I'm working on putting together my new food photography portfolio, and a couple of the photos from my 365 are in the running. I'd love to get some feedback on how you see them, and how they could be made better, and secondly if any are ready, or close to ready to be in my portfolio.
(This one not so much for my portfolio... but still want feedback.)
I agree with Michelle. Another thing I would clean up a lot of the crumbs and smears on the shots. e.g. on the bread board and counter in the bread shot, and also in the candy shot
Agree completely on the bread.....also would prefer a wood grained knife handle. I also think the reflection in the knife blade is slightly distracting. Just a personal view here.
As @eeniemoni and @welcometocarolworld mentioned wooden breadboard and wooden knife handle then maybe use some ceramic or wooden butter plate too instead of plastic wrapper?
I would go for a more saturated look. Your food seems too toned down. it needs to be warm, warmer tones, to appeal more to the appetite. The composition is ok.
As far as the wooden breadboard and knife go... I'm dealing with what I have as a student. I don't do this professionally and don't have the money to buy extras 80% of the year, so I'm building up what I have slowly.
I agree on cleaning up crumbs and stuff more. I usually do, but due to a recent surgery I've been concentrating on getting the shot more than cleaning it, and haven't had time to work on it in post.
On the lighting, I haven't been physically up to setting up my lights for the shots, so I'm working with what I have until I'm recovered (also.. some of those blueberries look damaged...)
Also agree on the melting butter, but it looked weird and fake in the shot at the time. And I wasn't sure on the tone for the bread photo, it looked too dim to me due to the lighting so I had pulled it down.
Food photography is very difficult I think as there are so many things to get right. From my humble point of view 'less is best'. The out of focus items are detracting from what is important. POV and as @gabrielklee says warmer tones make food look good to eat which is what you want the viewer to feel. Anyway good luck and maybe I should try some shots before I make anymore comments.
Bread photo. Not sure what is to the left of the loaf, but it is distracting. Place the butter onto a nice plate or other item instead of leaving it in the wrapper. Butter on bread needs to be melting. If you had to wait for the loaf to cool, you can pop the slice with the butter on it into a warm oven, toaster oven, or nuke box for just a bit to just start the butter melting. I like a few crumbs around a slice of bread. Gives a bit of rustic, and homey, feel to it. Regarding wooden cutting board and knife handle. If you have any wooden topped surface, that works. Knife handle is fine no matter what it's made of. Definitely warm the entire image either with a white balance adjustment in camera, warmer lights, or even in software.
I like cupcakes, muffins, without the liner on. Need to see that wonderful crumb. You could try a smaller aperture to get them all in focus if you want to show all of them. Otherwise a single one on a decortive plate is nice.
I also don't mind a few crumbs around the candy. Obviously you cut it, so a few crumbs works.
I think the takeaway, is to make the food look like you want to eat it. It's the old adage, you don't sell the steak you sell the sizzle.
I think you have great composition. Have you looked at commercial food photos to help with inspiration? Try the cookbook Moro and also Nigel Slater's books have very honest photography.
Beautiful shots :-) I agree with the wooden board under the bread. (great idea) I would also leave the stick of butter out and knife. The rest is great, even the slice of butter on bread, yum! :-) The cupcakes needs a bit more light and maybe a little color boost. Other than that they looks amazing and yummy. :-)
My advice would be, watch your cropping. The bread pic has space at the top, a lot of space at the bottom, but feels crowded (to me) side-to-side. You've cropped into the bread on both sides, cropped off both ends of the knife, the butter wrapper and other loaf are touching the main loaf. Maybe a square crop would fit everything better.
A couple things I learned in my food prep photo class was: 1. Your main light for food always need to be behind the food, but also have a fill, you do not want your food looking dingy and grey. 2. Angle, yours is good but get down a bit lower, our prof. always said you want the viewer to almost feel like a youngster sneaking a peek at the food on the counter. Overall you have a good start, all the images need more light and definition.
I think the white board is the right choice in the bread photo, because you get a nice contrast with the crust of the bread and the butter wrapper doesn't intrude, as it might do on a wooden board, it just adds to the composition. I would do something different with the knife though. In my opinion it jars lying across the front like that. Maybe if it was lying alongside the loaf, handle towards the camera (serrated edge to the inside)? Same with the edge of the board. The lines of that edge and the knife blade are trying to draw my eyes away from the subject of the photograph - the bread.
I also don't think you should clean the crumbs, I just think they might be a bit better more out of focus. I want to know that a cake crumbles in my mouth! The texture is part of the taste of the food, and should be part of the "taste" of the photograph as well, in my opinion.
Actually, they're both only my opinions, and should be taken with a teaspoon of salt... 1/2 cup warm water, 2 teaspoons sugar or honey, 1 tablespoon active dry yeast, 2-1/2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1-1/2 cups milk.
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See some good photos here http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2012/12/top-30-posts-of-2012.html
And here http://www.whatkatieate.com/
As far as the wooden breadboard and knife go... I'm dealing with what I have as a student. I don't do this professionally and don't have the money to buy extras 80% of the year, so I'm building up what I have slowly.
I agree on cleaning up crumbs and stuff more. I usually do, but due to a recent surgery I've been concentrating on getting the shot more than cleaning it, and haven't had time to work on it in post.
On the lighting, I haven't been physically up to setting up my lights for the shots, so I'm working with what I have until I'm recovered (also.. some of those blueberries look damaged...)
Also agree on the melting butter, but it looked weird and fake in the shot at the time. And I wasn't sure on the tone for the bread photo, it looked too dim to me due to the lighting so I had pulled it down.
Thanks :)
I like cupcakes, muffins, without the liner on. Need to see that wonderful crumb. You could try a smaller aperture to get them all in focus if you want to show all of them. Otherwise a single one on a decortive plate is nice.
I also don't mind a few crumbs around the candy. Obviously you cut it, so a few crumbs works.
I think the takeaway, is to make the food look like you want to eat it. It's the old adage, you don't sell the steak you sell the sizzle.
http://www.photoble.com/photography-tips-tricks/10-food-photography-tips-to-make-it-look-tasty
Keep at it!
I think the white board is the right choice in the bread photo, because you get a nice contrast with the crust of the bread and the butter wrapper doesn't intrude, as it might do on a wooden board, it just adds to the composition. I would do something different with the knife though. In my opinion it jars lying across the front like that. Maybe if it was lying alongside the loaf, handle towards the camera (serrated edge to the inside)? Same with the edge of the board. The lines of that edge and the knife blade are trying to draw my eyes away from the subject of the photograph - the bread.
I also don't think you should clean the crumbs, I just think they might be a bit better more out of focus. I want to know that a cake crumbles in my mouth! The texture is part of the taste of the food, and should be part of the "taste" of the photograph as well, in my opinion.
Actually, they're both only my opinions, and should be taken with a teaspoon of salt... 1/2 cup warm water, 2 teaspoons sugar or honey, 1 tablespoon active dry yeast, 2-1/2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1-1/2 cups milk.
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@gphelps5 I think I hate you, I'm starving now!