MicrostockGroup

Hi,

I have to do a cake photography job. Thing is I gotta do it tomorrow night (Wednesday), so I am looking for a simple lighting solution.

What about using a light tent/box?

Equipment:
- SB-900 flash
- 46" umbrella (reflector or shot-through)
- gold/white reflector
- light tent/box
- two light floods (something like this: http://www.opusprophoto.com/products/lighting_kits/hot_light_kits.html)
- cardboard various colours for backdrop

I can rent another flash and a softbox if needed.

The cakes are not high as far as I know. I guess I'd make a seamless backdrop on a table and against the wall. Color to decide. I would shoot from a relatively low viewpoint with a DOF so that it is nice and blurry but still visible what the cake looks like. What do you think? If the customer wants that I could also cut out a piece and bring it into the composition but I guess all the cutting would create ugly things.

I am just not sure about the lighting. Please help. :-)



Simone

I have never tried to shoot food, but you have not received a reply and I have read a little bit about it....

I don't know about a light box.  Wouldn't the light be too even and flatten the details?

After a quick search on DT - look at these two and see where the light is coming from.  If you want to show the texture you need to use shadows.

http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-images-wedding-cake-image227679
http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-wedding-cake-image6527570

-  You do not light food from the front - usually it is lit from behind. 
-  Rear/side lighting will bring out the nice detail in the frosting.  Front lighting will flatten it, and you will lose the detail that is found in the shadows. 
- That being said, you will likely need to throw a little fill in the front to reduce the shadows but a white board may be enough.
- if the ceiling is white you may be able to bounce a little light from the rear.

I'm not particularly fond of the lighting in this shot, but think about styling your photos as well, and the cake doesn't have to be the main subject.

http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos-wedding-cake-image2836953

Use a tripod, add elements to your background and foreground.  Even an out of focus fern off in the distance can make a photo much more pleasing.  Don't forget to take some closeups of the detail.  Your customer likely expects a nice shot of a cake perfectly centred in the frame with equal amounts of white space on each side.  You better take those, but I bet they will find the different croppings more compelling.

Those look beautiful Simone!  Very well done

You could do worse than looking at this portfolio:
http://www.istockphoto.com/user_view.php?id=944809

He's made a big effort on shooting cakes (and other food).

HAHAAHHA. sorry. maybe i shouldn't laugh but it is funny.

that is why i am not fat. i wasn't even intrigued by those cakes....... everyone i showed the pics to would say... "OMG now i am hungry". Means I can be a food photographer without problems. Maybe that is why I am thin like bones .


thanks for the compliments!!! Nice to hear that from people like you. Well I've stepped up in level and have my photography service now, so I guess I'm kinda better. Thanks!!!

just one little question: would you rather send a plain cake without decoration or a decorated cake for iStock application?

Thanks! Simone

well....white cardboard as background...
small speedlight for blowing out this white background (from left, didn't work out well )
main light: bigger speedlight with umbrella from rear right.
reflector gold (i liked the warm tone) from front left (opposite of main light), almost from 90 degrees at the left side.

These look beautiful and make me hungry.

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