PHOTOGRAPHY # photographing food

If we look carefully, photos can easily be encountered in everyday life. Whether it's a photograph or picture posted on newspapers, magazines, exhibitions or even photos of the idol of the heart that is in your wallet. The photographs can display a wide variety of subjects be they landscapes, people, plants, animals or perhaps abstract objects that are difficult to recognize the original form.

Talk about photos, then it can not be forgotten which camera name. Yup, photos that we often see are generated by a tool or media called a camera. In the past, the camera is only owned by certain people, especially professional photographers and amateurs as well as photography enthusiasts. The type is still very limited, ie analog camera or pinhole camera.

Another case in the age of information technology as it is now. The latest camera types are increasingly diverse as SLR cameras, DSLR cameras, mirrorless cameras, and handphone cameras. Well, for the last type of camera mentioned, anyone can have a camera through a gadget or smartphone. How to use the camera even easier, with the full features provided by the manufacturer of mobile phones. With the ease of it, no wonder people are increasingly crazy narcissistic and posing ria in front of the camera for selfie or wefie.

However, for heavy-duty photography enthusiasts or professional photographers, owning a camera phone is certainly not enough. Surely, they have super sophisticated cameras like DSLR cameras for example. Not quite up there, they also arm themselves with supporting photography devices such as various lens, either telephoto lens, wide lens or zoom lens, flashlight, lighting, which cost quite drain budget.

The emergence of social media that is booming like Instagram make the trend of photography is currently growing. People vying to show off their shots through social media is good for narcissistic, fun or really want to work through photography. The trend of photography, it turns out many ogled by famous brands as a media campaign or promotion through a competition or photo challenge by lure the attractive prize.

this time I will discuss about photography food.
here I will explain the way and techniques of food photography.
following article:

Food is one of the strong elements in showing and introducing the identity / identity of a travel location or a restaurant. For this reason, people are competing to produce food photography with a good look to their place to attract sympathizers to visit their places.

Food photography is a type of photography that uses food as a shooting object. Food photography can be described as someone making a painting, where it all starts with something empty. The more well drawn, the perfect balance of reality and art in your mind will appear. Everything that is displayed and placed in the photo is the perfect choice and decision that the photographer has thoroughly considered.

For most photographers, food photography is a difficult thing to do and make a headache, because in addition to drafting the basic concept of shooting, you also have to ensure that the food you want to be used as a subject in shooting, should still look fresh as the first time you see it .

There are many photography techniques that you can learn, one of them is Food Photography Engineering. If you usually photographed landscape, it would not hurt to try to replace another object, ie food. Photography of food commonly referred to as Food Photography is also not less important. Photos of unattractive foods will not arouse your taste, right? Because of that many culinary businessmen who ultimately hire the services of a photographer to snap their food products - because it can not be denied that photo visualization can make a person want to buy a food.

Well. Here are some things to watch out for when shooting food:

1.Balance of Light
Generally, when going to photograph food, needed a special room where the lighting obtained from lights and flash. Flash should be on the side or behind because it will give a deep impression on the photo. If there is no flash, then the use of sunlight is also a good choice. Open the window and let the sunlight in and use the flash diffuser as it will provide a soft and even light to all the objects. Another photography technique is to use a reflector to illuminate the darkest part. Do not forget also to use a white background because white is able to neutralize light.

2.Consider Food Ingredients
The photography technique you use is correct, but it turns out that the foodstuff used looks wilted. Make sure before taking pictures, the food used still looks fresh. Make sure that there are no defects in the fruit, vegetables, or garnishes - even make sure the food is not too soft, wet or charred. This seemingly trivial thing can be a big problem as it will ruin the overall photo display.

3.Diaphragm, Shutter Speed, and ISO
In Scott Kelby's Digital Photography, photography techniques that can be used when taking photos of food are using a large diaphragm to create a narrow DoF. A narrow DoF will make the end of the plate look unfocused and the food will look sharp. Use a tripod and take photos with a low shutter speed but be careful not to over exposure. Use ISO ranges from 100 to 400, but it's better if you use ISO 100.

4.Macro or Fix Lenses
Techniques using a macro lens is actually the same as the application on other types of photography, but for food photos must use a tripod. With a macro lens the detail of the food will be obvious, while the fixed lens is not intended to retrieve details, but for the whole food. So, the use of the lens should be applied in accordance with what you want highlighted.

5.White Balance settings
Setting the white balance is also important so as not to change the color of the food when photographed. If the photo is taken in the studio it will be easier so that any technique used will be more acceptable. Problems will arise if you shoot outside the studio. Before shooting, you must first know the light source to be used. So, when shooting you get to know what equipment to carry.

And some of the food dishes look so delicious or alluring, so you feel you should be photographing them to be shared on social media. But if you think your photos look like most photos taken by others, it may be time to try shooting in different angles or styles of arrangement. Here are some suggestions on composition and styling styles to help you get different shots!

1). To emphasize the colors and shapes, shoot straight from top One way to confirm the shape and color of the snack or plate of food, ie aim directly from above, for example, create a flat expanse. Once you find the shooting position, change the aspect ratio to 1: 1, then decide on how to arrange your drawing in a square frame. You do not need to include all the dishes in the frame. In fact, if you are photographing a small cake or pastry, putting the entire plate in a frame can make it look even smaller. The food should be an attractive shooting center, so aim for the feeding as close as possible, even if you need to remove some of the dishes from the frame. If possible, take a shot at a place that blends natural light instead of artificial lighting in the room. This will make your image look better. If props or decorations are of equal height, such as flowers, you can arrange them around the food to provide depth and dimension to the image. It also tells viewers about the size of the food.

2). Adding a human element to make viewers feel as part of the scene. By bringing a glimmer of a human figure to a food photograph, it can also add value, because it impresses a life and story on the image. Capturing moments when a knife will cut a cake, or a syrup, or a sauce to pour onto the food, can further add a tense element of the shot. Such images are hard to pick up for yourself, so ask your friend to model them. You do not even have to show her face. Simply include part of the body in the frame, for example, hand, and the rest, let the viewers imagine it yourself. No matter where you place the plate, as long as it is located in a place where the viewer feels his presence in the atmosphere. Do not include menus or anything else that is too realistic, but put a napkin or something similar, artistically. This will cause the effect like a shot of a movie's point of view,
and the audience will feel like they are experiencing the atmosphere themselves.

3).Take advantage of interesting backgrounds This will look great, especially for the food you hold in your hand, and be ready to eat it, like ice cream, burgers, bubble tea or smoothies. The possibilities, cafes or restaurants you visit, already have a wall decorated with colorful or unique decoration - the better for shooting memories. It would be better if your food is served in an attractive package. If color is a unique factor in your shot, increase saturation to make it appear more clear. You can also take shots of logos or store signs to commemorate your visit. Drinks and ice cream cake can be held in one hand while the other hand takes aim. If you pick it up and shoot it facing up from a low angle, you can get a pretty shot similar to self-portrait, "food selfie" or something. Your hands will be caught, so make sure your skin color looks good, pay attention to white balance and lighting settings.

So much from me, may be useful.
@akatsuki28121997
23-april-2018