick is to pack rice noodles under the food to give it height on the plate and under cook the food.Shoot at 45deg to 65deg then focus on top 1/3 of the food .Always use a plate twice as big as the food .Best of luck.

[ElRonno]

my studio teacher said throw out the 50mm. anything that give you the standard human eye view should be avoided. i would suggest using a portrait type lenses /focal length.

Please note that on a D70 the 50mm is in fact a portait lens (50mmx1,5=75mm!).

[Aussie Dave]

Lucky you uploaded the backup Gary (when the site was hacked last year), or this thread would never have seen the light of day....again

Actually, I believe that the 50mm lens is still a 50mm lens on the D70. However, the FOV is just cropped to appear like it's a 75mm lens. Magnification is still technically 50mm.....unless I am mistaken (which has happened once or twice before)

I have read many a debate about this on several forums, and this is why it's called a "crop factor", not a "magnification" factor....

[big pix]

I almost set fire to a ceiling when doing a food and model shoot as the help got a little heavy handed with the white rum we were using, as a warm coloured flame was needed....... all ended with a good shot of flame and models as one shot..........

the hint here when you need a warm flame use white rum or lemon essence which also burns red.......