Category Archives: Food Photography Challenge

Telling a Story with a Splash

By Mira Crisp | Published August 8, 2012

Coffee splash and/ or beverage splash seems to be some of the main keywords that bring people to this blog although I have only one post with a coffee splash. People are obviously interested in how to get those splashing shots and I can tell you that it’s not that hard at all. It does ask for a bit of patience and playing with your settings to get the splash right but it is well worth the time. And of course, at least in my case, Adobe Photoshop did help a bit to get the result I wanted. You can read about my experience and the way I took it in Food Photography: Coffee Splash.

Mira Crisp

Hello! My name is Mira and I take pictures, blog, and drink espresso! As a portrait photographer I take pretty pictures in Ft. Walton Beach - Crestview - Destin, Fl. area. I blog mainly about photography and image enhancement and I am enjoying it a lot. I'd love to hear from you, so please feel very welcome to leave a comment or two.

Follow Me:

Also posted in Photography Tips | 7 Comments

Focusing for Macro Images in Photoshop

By Mira Crisp | Published August 1, 2012

I really liked Lisa Gordon’s tip on selective focusing when shooting macro images that she shared with us in Photography Advice Worth Remembering. Her tip on minimum distance is brilliant and gives that “true macro” look to her images. I guess I was subconsciously thinking about it ever since I first read the tip because this morning, as I was waiting at the traffic light thinking of nothing else but Starbucks, it dawned on me – you could do that in Photoshop! …and naturally I decided to share my idea with you. This tips also includes a tiny tutorial on working with layers and masking.

Of course, getting this look in camera is always a better idea. However, if you do not have a macro lens or if you have a few older photos that you’d like to edit in this manner, here’s how you could do it in Photoshop: Continue reading »

Mira Crisp

Follow Me:

Also posted in Adobe Photoshop, Close Up & Macro, Image Enhancement, Photography Tips | 4 Comments

How to Cut Text Out of an Image?

By Mira Crisp | Published July 25, 2012

Last week I got an e-mail from Sarah asking me how I created the small icon (on the right) I use to mark posts by guest bloggers. What she wanted to know is how I wrote “Guest Post” using a pattern as she would like to create something similar for her scrapbook. She would like to cut text out of an image to use it for headlines and titles. I promised to write a post about it and here it is. Although this may look difficult to create, it is actually pretty simple if you have Adobe Photoshop. All you have to do is to use the Type Mask Tool.

Mira Crisp

Follow Me:

Also posted in Adobe Photoshop, Featured, Image Enhancement, Topaz Labs | 11 Comments

Why is Important to Include Texture in Your Photos?

By Mira Crisp | Published July 18, 2012

Have you ever seen a styling or designing show where the designer mentioned texture every two seconds? I recently watched the Design Star (BTW I hope Danielle wins – I love her style!) and participants were constantly warned that they did not explain why using different materials is important – to add the texture. It’s the same with photography. Texture is important. Okay, now you know that adding texture is important but you still may wonder why exactly. And, as always here at CrispPhotoWorks.com, the answer is very simple…

Mira Crisp

Follow Me:

Also posted in Photography Tips, Texture | 2 Comments

Where To Share Your Food Photos?

By Mira Crisp | Published July 12, 2012

Food photography has become very popular and with everyone sharing it on their Facebook or blog, I started wondering are there any websites that actually share specifically and only food photography. And guess what? I’ve stumbled upon a few fantastic websites that allow you to share your food photos. True, many of them are so popular that their criteria are very high but you know what – that would only force you to become a better photographer. Here are some of my favorite websites that focus on sharing food photography (a note: click on the photo takes you to the copyright holder’s website):

Mira Crisp

Follow Me:

Also posted in Photography Tips | 6 Comments

A Super Simple Way to Fix Exposure Issues in Photoshop

By Mira Crisp | Published July 6, 2012

A while ago I wrote about exposure issues when photographing both the sky and ground. I am sure that you know that unlike our eye, a camera cannot expose for both the sky and ground. The sky is usually a lot brighter than the ground so if you set the exposure for the sky, the ground will be underexposed. And if you expose for the ground, the sky will be overexposed. I discussed a way to overcome those difficulties in How to Take a Photo of the Sun. You probably wonder what that post has to do with food photography? Well, I came across a similar photography condition this week as I was taking a photo of 4th of July cupcakes: the chocolate cupcakes base was quite dark while the icing on top was very bright. So, do I expose for the bottom or the top? I decided to expose for the bottom to have the chocolate part right… But how did I get correct exposure of the white icing too? The answer follows…

Mira Crisp

Follow Me:

Also posted in Adobe Photoshop, Exposure, Featured, Image Enhancement, Photography Tips | 5 Comments

What Are Photoshop Actions And How Do You Use Them?

By Mira Crisp | Published June 28, 2012

I use Photoshop actions a lot; when I talk to someone about Photoshop, I usually mention them a few times. And than… I get unavoidable question: what are Photoshop actions and how do you use them? Do you have to pay to use them?

So, here’s the answer for all of you who wonder the same thing…

First of all – is it free? It can be free. You could either create your own actions or download the free ones. However, many people have made a business out of creating and selling Photoshop actions so those would not be free, you would have to buy them.

Mira Crisp

Follow Me:

Also posted in Adobe Photoshop, Featured, Image Enhancement, Photography Tips | 9 Comments

Photography Workshops: Live and Free

By Mira Crisp | Published June 21, 2012

Hello friends! Today I have something special for you! It’s not my photography, it’s not my tips… it’s something way better! Some of you probably know that I am hooked to photography workshops at CreativeLive.com. There is a 4-day product workshop coming up and it starts today at 1pm PT! I am expecting today’s workshop Tabletop Product Photography with Don Ginnatti to cover many elements you need for quality food photography. Don Ginnatti also has a great website full of very useful articles you could explore. Anyway, although this will be a product and still life workshop, Don will show so many things that you could use when shooting food starting with tabletop products, lighting, DIY stuff, tools…

Continue reading »

Mira Crisp

Follow Me:

Also posted in Photography Tips | Tagged Creative Live, Food Photography, Photography Workshops | 2 Comments

Food Photography: Have You Found Your Style Yet?

By Mira Crisp | Published June 14, 2012

My dear blog friends, I hope you are all well, happy, and ready for another Food Photography Challenge AKA Weekly Photo Stew. I know I’ve been a pretty sloppy blogger lately and I wish I could change that but unfortunately I cannot. My overseas move caused all kinds of delays and bureaucracy drama that’s still going on. So, please excuse me for not being the best blogger ever. : )

Even though I don’t feel like taking photos these days, I still strive to pick up my camera at least once a week and this is what I came up with this week: a couple of tightly framed shots.

Espresso and Berries Dreamy Blues

Mira Crisp

Follow Me:

Also posted in Adobe Photoshop, Featured, Image Enhancement, Topaz Labs | Tagged Adobe Photoshop, Color Correction, Food Photography, Image Enhancement, Sharpening, Topaz Plug-in | 11 Comments

How To Save Photos for Web

By Mira Crisp | Published June 8, 2012

PNG saved for Web

Hello! I don’t have any food photography today mainly because I spent a lot of time on the road during the past two weeks. However, that does not have to stop you from showing off your food photography.

Still, I will share a photo tip with you that you could apply in your photography work flow if you use Adobe Photoshop to edit and save your photos. This tip is so simple and yet so effective that you won’t believe it.

You know that in order for the color to look same on different monitors you need to calibrate each monitor. Now, if you know that, you know that your blog readers and friends on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites, probably do not see your photos the way you see them. In order for everyone to see the photo accurately, everyone would have to calibrate their monitors and that will never happen. So, what can you do to improve the chances of other people seeing your photo (more) accurately? There is something you can do using Adobe Photoshop.

Mira Crisp

Follow Me:

Also posted in Image Enhancement, Photography Tips | 2 Comments

Real Simple Food Photography

By Mira Crisp | Published May 31, 2012

Bruschetta

There are so many ways to take food photos that sometimes it may feels a bit overwhelming. For a while I was subscribed to one of my favorite magazines – Real Simple and every month I would be thrilled to see the new cover. One of my favorite things about this magazine is that they keep their cover real simple and that’s what I wanted to try with food photography. I wanted to keep it real simple this week.

Mira Crisp

Follow Me:

Also posted in Composition, Photography Tips | 6 Comments

Breaking Photography Rules

By Mira Crisp | Published May 24, 2012

For this week’s Food Photography Challenge, I wanted to play with composition. While sticking to photography composition guidance often results in nice shots, sometimes we get a better shot if we ignore those guides and rules. As always, you need to know the rule to be able to break it and I wanted to break the rule of thirds this week.

Mira Crisp

Follow Me:

Also posted in Composition, Freebies, Photography Tips | 4 Comments

A Smart Way To Edit Your Photos

By Mira Crisp | Published May 18, 2012

Giveaway Welcome back to Food Photography (weekly) Challenge! You can read here why I did not hosted this challenge for the past few weeks. You all know that I am an avid Adobe Photoshop user. That’s the software I have used for the last ten years and I guess I am too comfortable using it to try to learn something new. However, I recently discovered software that is really easy to use and offers great diversity when it comes to artistic editing. It’s called Smart Photo Editor.

I used a trial version for a bit to explore its possibilities and I wrote about it in A Smart Way to Edit Photos: Smart Photo Editor. After that post I got an opportunity to try the full version and I loved it! Of course, I still use Adobe Photoshop but what Smart Photo Editor offers is the creativity! Its artistic possibilities are impressive. As I said in A Smart Way to Edit Photos: Smart Photo Editor, if you love using Photoshop and Lightroom actions, you will love using Smart Photo Editor because it comes preloaded with many (free!) presets.

I played with Smart Photo Editor features using this small cake photo below.

Birthday Cake Linking up to

The presets are definitely my favorite Smart Photo Editor feature but the software offers more than just great presets. Once you open your photo in the Effects Gallery, you can select one of the presets (97 pages of presets!) that will be applied to your image (thumbnails). As you can see on the right side, you can also browse the preset menu on the left. Smart Photo Editor offers you to browse Artistic or Realistic presents and then it groups effects by Light, Color, Detail, Artist, Style, Borders, and even Mood.

Smart Photo Editor

The software allows you a complete control over each effect.

Smart Photo Editor

Not only you have a complete control over all effects (presets), you can also use layering mask options in Smart Photo Editor just as you can in Adobe Photoshop – just in a more user-friendly way.

Smart Photo Editor

A great thing about Smart Photo Editor is that it keeps all your steps clearly visible at the top of the screen; that way you can track your progress and cut each step if you decide you don’t want to use a specific effect.

Smart Photo Editor

Cropping the photo or creating a border or photo collage is another easy task when using Smart Photo Editor. It’s just a great everyday tool not only for photographers but for bloggers too!

Smart Photo Editor White Border

Tell me – isn’t this little photo editing software really smart? I think it is and I love using it! It’s so much fun!

It’s Giveaway Time!

Now really great news!!! I love using Smart Photo Editor and I was thrilled to hear that Anthropics Technology Ltd, the company behind Smart Photo Editor is so generous to sponsor a giveaway and gift one copy of this great photo editing software to one of my readers! How awesome is that?

In order to be eligible to win this prize, you need to do three things:

1. Blog or Share info about this giveaway.
If you are a blogger, blog about this giveaway and leave a link to your post in the comment under this post.

If you are a Twitter/ Facebook user, share this post on Twitter or Facebook using social media icons below this post. Live a link to your status in the comment under this post.

(links are located below)

2. Go to Smart Photo Editor Facebook page and like it.
We want to tell Smart Photo Editor that we do love their products, right?

3. Come back here and leave two comments stating that you complied with number 1 and 2.
I will allow two comments: one for the link to your post/ share where you mentioned this giveaway and the second comment for letting me know you liked Smart Photo Editor’s Facebook page.
However, even if you wish to leave only one comment, you still need to follow both number 1 and 2 – meaning you need to blog/ Tweet/ or Facebook about the giveaway AND like Smart Photo Editor’s Facebook page to be eligible for this prize.

I will select a random winner next Thursday (May 24th, 2012).

Good luck everyone!

It’s Time to Join Food Photography Challenge!

Please, feel welcome to link your food and beverages shots to Food Photography. The rules are simple:

1. Make your photograph about food or beverages.
2. Tell us about that photograph: share a photo tip, recipe, or a story behind it.
3. Submit the URL to your food photo post or a specific Flickr image, NOT your home page or album URL.
4. Please, include a link back to my blog in your post or Flickr image description. You can grab the button below or use a text link. Note: Linked photos without the backlink will be removed.
5. Visit bloggers on your left and your right and leave some comment love.

<a href="http://www.crispphotoworks.com/category/food-photography-challenge/"><img src="http://www.crispphotoworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/weekly-stew.png" alt="Food Photography Challenge" style="border:0;weight:150px;height:150px"/></a>

Mira Crisp

Follow Me:

Also posted in Featured, Freebies, Image Enhancement, Product Review | 11 Comments

How to Turn Ordinary Food Photos Into Extraordinary

By Mira Crisp | Published April 19, 2012

You style your photo carefully, you take your time to set the camera and you pay close attention to where the light is coming from – and then you trigger the camera. Everything should be perfect, right? However, once you download the photo to your computer you realize something is missing.

What is missing if your straight out of camera (SOOC) photo is nice, exposure is right, white balance is correct, and composition is lovely? You know something is missing but you cannot tell what? I had that problem too until I figured out what was missing!

The mood! I realized that my photos usually missed the right mood – that real life photo mood – maybe even summery and country mood that I loved so much in other people’s photos.

Chocolate Cheese Cake

Oreo Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

Chocolate Cheesecake

So, how do you get that warm-everyday-feel?

The answer (and solution) is simple – take your plate outside! Let the 100% natural and non-restricted light create mood and feel. Once you take your plate outdoors, shadows and natural light will do their thing and create a wonderfully sunny and warm feeling (that) you are after. Although shooting in the direct sunlight can be difficult, you can still make it work for you. Use an inexpensive reflector to fill in shadows or to filter the light. White side of the reflector will bounce the light where you need it the most or it will help you filter/ diffuse some of the harsh mid-day light. To diffuse the light, you will use the central ring that comes with the reflector. If you do not have a reflector, do yourself a favor and get one. 5-in-1 reflectors are really inexpensive and they will improve your photos immediately.

5-in-1-reflector

5-in-1 Collapsible Multi-Disc Light Reflector ($17.07)

5-in-1 reflectors usually come with the white side for nice soft light, gold for warming, silver for bright light and it is also the most reflective side, black to soak up too much light and the white/ transparent ring that can be used above your subject to filter/ diffuse harsh light.

Get one and turn your ordinary food photos into extraordinary by taking your set outdoors and allowing natural light to play with shadows and to create an inviting sunny look.

Chocolate Cheese Cake

Linking up to

Chocolate Cheesecake

What tricks you use when shooting outdoors?

Now, we would love to see your food shots!

Please, feel welcome to link your food and beverages shots to Food Photography. The rules are simple:

<a href="http://www.crispphotoworks.com/category/food-photography-challenge/"><img src="http://www.crispphotoworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/weekly-stew.png" alt="Food Photography Challenge" style="border:0;weight:150px;height:150px"/></a>

Mira Crisp

Follow Me:

Also posted in Featured, Light, Photography Tips | 13 Comments

Food Photography: Tips on Different Food Photo Styles

By Dane | Published April 11, 2012

Guest Post To be truthful, I don’t do much entertaining anymore – and my normal fare is grabbing yoghurt and a banana – or whipping up an omelet. My food photography has been on the commercial level working with Jack Daniels, The World BBQ Association out of Switzerland, the Epicurean Society in Ireland along with the Clare Food Circle on the west coast, SABA the South African BBQ Association and the food industry in Estonia.

I have worked for a dear friend that was a former White House staffer – that now has his own popcorn and chocolate business. Those have been some of my most memorable shots – we had time to discuss and come up with solutions for the products he wanted as advertisements for his company.

I love Mira’s preparations and the way she has presented her creations. My food photography is more still life studio shots and of course shots “on the run” with the BBQ and Grillfest Associations. Many were OJT [on-the-job training] and “flying by the seat of my pants” as actions seemed to be on rollercoaster type agendas and never let up with any breaks for days on end.

I also do many market “mercato” photographs here in Italy that are used on Venetian tourist websites.

Remember when you are dealing with still life – to keep it simple – the more items you have in a setting – the more the eye of the viewer wanders and will be unable to settle on the theme you have created.

Linking up to:

Lighting is truly one of the most important aspects of any photography – but more when displaying food. It can make or break the success of your shot. I never travel with lights – so 99% of those photographs you will see have been taken in direct sunlight. When dealing with produce – you want the freshest – best looking piece of fruit, meat or vegetable in the market.

Also when dealing with drinks in your photos – look for bottles with elegant labels or simple writing such as the bottle you see in the first photograph. Most labels are bulky – and not really photogenic – they detract from the simplicity of your design and will take the viewers eye away from the intent. I shop for bottles by the label.

Also note that the crystal you use makes a major difference – it can create the design in your work and successfully be the main focal point. For that one simple shot – I tried five different crystal goblets before I hit the most elegant one for the photograph, and it won a competition.

Remember as Robert Capa, the war correspondent and photojournalist, always said – “if your photos aren’t good enough you’re not close enough.” With that said – let me thank you letting me share some of my creations with you.

Happy shooting,

Dane

Food Photography Linky Party

Now, we would love to see your food shots!

Please, feel welcome to link your food and beverages shots to Food Photography. The rules are simple:

Dane

Dane of Dane Photography and Fine Art is a professional photographer who has photographed places from the Arctic to South Africa. She has worked with Jack Daniel’s, the World BBQ Association, Shannon Development and the food industry in Ireland. Dane has had exhibitions of her photography, sculpture and paintings in the United States, Germany, Ireland and Italy. Her photography has been published in books and magazines. She is a graduate of New York Institute of Photography (NYIP) and holds a Masters Degree in Criminal Law. Dane is a retired executive from the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C. and is presently teaching art and photography overseas. You are welcome to email Dane.

Also posted in A Guest Post, Photography Tips | 12 Comments

Food Photography: Gina’s Plan of Attack

By Gina | Published April 5, 2012

My name is Gina and first let me say Thank You to Mira for asking me to guest post today. I am so honored to be here.

Now I am the first to admit, I am no expert. I have just been very fortunate that there are so many wonderful ladies like Tiffany from June Makes Six & Danelle from Danelle M. Photography, that have been so kind to share with me some fantastic tips on how to improve my food photography. I spend a lot of time pouring over food photos from magazines & of course- there is a never-ending supply of inspiration from Pinterest. I get a lot of my inspiration from these places & encourage you to keep your eyes open to notice why certain things catch your eye. What is it about a certain photo that draws you in? Try to then use those techniques in your photos to help you get to where you want to be.

I figured that since there are so many tutorials & tips floating around the best thing I could offer you would be my plan of attack & what I do when I am wanting to put a food shot together.

Please forgive the stuff in the background. I don’t shoot in a studio. While it’s full of my husband’s fire memorabilia I get my best & most consistent light in our media room which is why I always go there. It faces north & gives a nice diffused glow most of the day, which is perfect for food. I have learned from too many failed attempts that direct sun on subjects just isn’t the way to go. I usually set up before I start making the meal so that I don’t have to try to do it while I am racing the clock to keep the food warm. It’s usually my plate that I will eat that night that I am photographing so I want to work quickly once it’s ready.

Adding interest…

You see here, because of the time of day, I put my old wooden board on top of the T.V. tray to give it more light. Depending on the time of day, I may also just put it right on the floor. I love this new to me- old (like 200 years old) board that my hubs found for me while traveling off the beaten path. I have my large white reflector leaning up against my tripod to reduce shadows. I love it. One of the best investments I have made to my gear bag. I add some sort of napkin or cloth & some extra dishes- to add some added interest to the background. Even though I know it will get lost in the bokeh- you can still sort of make it out & it does make all the difference.

Getting it right in camera…

I usually shoot as wide open as I can & never use a flash. If it’s too dim to get the lighting right I come back the next day or scrap the idea until I can do it right. With food I feel it’s important to not try to correct in processing. I like to get my images perfect in camera as I feel altering them beyond the slight brightening or adjusting for clarity changes how real or appetizing the food looks. Remember- the idea is to get the viewer to want to eat what is in the shot. It needs to look delectable.

50mm ISO 400 1/80 f/3

Getting creative!

When I am shooting I will usually get a good 30 photos all from different angles. Get creative! I have been known to lay on the floor, stand precariously on a bar stool to get high above the plate & all sorts of other things to create my vision. I like to get at least one shot of the whole scene, more pulled back like this one above.

50mm ISO 400 1/80 f/3

Getting closer!

Then I like to get in a bit closer to capture the little details about the food that catch my eye. Whether it be a sprinkle that fell just right on a cupcake- or in this case, the puddle of glaze & the one piece of chicken that rolled off the rice while I was preparing the plate. Those details can make all the difference.

Gina Food

50mm ISO 400 1/80 f/3

Linking up to

This and That @ DebDuty.Com

Framing the shot…

Then I like to do a shot looking down, partially cropped in to really capture how I look at it before enjoying it. I know that many professionals might not like this composition. But you know- these are the types of shots that I am personally drawn to when I am looking for inspiration. It’s a personal preference. I like to get up close & personal & sometimes I don’t get that same feeling when I pull back.

Keep it clean and crisp…

Remember- probably the most important thing is to try to nail your shot SOOC. Don’t try to change it too much in processing. Don’t use artistic (pre-made Photoshop) actions. Keep your edits clean & crisp. I have a couple “clean” Photoshop actions that I use & recommend for this sort of thing.

Photoshop Action to edit your food photographs

Paint the Moon’s Be Clear & Details Details. I could do these processes manually in Photoshop but I find that these make the processing so much quicker. These really make the food look as clear as possible which I love- especially because they are so adjustable to my liking.

The other thing I do is sharpen. I have found that the sharpen action from Pure Photoshop Actions (found in their freebies section) is the one I use nearly every time. It’s just enough to keep things natural- whether it be for food or for portraits or anything else. I go to that one on nearly every photo.

So that’s it!

Do you want to make this dish? Come on over & visit me where I am posting the recipe today.

Gina

Food Photography Linky Party

Now, we would love to see your food shots!

Please, feel welcome to link your food and beverages shots to Food Photography. The rules are simple:

Gina

My name is Gina & I am the author of Gigi Marie the Chic Homeschool Mama. Long story short- my blogging/photo journey has been unexpected. Prompted originally by my sister-in-law & then by a co-worker from back in the day, some of you may already know her, Kristen at Dine and Dish. It's been so much fun learning & connecting with others who share my passion. This year I vowed to improve my food photography. I have spent time practicing & learning as much as I can, so I was absolutely thrilled that Mira started The Weekly Stew.

Food Photography: Coffee Splash

By Mira Crisp | Published March 29, 2012

A year ago I wrote about Andric, a commercial photographer who creates pure art. However, that post for some reason has not been imported from my old blog at www.miracrisp.com to this one. For those of you who are not familiar with Andric’s work, I will tell you that he’s a photography genius.

What is so special about Andric? Andric applies his rigorous aesthetic to everything he shoots. I read the interview he gave some time ago and here are my favorite parts. Andric says: “Everything in the shot is a choice. If there’s a lamppost on location and I do not remove it, it’s almost as if I put it there on purpose.” A master of both still life and location imagery, Andric has a long list of clients including AT&T, Panasonic, Palm and Corona. His range from studio product shots to surreal location imagery is impressive. He shot below image for IGA, a Canadian supermarket chain.

The clear blender was the key to communicating his client’s mantra: “Disregard the packaging, look at the content,” as Andric puts it. The image was highly visible, plastered across not just magazine spreads and in-store displays but also on billboards and even the sides of delivery trucks. The crew’s session took all day. The blender was adjusted, the engine dismantled, the blades adjusted and placed in a clear acrylic cylinder. Andric attached some vertical phone cord to spread the splatter. Wanting to make it look less like a standard still life shot, he selected a wide-angle lens to give the image a different feel from the standard product shots done using more telephoto lenses.

Andric has a unique talent for bending the limits of reality in a subtle yet convincing way. In one image a woman effortlessly kayaks through rolling hills covered in tall grass; it seems believable until one realizes…kayaks don’t move so easily on land.

In another image, a young woman pulls a giant white bag of balloons, simultaneously seeming both weightless and massive, through a bizarre underground structure.

Andric says there are many things on location that are not fully predictable. When you look for a location for a shoot, you are trying to find a location that is a perfect theatre for what you are trying to put there. But also a place that has some elements of randomness that will make it feel real. If you shoot on location you are going to find things that are going to surprise yourself in the first place, since when you’re photographing in the studio, you start from blank canvas. I find it endlessly stimulating to find a place that’s totally unexpected because reality is always very unexpected. That’s the best thing about shooting on location. Now, the difficulty is that on a bad day or in the wrong light, the place can look completely different from what you expected. Read the rest of the interview here.

More info on Andric’s work:

http://altpick.com/andric
http://www.andric.biz/#/folio
http://www.designtaxi.com/export-portfolio.php?username=andric

Andric photographs captured my attention and ever since I wrote about his work I wanted to try to do something similar with food. His yogurt shot was an inspiration for my coffee splash:

: Coffee Splash

One would think it’s hard to get this kind of a shot but that’s not true. There are only a few things you need to do and you can get this shot in an hour.

Here’s what my workflow looked like:

1. I set the spot near the window to take this shot. I set up the reflector and two lamps – read my guest post at The Hollie Rogue Simple Ways to Improve Indoor Lighting if you would like to learn more about light bulbs and other small on-budget-accessories that can help you improve the indoor light. I also used tripod. I don’t think you can get this sort of a shot without tripod. If you get one without it, I would love to hear about it.

2. I used a glass of water to set the camera settings and to test the shot. Why water? Because it’s easier to clean water that splashes around than coffee.

3. Once I had camera settings right, I placed brownies and an empty cup the way I wanted them in the final shot. I took a picture.

brownies and coffee

4. I moved away the entire set and left only the coffee cup in the spot. I poured coffee and then I used a hard candy to throw it into the cup to get the splash. Remember, in step 2 I practiced this with a cup of water and I had camera settings ready, so I knew exactly when to drop the candy into the cup and when to trigger the camera to capture the splash. Hint: set your camera to continuous shooting. Why would you want to work only with a cup of coffee and not the entire set? Because whatever goes up, must come down!

5. Now you have your set shot (step #3) and your splash shot (step #4). What you have to do now is to go into Adobe Photoshop and merge these two images. It does not take too long to merge the splash shot with the background one. I showed here, here, and here how to merge two images into one using layers and masks.

That’s it!

Linking up to

This and That @ DebDuty.Com

Now, I would love to see your food shots!

Please, feel welcome to link your food and beverages shots to Food Photography. The rules are simple:

<a href="http://www.crispphotoworks.com/category/food-photography-challenge/"><img src="http://www.crispphotoworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/weekly-stew.png" alt="Food Photography Challenge" style="border:0;weight:150px;height:150px/"/></a>

Finally, make sure to stop by tomorrow (Friday, 3/30.2012) for a beautiful March giveaway!

Mira Crisp

Follow Me:

Also posted in Image Enhancement, Photography Tips | 17 Comments

Would You Like Your Fries With Some Hair Spray?

By Mira Crisp | Published March 22, 2012

Welcome to another Food Photography Thursday! I also like to call this day Weekly Photo Stew simply because Thursdays have become my weekly stew – only a stew in photos. I write my food posts throwing in bits and pieces of everything, even some food.

If you are reading this post that probably means you are interested in food photography. Not just that, you have probably researched food photography tips and tricks and have seen some awesome You Tube videos. Perhaps you are also addicted to food channels or you scan every cookbook you come across in a local book store. Don’t worry, you are not a weirdo, I do pretty much all of that. After all research and practice, you figured out you need a nice camera, good lens, and Adobe Photoshop to get a decent food shot. But what do you need for a perfect food shot? The answer is – a few dirty tricks!

Pork Chops with Mushrooms, Gnocchi & Valeriana

Linking up to

This and That @ DebDuty.Com

Professional food stylists use many dirty tricks to create appealing food sets. I am in no way a food photography purist but I don’t use those dirty tricks. Why not? Because I am a purist. Not. OK, let’s be honest (not that that’s obvious) the real reason why I do not use dirty tricks is that I am not paid to use them and I like to eat my meal after I take a photo. So, today I am going to share a few dirty tricks with you!

Pros use following tricks to enhance their photos and you may find them interesting too:

Hairspray – gives an illusion of freshness to a stale cake or bread

Glycerin and liquid soap – gives food that fresh just-picked-and-rinsed look

Cotton balls – soaked in water & microwaved and placed behind the food plate (or inside the cup) produce steam for

just-cooked-steaming-hot look

Spray deodorant – produces nice frost on grapes

Toothpicks – to hold together that hamburger!

Shoe polish – to give your steak that perfectly grilled look

Acrylic ice cubes – to get that perfect Coke-in-a-glass shot!

By the way, Amazon sells Clear Acrylic Display Ice Stones – 1 Lb for $9.

Pork Chops with Mushrooms, Gnocchi & Valeriana

Now, I would love to see your food shots!

Please, feel welcome to link your food and beverages shots to Food Photography. The rules are simple:

<a href="http://www.crispphotoworks.com/category/food-photography-challenge/"><img src="http://www.crispphotoworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/weekly-stew.png" alt="Food Photography Challenge" style="border:0;weight:150px;height:150px"/></a>

Mira Crisp

Follow Me:

Also posted in Photography Tips | 15 Comments

Food Photography: Creating the Mood

By Mira Crisp | Published March 15, 2012

After I watched an interview with food and travel photographer Penny de los Santos last week, I knew I wanted to write a post on creating different moods with food photography. Although I enjoy looking at perfect food photos ~~that almost always lack some personality~~, I also love food photography in travel magazines (think of National Geographic). Unlike carefully arranged food photos, those ‘street’ photos usually tell a story and evoke emotion.

If you don’t know what I mean, here’s an example of a carefully arranged shot (by one of Penny’s students) and food prepared by a professionally chef (image on the left). Although one can say the mood of this photo could be described as elegant or sophisticated, to me – those are not the words I want to hear about my meal. The photo on the right creates more of a street photography mood. Although not as elegant as the first one, I have a desire to eat those shrimps right away.

[one_half]

[/one_half]

[one_half_last]

[/one_half_last]

I don’t know about you but I like to see and eat food that looks homey, cozy, yummy, and a bit messy. True, elegance is also nice but I am not sure how tasty it is. What about you? What kind of food photos you like to see or take?

Nutella Cookies

Linking up to

This and That @ DebDuty.Com

Shoot. Edit. Submit. @ Through a Photographer’s Eye.

Andi @ The Hollie Rouge.

Fabulous Friday

If you have a food shot you’d like to show off, please feel welcome to link it up to Weekly Photo Stew this week too.

The rules are simple:

<a href="http://www.crispphotoworks.com/category/food-photography-challenge/"><img src="http://www.crispphotoworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/weekly-stew.png/" alt="Food Photography Challenge" style="border:0;weight:150px;height:150px"</a/></a>

Mira Crisp

Follow Me:

Also posted in Photography Tips | 8 Comments

Basic Food Photography Tips

By Mira Crisp | Published March 8, 2012

Hi and welcome to Weekly Photo Stew! Today I have a few basic and quick tips for food photography lovers! Here they are:

1. Time your food session.

If you are cooking meals that you plan on photographing before eating, timing is important because you don’t want to make everyone wait on you. Plan to cook early enough to have enough time to capture a few shots before you invite everyone to the table. I learned that scheduling cooking time 30-45 minutes early helps a lot. For this week’s Weekly Photo Stew, I knew I wanted the shots of the food before cooking and after cooking so I started early.

Chicken rolls with ham and sage.

2. Get a mental picture of shots you want to take before you put the food on the table.

Test Shot

I’ve learned that if I wait until I put the food on the table to set the shot, my friends and family will end up eating cold or re-heated food. I research magazines and cookbooks for inspiration and decide on what I want the photo to look like before I start shooting. So, I set up the table ahead of the time and get my camera ready. That way I can pre-focus camera and check settings before I actually put the food on the table. If necessary, I will place dishes and take test shots to check the composition and colors on the screen before I put the actual food on plates or pour wine or water into glasses. As you can see in the photo on the left, I took the test shoot before I poured the wine to make sure I can take the final shot immediately after I pour the wine that should be served chilled, not lukewarm. However, I did not like the fork in the frame and I wanted the bottom plate to show more in the shot as well as the bowl with salad to show more. I quickly fixed the setting, then I poured wine, took one shot and was ready to enjoy the meal. The final image is below.

3. Wipe glasses and plates.

Wipe dishes before you take photos because there is nothing worse than taking a great photo just to realize there are finger prints all over the glass or bowl.

Final Lunch Setting

Linking up to

This and That @ DebDuty.Com

Shoot. Edit. Sumbit. @ Through a Photographer’s Eye.

Andi @ The Hollie Rouge.

Fabulous Friday

4. Work quickly!

Food looks better if it’s warm and freshly prepared. Especially salads! Work quickly!

Salada di strada: rucola, eggs, potato, spring opnion, and spinach.

Salada di strada: rucola, eggs, potato, parsley, spring onion, and spinach.

I really enjoyed checking out your food shots last week and I would love to have you here this week too!

Here’s how you can join Weekly Photo Stew on Thursdays.

It’s so simple:

1. Make your photograph about food or beverages.
2. Tell us about that photograph: share a photo tip, recipe, or a story behind it.
3. Submit the URL to your food photo post or a specific Flickr image, not your home page or album URL.
4. Please, include a link back to my blog in your post or Flickr image description. You can grab the button below or use a text link.
5. Visit bloggers on your left and your right and leave some comment love.

<a href="http://www.crispphotoworks.com/category/food-photography-challenge/"><img src="http://www.crispphotoworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/weekly-stew.png" alt="Food Photography Challenge" style="border:0;weight:150px;height:150px"</a/></a>

Mira Crisp

Follow Me:

Also posted in Photography Tips | 18 Comments

Category Archives: Food Photography Challenge

It’s Giveaway Time!

It’s Time to Join Food Photography Challenge!

What tricks you use when shooting outdoors?

Welcome!

Stay in Touch

Search this blog…

Subscribe via Email