(More than pleased that I was able to capture the cocktail in this look, i.e. before the fruits emerged after few minutes it was served.)
If you are a regular to this blog, you probably can tell that majority of my photo subjects are food-oriented. I think that this topic has particularly sustained my interest in blogging. While I am no expert in taking food photos, I am happy whenever my snapshots succeed in making any reader mouthwatered and hungry (*grins*). At times, my own posts make me crazy-hungry. Unarmed with technical know-how, I only had one rule whenever I capture food photos whatever camera I do use: to capture it the way I want to remember it. Until I’ve joined in the food photography workshop conducted by Jay Alonzo last weekend.
(Jay Alonzo, the same teacher we had for the basic photography workshop the other weekend, as he checked the lights).
When our maestro announced that we will be taking photos of a salad, fish, dessert and cocktail, I thought that I can snap everything in few minutes. That is how shallow is the newbie in me. When we were grouped into three (with an average of 6 members) and asked to discuss the paraphernalia (including the camera accessories) which can be of use for the actual shoot, I fancied the idea of food styling and feared the lighting technicalities since I had zero experience about studio lights set-up.
(Since we did not have a table cloth, we used a shawl instead.)
On the actual shoot, we were asked to photograph the dishes the way we want to compose it. That is, keeping in mind what has been shared during the lecture + on the day reminders. While the chef was busy taking care of the food’s palatability, each group was doing the table and lights set up. It absolutely amazed me how the lights (and shadows) made a big difference on the photo’s appeal. For a newbie, the technicalities can be a little overwhelming and being with professionals can also be very intimidating. I opine that it is our interest and passion to improve which shall sustain us.
(I had to add a couple of uncut tomato cherries in order to improve my subject, i.e. top cherry with the leaf. Also, we interchanged some of the quail eggs to position the one with the nicest yoke near the subject. )
(I have 10 shots of the grilled salmon. I submitted this one because I liked that I can taste the sauce and feel the thickness of the salmon visually. The overall appeal will be different if you capture the entire plate from the top.)
(We have adjusted the lights to make it pinkish to avoid the flatness of the background, which was actually white. The donut-like earrings near the cup are some of the gifts from my online exchange gift partner last December.)
(This was taken 20 minutes after the preceding photo was captured. Since the strawberry already looked dry, we had put on olive oil by using a paint brush. I liked how the cake looked so expensive. In reality, it is one of those readily available slices of cake from Lulu Center which are not pricey.)
Overall, I never thought that it would take time to compose a photo — considering all the set ups required. But I am more than pleased with the results that we were able to capture the taste without the post-processing. After the submission from each attendee, we were adjudged as the best group and the best photo came from a groupmate which had a better version of my grilled salmon submission. (He was able to include the candle in his framing.)
Some of you might want to ask about how delicious the food were. I honestly had no idea because I did not taste any. I keep in mind what our lecturer shared that not to eat anything that we have not seen that he ate. Since the food being used for photoshoots are for the visual pleasure and some of the ingredients are being modified. On a larger note, mind the touches and re-touching alike done on the food as it becomes gloomy.
It was a day of hardwork and fun. I absolutely enjoyed and learned from it.
0 thoughts on “Food photography workshop”
upto6only
wow yummmy. i too loved our food photog session when i took my advance class. i agree with Jay na you dont need to post process food shots. with proper lighting and angle maganda yung output. like the salmon shot ang sarap.
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witsandnuts
I liked most the idea of no post-processing.
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chyng
wow bilib! antaray ng equipment, gsuto ko din makaexperience nyan someday. hehe
food photography is not easy at all, only the right angles + lightning can make the food look tempting. sir next blog entry ko: food. pakicriticize ha! kelangan ko ng mentor for free! ^_^
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witsandnuts
Starstruck din ako sa equipment. 😉
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Kero
oh you take shots like pro……and thank you for sharing all these. I enjoy food photography most kaya itry to join food memes as much as possible.
I especially love the salmon composition =)
keep it up!
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witsandnuts
Thanks, Kero.
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fortuitous faery
amazing! now you can shoot for cookbooks!
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witsandnuts
Thanks. Commercial photography is something to look forward to, but I still need to learn a lot.
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docgelo
wow! fantastic photos…these can effortlessly land in any food/foodie magazine!
and olive oil to refresh the look of the berry? amazing!
i wish i can enrol in basic photography class too someday.
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witsandnuts
I am sure there are photography groups in Penang that offer workshops, too.
Aside from the paint brush and olive oil, a pair of tweezer is also a photographer’s bestfriend. 😉
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Kate
Love your photos 🙂 Nakakagutom 😛
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witsandnuts
Thanks, Kate.
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Daphne
Excellent shots! I especially love the cocktail picture, it clearly and vividly captures each ingredient. The drink must be so refreshing. Keep up the good work and we are all looking forward to more pictures of food. 😀
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witsandnuts
The cocktail shots are my favorite, too!
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Harry Hilders
The first photo is great. Makes me thirsty.
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witsandnuts
Thank you for the comment and for taking time to visit my blog.
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Photo Cache
I’ve always wanted to learn photography the proper way. I should do that as a must do this year.
You did marvelously on these shots. Keep it up.
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witsandnuts
How I wished I’ve responded earlier to invites to join in the photo workshops. It’s fun and really beneficial.
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kayni
nice shots, i love the first photo. i feel thirsty while looking at it. food photography is something i have a hard time doing…kasi i eat before i take the photo lol.
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witsandnuts
I remember those times when I was too fascinated to take food photos for my blog. No one from the group can touch the food until I’m done with the shots. LOL. Now, I’m more reasonable. 😉
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kg
wits, di ka naman nagutom nyan? eh hindi rin pala kayo kumain! he he!
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witsandnuts
I always had mints while taking shots. We had separate lunch/merienda, too.
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sheng
Amazing pictures you got there! I am so drooling right now.
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witsandnuts
Thanks, Sheng. The grilled salmon makes me hungry as of this moment.
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BlogusVox
Ikaw ba kamo ang kumuha nito? Ang galing naman. Pwede ng pang commercial ads. : )
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witsandnuts
Yes. Nakatsamba dahil sa tulong ng proper lighting. Problem is I don’t have those equipment na if I’ll be working on my own. I used to shoot with natural lights lang kasi.
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Yellow Bells
you made me hungry very early in the morning wits! nice shots and congratulations for bagging the best group.
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witsandnuts
My groupmates were the best. More than willing to extend a helping hand to a newbie like me.
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maan
i wanna drink that cocktail! wow, great photos dear!
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witsandnuts
Thanks, Maan. I am going to frame that cocktail photo for my dining area. 🙂
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ceemee
I love how “tingkad” the colors look. Canon or Nikon? hehehe
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witsandnuts
Taken using a Canon SLR.
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onyxx
this thing looks so tempting i suddenly felt thirsty for some reason… 🙂
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dong ho
havent really tried doing professional food photography. i sometimes or most of the time myself impatient in waiting to eat while i take shots of the food. lol. but im open to learning.
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amelia
nice naman ng shot 😉
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dyanie
Wow! Ang ganda ng mga shots mo Jo! Clap clap clap!! 🙂 May napanood akong ganyan na segment sa tv show. talagang pine-paint nila yung mga donuts tapos yung yelo sa halo halo, tawas pala gamit dun. amaaazing dba hehe
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Josiet
amazing shots. pwedeng pwede na for food journals or food magz! =)
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Nomadic Pinoy
Wow, the first photo alone is like coffee book cover material! Impressed, I am!
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Mike Anderson
A very mouth-watering photo. It is not really as we thought to take this kind of pictures. It requires all our skills and imagination to have very nice pictures.
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