HELP! Food photography?

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Dramy33

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A friend has asked me to shoot some of the new dishes for her restaurant and I've agreed (as being paid in food), but need advice.

What lens/setting is best?
What lighting setup is easiest and relatively fool-proof--given I only have a 430EX flashgun at the moment and don't want to spend too much.

I take a decent portrait, but food is new so could do with some basic basic advice. Please help!
 
Take the shots in the location you would want to eat it! Outside is always good and if it's meant to be hot then make sure the photo shows it, likewise cold food should look ambient. Just cooked is always best but the presentation of the food is key.
 
Dramy33 said:
A friend has asked me to shoot some of the new dishes for her restaurant .. .. ..

What lens/setting is best?
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This is a joke right? You have no idea what to do - so why take the job on? Food photography requires loads of experience - the right equipment - and some interest in / knowledge of the food itself.

I wonder if she's asked a pal who has a decent cooker to prepare the food? mmmm doubt it somehow.

Seriously - if you have to ask these questions on a public forum - then you really should not be contemplating the job! The best you'll get on here is a bunch of quess work from people who have never done it. :bang:
 
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Agree to the above...
My advice would be to use this occasion to get into manual settings... your subject won't move unless you move it and you can control the situation its in. Get your rig on a tripod. It's tough to say what lens, what settings, etc...when we have no idea what the food is, what the anticipated outcome is, what your friends expectations are and a hundred other things. Best luck for you!
 
awp said:
This is a joke right? You have no idea what to do - so why take the job on? Food photography requires loads of experience - the right equipment - and some interest in / knowledge of the food itself.

I wonder if she's asked a pal who has a decent cooker to prepare the food? mmmm doubt it somehow.

Seriously - if you have to ask these questions on a public forum - then you really should not be contemplating the job! The best you'll get on here is a bunch of quess work from people who have never done it. :bang:
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Strange! ... I thought that was the point to the forum? i.e asking questions and getting answers.
 
Maybe I should have clarified that this is a country pub and the owner is a friend and could never afford a professional photographer. I am far from a professional photographer and could use some experience with this kind of thing. Sorry it's provoked bitter replies--that wasn't the point. I was just asking for some layperson advice, not caustic responses.
 
Dramy33 said:
Maybe I should have clarified that this is a country pub and the owner is a friend and could never afford a professional photographer. I am far from a professional photographer and could use some experience with this kind of thing. Sorry it's provoked bitter replies--that wasn't the point. I was just asking for some layperson advice, not caustic responses.
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I didn't think my reply was either bitter or caustic!
 
Splog: Again, apologies--your reply is much appreciated. I was a bit taken aback by the reply from awp as I usually get helpful replies like yours in this forum. Thanks again for your help! I'm a bit surprised awp had so much time to write so many sentences, given their busy food photography career and all.
 
It isn't possible to give a meaningful reply to the OPs question as there isn't any information to base it on! How can anyone possibly suggest which lens or settings to use without being there and seeing the subject and knowing exactly what the 'client' wants? The OP is way out of their depth and should leave it to someone eho can do this - professional or not. I didn't mention the 'P' word - the OP did!
 
Dramy33 said:
Splog: Again, apologies--your reply is much appreciated. I was a bit taken aback by the reply from awp as I usually get helpful replies like yours in this forum. Thanks again for your help! I'm a bit surprised awp had so much time to write so many sentences, given their busy food photography career and all.
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No worries. Actually I consider food photography very akin to portraits, its all about the light and showing your subject at it's best. Soft warm light works very well, but if the food doesn't look appetizing then a photo will make it look even worse.
 
awp said:
It isn't possible to give a meaningful reply to the OPs question as there isn't any information to base it on! How can anyone possibly suggest which lens or settings to use without being there and seeing the subject and knowing exactly what the 'client' wants? The OP is way out of their depth and should leave it to someone eho can do this - professional or not. I didn't mention the 'P' word - the OP did!
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But the op also asked for some basic advice!
 
It is not possible to offer meaningful basic advice on the information provided!

If you want to learn about food photography go and study the work of people like David Loftus.
 
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awp said:
It is not possible to offer meaningful basic advice on the information provided!
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Perhaps not about lenses and lighting as such but the subject? ... I tried to and had several published photos, years ago, but the advice I gave is sound.
 
I don't see anything wrong with someone doing free work for a friend, particularly one that wouldn't get a pro regardless, for the experience. Everyone has to start somewhere.

http://www.digital-photography-school.com/food-photography-an-introduction

Start there and see if you think you can do it.

Try it and if you can't then don't do it again. Seems to be foolish not to try it once... doing it badly repeatedly and charging money would be a crime though :)
 
srichards said:
I don't see anything wrong with someone doing free work for a friend
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This is not about FREE - it's about competence - or lack of it. By all means do food shots - practice - and it does take a lot of practice - and then when you know you can do it - offer to do it for a friend. The 'friend' will have no idea how difficult it is. However i bet the pictures are the only thing they 'can't afford to pay a professional for'. I expect they'll be paying everyone else who works for them.
 
Thanks to everyone for the advice. I've checked out the link above and it's a great start and very basic--just what I need. Really appreciate everyone taking the time to comment.
 
Splog said:
No worries. Actually I consider food photography very akin to portraits, its all about the light and showing your subject at it's best. Soft warm light works very well, but if the food doesn't look appetizing then a photo will make it look even worse.
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:eek:how on earth can you compare portrait photography to food photography ... to totally different areas:bang:
 
djinn said:
:eek:how on earth can you compare portrait photography to food photography ... to totally different areas:bang:
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In what way?
 
You have to talk nicely to the food and get it to smile for you!
 
djinn said:
lighting, composition, preparation, equipment, theory...... you know the basics
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Exactly!.... They apply to all types of photography.
 
awp said:
but that does not mean portraits and food photography are in any way related!
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I refer you to the post by me

Actually I consider food photography very akin to portraits, its all about the light and showing your subject at it's best. Soft warm light works very well, but if the food doesn't look appetizing then a photo will make it look even worse.
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My God, the toys are coming out of the prams tonight.

To the OP, take a look at this, you might get a few ideas..............
http://www.foodportfolio.com/food_photography/index.html

I would suggest photographing your own food first, just to get some practice, once you are happy with the images, then go shoot at your friends place.
 
Practice practice practice - cook your tea and then take photos before you eat it!

If it is a country pub, then set up a table so you have a good background - the roaring fire, outside in the beer garden with a good view etc.

Get your shot set then introduce your food. you need to remember to tell them that the food needs to look its best, not taste it - so if that means you have something a little bit undercooked to hold shape do it. If you want steam etc, then add hot gravy or a little boiling water to the plate.

I would get the flash off camera, with a brolly or softbox.
 
Kemble3 said:
My God, the toys are coming out of the prams tonight.
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Well.........I kinda like what awp says, but I also kinda like what Splog says.

There's only one way to decide.............FIGHT
 
lawrie29 said:
Practice practice practice - cook your tea and then take photos before you eat it!

If it is a country pub, then set up a table so you have a good background - the roaring fire, outside in the beer garden with a good view etc.

Get your shot set then introduce your food. you need to remember to tell them that the food needs to look its best, not taste it - so if that means you have something a little bit undercooked to hold shape do it. If you want steam etc, then add hot gravy or a little boiling water to the plate.

I would get the flash off camera, with a brolly or softbox.
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Indeed..... The success is the preparation and display of the food..... That's the Chefs Job.

NigelPaul said:
Well.........I kinda like what awp says, but I also kinda like what Splog says.

There's only one way to decide.............FIGHT
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:lol: ...... No point really.....He's already lost ;)
 
NigelPaul said:
Well.........I kinda like what awp says, but I also kinda like what Splog says.

There's only one way to decide.............FOOD FIGHT
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FFS, the OP wants some help and advice on food photography, why don't people put the effort into helping out here instead of bickering like moody school kids.
 
Many chefs/photographers will have a food stylist the equivelent to a MUA in portrature.
 
Kemble3 said:
FFS, the OP wants some help and advice on food photography, why don't people put the effort into helping out here instead of bickering like moody school kids.
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:shrug:

NigelPaul said:
Many chefs/photographers will have a food stylist the equivelent to a MUA in portrature.
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Perhaps, but I doubt they will pay for a food stylist if they won't pay for a photographer :thinking: That's why I say it's the chefs Job.
 
I commission quite a bit of food photography and always work with a photographer and a food stylist. It trebles productivity (or more) and gives way better results. In this case, although the chef is going to cook the food, it is going to be down to the photographer to make sure that everything on the plate looks perfect with no messy bits that are invisible to the naked eye but look enormous on the photo (I speak from bitter experience).

If at all possible, shoot tethered. It really helps to see the shots on the big screen and to make adjustments to food, lighting and camera while the food is still fresh.

It is perfectly workable to shoot food by decent natural light with a reflector or two (white card will do). If poss have the camera on a tripod and use a remote release or use the 2 sec timer. I'm not saying you'll get the same results as an experienced pro -or even close- and you'll probably have to shoot fifty to keep one, but if you know your way round a camera, you can deliver a decent result for your friend.
 
Thanks for the links and advice everyone.

Paulcamcas--really appreciate the specific tips you've taken the time to give.

Have been photographing every bit of food that comes my way!
 
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