Comments on: How We Take Food Photos Part I: Tools and Equipment http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/06/how-we-take-food-photos-part-i-tools-and-equipment/ A good meal makes everything better. Sun, 20 May 2012 07:04:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Brian http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/06/how-we-take-food-photos-part-i-tools-and-equipment/comment-page-1/#comment-1824 Brian Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:54:53 +0000 http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/06/how-we-take-food-photos-part-i-tools-and-equipment/#comment-1824 Great idea on a post. I've been trying a few things with my camera and now I have some concrete things to try. Thanks! Great idea on a post. I’ve been trying a few things with my camera and now I have some concrete things to try. Thanks!

]]> By: joy http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/06/how-we-take-food-photos-part-i-tools-and-equipment/comment-page-1/#comment-583 joy Fri, 21 Mar 2008 06:31:48 +0000 http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/06/how-we-take-food-photos-part-i-tools-and-equipment/#comment-583 Metroknow -- My dad has the VR lenses on his D300 and he is absolutely in love with it. He said that even my mom who cannot take a non-blurry photo can actually take sharp pictures with that. And that, my friend, couldn't have been a better testimonial for those lens. Wow...I never thought of using the water glass but that's a great suggestion. We'll do that next time. I saw the EZ Cube at a Ritz store in Washington. I didn't buy it, maybe after the tax season. Haha. Do you have that? What light do you use with it? Thank you for such great tips! Metroknow — My dad has the VR lenses on his D300 and he is absolutely in love with it. He said that even my mom who cannot take a non-blurry photo can actually take sharp pictures with that. And that, my friend, couldn’t have been a better testimonial for those lens.

Wow…I never thought of using the water glass but that’s a great suggestion. We’ll do that next time.

I saw the EZ Cube at a Ritz store in Washington. I didn’t buy it, maybe after the tax season. Haha. Do you have that? What light do you use with it?

Thank you for such great tips!

]]> By: Metroknow - AlmostFit.com http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/06/how-we-take-food-photos-part-i-tools-and-equipment/comment-page-1/#comment-581 Metroknow - AlmostFit.com Fri, 21 Mar 2008 05:59:54 +0000 http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/06/how-we-take-food-photos-part-i-tools-and-equipment/#comment-581 I am really glad I found this article. I use the D70 and have probably shot 20,000 photographs with our camera (including thousands of product shots) with results that run the spectrum. While I use a tripod whenever possible, I'm also really interested in the vibration reduction (VR) lenses, as I've never used one. Thoughts? A couple of tips to add to the pile: 1. When you are taking photos in restaurants, a water glass works surprisingly well as a makeshift tripod if you're in a pinch. there are also some decent "mini" tripods that fold down to about 6 inches that come in really handy. 2. If you're serious about a good photo of a plate of food, I strongly recommend the EZ cube (http://www.ezcube.com/). It works great when you take it outside (with no wind or rain, of course); it softens the harshness of the sunlight and helps to balance the lighting of the subject. Thank you for this series - on to the next installment of your description! Best, Metroknow http://www.almostfit.com <em>Metroknow - AlmostFit.com's last blog post..<a href='http://almostfit.com/2008/03/20/the-french-tradition-give-us-our-daily-baguette/' rel="nofollow">The French tradition - Give us our daily baguette</a></em> I am really glad I found this article. I use the D70 and have probably shot 20,000 photographs with our camera (including thousands of product shots) with results that run the spectrum. While I use a tripod whenever possible, I’m also really interested in the vibration reduction (VR) lenses, as I’ve never used one.

Thoughts?

A couple of tips to add to the pile:
1. When you are taking photos in restaurants, a water glass works surprisingly well as a makeshift tripod if you’re in a pinch. there are also some decent “mini” tripods that fold down to about 6 inches that come in really handy.
2. If you’re serious about a good photo of a plate of food, I strongly recommend the EZ cube (http://www.ezcube.com/). It works great when you take it outside (with no wind or rain, of course); it softens the harshness of the sunlight and helps to balance the lighting of the subject.

Thank you for this series – on to the next installment of your description!

Best,
Metroknow
http://www.almostfit.com

Metroknow – AlmostFit.com’s last blog post..The French tradition – Give us our daily baguette

]]> By: joy http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/06/how-we-take-food-photos-part-i-tools-and-equipment/comment-page-1/#comment-540 joy Sat, 15 Mar 2008 22:04:16 +0000 http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/06/how-we-take-food-photos-part-i-tools-and-equipment/#comment-540 sakura -- We try to pictures at restaurants, too, but not as often as we'd like to. What sample pictures are you looking for? This is just the first part of the series, the second one one is <a href="http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/14/how-we-take-food-photos-ii-that-nifty-gray-card-for-white-balance/" rel="nofollow">here</a> and it's about white balance settings with a gray card. Most of our posts have photos, you're welcome to look around. Thanks for dropping by! sakura — We try to pictures at restaurants, too, but not as often as we’d like to. What sample pictures are you looking for? This is just the first part of the series, the second one one is here and it’s about white balance settings with a gray card. Most of our posts have photos, you’re welcome to look around. Thanks for dropping by!

]]> By: sakura http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/06/how-we-take-food-photos-part-i-tools-and-equipment/comment-page-1/#comment-536 sakura Sat, 15 Mar 2008 16:17:43 +0000 http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/06/how-we-take-food-photos-part-i-tools-and-equipment/#comment-536 food photography is one of the things me and my wife want to learn. if the restaurant allows it, we always take a pic of what we eat. :) btw, i wonder where the sample pictures are? or I just missed it? food photography is one of the things me and my wife want to learn. if the restaurant allows it, we always take a pic of what we eat. :)

btw, i wonder where the sample pictures are? or I just missed it?

]]> By: joy http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/06/how-we-take-food-photos-part-i-tools-and-equipment/comment-page-1/#comment-534 joy Sat, 15 Mar 2008 06:59:09 +0000 http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/06/how-we-take-food-photos-part-i-tools-and-equipment/#comment-534 Munchkin Mommy -- Aw, thanks. Great to see you here! Munchkin Mommy — Aw, thanks. Great to see you here!

]]> By: Munchkin Mommy http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/06/how-we-take-food-photos-part-i-tools-and-equipment/comment-page-1/#comment-532 Munchkin Mommy Sat, 15 Mar 2008 02:52:25 +0000 http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/06/how-we-take-food-photos-part-i-tools-and-equipment/#comment-532 this only proves how truly passionate you are about food. i'm in awe! :D this only proves how truly passionate you are about food. i’m in awe! :D

]]> By: arnold http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/06/how-we-take-food-photos-part-i-tools-and-equipment/comment-page-1/#comment-488 arnold Sun, 09 Mar 2008 12:33:38 +0000 http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/06/how-we-take-food-photos-part-i-tools-and-equipment/#comment-488 One day when I grow up I will also want some of this equipment. Nice article, cannot wait for the follow-up. I love the idea of the remote controller. <em>arnold's last blog post..<a href='http://chalkischeap.co.za/2008/03/09/rounded-corners-in-photoshop/' rel="nofollow">Rounded corners in Photoshop</a></em> One day when I grow up I will also want some of this equipment. Nice article, cannot wait for the follow-up. I love the idea of the remote controller.

arnold’s last blog post..Rounded corners in Photoshop

]]> By: joy http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/06/how-we-take-food-photos-part-i-tools-and-equipment/comment-page-1/#comment-479 joy Sat, 08 Mar 2008 02:13:04 +0000 http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/06/how-we-take-food-photos-part-i-tools-and-equipment/#comment-479 Katy -- How funny! I just remembered, the DSLR is much more forgiving with the quality of the photos even on the auto setting. Most of the food photographs we take are during the evening, that's why we're so highly dependent on the correct white balance. I've taken a few photos using natural light (like the chocolate chip cookies) and I think if I do that most of the time, I'd be lazy with the settings, too. Haha. Terry B -- Thank you! Same thing happened to me, I switched, then I blogged. :) I wish I had more experience using film cameras to get that training of not relying on taking several photos to get the right lighting, but then again I couldn't afford that then. Regarding the gray card, you know that's a good question. When I got it, I just read the instructions on the magazine and I think the camera does recognize it as gray because I get the closest possible colors if I set the preset right (i.e. good angle of the card and not too much reflection during the reading). Years ago a friend of mine who's a professional photographer showed me the method you're talking about now, but I didn't catch on this white balancing till a few months ago. I'll try the white paper and see if there's a difference in the 'reading'. When the white balance is correctly set with the gray card, I rarely have to touch the color balance or the levels. Katy — How funny! I just remembered, the DSLR is much more forgiving with the quality of the photos even on the auto setting. Most of the food photographs we take are during the evening, that’s why we’re so highly dependent on the correct white balance. I’ve taken a few photos using natural light (like the chocolate chip cookies) and I think if I do that most of the time, I’d be lazy with the settings, too. Haha.

Terry B — Thank you! Same thing happened to me, I switched, then I blogged. :) I wish I had more experience using film cameras to get that training of not relying on taking several photos to get the right lighting, but then again I couldn’t afford that then. Regarding the gray card, you know that’s a good question. When I got it, I just read the instructions on the magazine and I think the camera does recognize it as gray because I get the closest possible colors if I set the preset right (i.e. good angle of the card and not too much reflection during the reading). Years ago a friend of mine who’s a professional photographer showed me the method you’re talking about now, but I didn’t catch on this white balancing till a few months ago. I’ll try the white paper and see if there’s a difference in the ‘reading’. When the white balance is correctly set with the gray card, I rarely have to touch the color balance or the levels.

]]> By: Terry B http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/06/how-we-take-food-photos-part-i-tools-and-equipment/comment-page-1/#comment-477 Terry B Fri, 07 Mar 2008 18:55:46 +0000 http://gourmeted.com/2008/03/06/how-we-take-food-photos-part-i-tools-and-equipment/#comment-477 Excellent post! After shooting with many film cameras over the years, I switched to digital just before I started blogging, first shooting with a Canon point-and-shoot and now with the Nikon D40X, but with your 18 - 135mm lens. Digital makes life easier, faster and cheaper than film, but my years of shooting film taught me a lot about how light works and made me a better shooter overall, I think. A question about the gray card. I use custom white balance too, but set it with the whitest card stock I can find. Does your camera recognize the gray card as what it is? I find the white card provides okay results, but I often have to tweak the color balance in PhotoShop afterwards. Excellent post! After shooting with many film cameras over the years, I switched to digital just before I started blogging, first shooting with a Canon point-and-shoot and now with the Nikon D40X, but with your 18 – 135mm lens. Digital makes life easier, faster and cheaper than film, but my years of shooting film taught me a lot about how light works and made me a better shooter overall, I think.

A question about the gray card. I use custom white balance too, but set it with the whitest card stock I can find. Does your camera recognize the gray card as what it is? I find the white card provides okay results, but I often have to tweak the color balance in PhotoShop afterwards.

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