Nav: Home
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?
May 26, 2012, 11:53

Login with username, password and session length

MicrostockGroup

Microstockgroup Sponsors


« previous next »
Pages: [1] Print

Topic: cake photography  

(Read 3104 times)
eyeCatchLight
« on: August 10, 2010, 23:25 »

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
« Last Edit: August 10, 2010, 23:46 by simsi »

Ignore | Logged


DepositPhotos.com
eyeCatchLight
« Reply #1 on: August 11, 2010, 01:28 »

2nd question: later i would like to use some of the shots for stock. how do i formulate that in the contract? I grant Royalty-Free rights to the client?

Thanks!
Simone


Ignore | Logged


Pixart


Dreamstime GaugeiStock Gauge
« Reply #2 on: August 11, 2010, 11:53 »

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.


Ignore | Logged


eyeCatchLight
« Reply #3 on: August 12, 2010, 11:31 »

Hello,

thanks so much for your answer.
it had to be fast, and the client wanted white background...for a catalogue.
so this is the result, for a first time i guess it's ok and some of them really do work for stock i think. (have to remove logos and stuff)
http://eyecatchlight.zenfolio.com/p947849365

Simone


Ignore | Logged


lisafx
« Reply #4 on: August 12, 2010, 14:11 »

Those look beautiful Simone!  Very well done Smiley


Ignore | Logged


lefty


« Reply #5 on: August 12, 2010, 14:21 »

The best technical question I find can get best answers on Istock. Food experts, or any technical question  on forumIstock  always get helpful answers. For me, I read best answers there always.


Ignore | Logged


sjlocke

iStock Gauge
« Reply #6 on: August 12, 2010, 14:30 »

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).


Ignore | Logged


gostwyck

Dreamstime GaugeiStock Gauge
« Reply #7 on: August 12, 2010, 15:57 »

Very nice work there Simsi (and nice cakes too). You should be giving advice not asking for it.

For some reason I am reminded of the old joke;

How do you get a fat girl into bed? Piece of cake.


Ignore | Logged


eyeCatchLight
« Reply #8 on: August 12, 2010, 16:16 »


How do you get a fat girl into bed? Piece of cake.

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 Cheesy.


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!!! Cheesy Cheesy

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

Thanks! Simone


Ignore | Logged


kimba

New Member


« Reply #9 on: August 12, 2010, 18:27 »

Beautiful photos - can I ask what lighting you ended up using for them?


Ignore | Logged


eyeCatchLight
« Reply #10 on: August 12, 2010, 18:41 »

Beautiful photos - can I ask what lighting you ended up using for them?

well....white cardboard as background...
small speedlight for blowing out this white background (from left, didn't work out well Cheesy)
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.


Ignore | Logged


MatHayward



« Reply #11 on: August 12, 2010, 22:26 »

They look great, nice job!

Mat


Ignore | Logged


delphinium

New Member


« Reply #12 on: March 25, 2011, 22:08 »

These look beautiful and make me hungry. Smiley


Ignore | Logged


PaulieWalnuts


iStock Gauge
« Reply #13 on: March 25, 2011, 22:16 »

These look beautiful and make me hungry. Smiley
Can I ask you a question? How is it that new members are the only ones to dig up 6 month, 1 year, 5 year old threads? How does that happen? Just curious.


Ignore | Logged


nruboc

Dreamstime Gauge
« Reply #14 on: March 25, 2011, 22:25 »

These look beautiful and make me hungry. Smiley
Can I ask you a question? How is it that new members are the only ones to dig up 6 month, 1 year, 5 year old threads? How does that happen? Just curious.

Most likely from 'Related Topics' - if you scroll down


Ignore | Logged


gostwyck

Dreamstime GaugeiStock Gauge
« Reply #15 on: March 25, 2011, 23:01 »

Can I ask you a question? How is it that new members are the only ones to dig up 6 month, 1 year, 5 year old threads? How does that happen? Just curious.


I suspect the clue may lie within the phrase 'new member'. They simply don't have the peripheral vision to spot little things like the 'date' and stuff.


Ignore | Logged


Envateo Photo ToolsMicrostock Insider
Pages: [1] Print 
« previous next »
Jump to:  


Related Topics
Subject Started by Replies Views Last post
Photography At The Tate
Microstock News
Istock News 0 683 Last post May 25, 2007, 13:28
by Istock News
Photography Course
Off Topic
Freezingpictures 9 1647 Last post July 21, 2007, 15:35
by Freezingpictures
New to stock photography
Newbie Discussion
Kirsten 13 2758 Last post February 01, 2009, 00:59
by lephotography
Nude Photography
Off Topic
Clivia 4 1612 Last post April 23, 2008, 09:02
by a.k.a.-tom
Pinhole photography
Cameras / Lenses
Bateleur 2 1135 Last post April 29, 2008, 12:30
by PixelsAway

TinyPortal v1.0.5 beta 1© Bloc