Introduction : Food photos, as the name suggests, to food as the object of photography, ingredients, wine, beautiful ware, baking, production processing production process, and other food-related images are in this category. Here's a tutorial on food photos.
Photography Lighting
Lighting is very important to all categories of photography, a qualified food photography at least to meet the food material sense of presentation and food visual appeal, up to the standard and then talk about the mood, so the importance of food photography lighting is the first.
First of all, let's correct a concept. There are some friends who have seen me shoot will be very surprised to say: I thought the master photo will use a lot of lights it, how you just set out two, and there is one is not energized! At this time, there will be a big question mark in everyone's heart, and at the same time associated with their own once saw the post, people shoot a dish need several lights it!
Are you okay with this?
Ma also personally heard of a colleague shooting a dish would use 7 lights. Wow, isn't that a bit of an exaggeration? I think it's probably because everyone's operating habits are different.
For example, the background and ambient light in the following photo was created by multiple lights:
▲ Multiple lights to create light effects ▲
But how do you create a rich light atmosphere with one or two lights?
All the essence of using light is blended in seven words: three parts light, seven parts block.
If you know, understand, and apply these seven words, then you are a worthy master.
▲ Through the object blocking single light to create light effects ▲
▲ By blocking the background to highlight the dishes of the ▲
Well, since the blocking is so important to create the atmosphere of the light effects, then come to master the following two points.
1. Auxiliary accessories
Auxiliary accessories are roughly divided into the following categories: semi-transparent, blocking, and atmosphere.
a. Semi-transparent: semi-transparent colorless paper (e.g. different thicknesses of sulfuric acid paper), different thicknesses of white cardboard
▲ white cardboard, sulfuric acid paper ▲
b. Masking: Black cardboard
▲ black cardboard ▲
c. Atmosphere: anything that creates a different light and shadow
e.g. different color paper
2. Flash ▲
The light source I've been using is the electronic flash pictured here, and I highly recommend it.
Tips: Electronic Flash Advantage
Compact, portable, stable output, stable color temperature, will not be affected by the temperature of the light itself emitted by the temperature of the ingredients.
So remember the above two points, change the direction of your light, without having to buy expensive equipment can let you win in the starting line.
Using light
The food is a richly layered subject, so side lighting, backlighting, and backlighting are generally recommended. These three directions of light with good, the film immediately on a level.
If you are still using smooth light, or big flat light, then sorry to inform you: Sorry, you have lost.
NO!NO!NO!
Take a look at the backlight. Tiramisu, Macarons and Strawberry Shortcake (the texture of lighter colored ingredients is easier to show)
Just one direction can give your picture instant dimension.
Flash accessories
It is not enough to have a flash, if you want to play a different texture of light, you also need to use a number of flash accessories, such as: flash standard cover, soft umbrellas, reflective umbrellas, softboxes, softboards, reflectors and so on. These accessories are more specific application, to specific shooting objects and want to achieve the effect to specific treatment.
Ma also personally recommend the combination of ? A standard hood + softboard?
Note that the secret to playing with softboards is that the closer you get, the gentler you get, and the straighter you stand, the harder you get.
The distance and tilt angle of the board from the dish determines the texture of the light.
The closer the board is to the dish, the softer the texture of the light, the more the board is upright (that is, the angle of 90 degrees with the dish), the greater the contrast of the dish (darker tone more), the reaction is that the film is more hard; on the other hand, the board is upside down to the side of the dish, the smaller the angle between the dish, the softer the film.
▲ The soft board is farther away from the hard light, mimicking the sunlight in the morning
▲ The soft board is closer to the soft light
▲ The soft board stays upright, to get a greater contrast, so that relatively flat ingredients become more three-dimensional, and the background of the leaves on the top of the very shallow texture in this light will also be more three-dimensional
▲ The soft board is more upright, to get greater contrast, so that relatively flat ingredients become more three-dimensional, and the background of the leaves on the top of the very shallow texture in this light will also be more three-dimensional.
▲ The surface of the ravioli is also relatively flat, and the light passing through the upright soft board makes the surface look more layered
▲ The angle between the soft board and the dish becomes smaller to get less shadow and lower contrast, highlighting the freshness of the ingredients
It seems to be roughly the same, but the different effect is just in the millimeter, so the distance and angle of the soft board depends on the practice of the people. The distance and angle of the soft plate depends on everyone in practice to slowly experience.
The so-called three points of light and seven points of block is this meaning.
Too much professional knowledge may be a bit boring, if you have the opportunity to come to the studio with the horse myself, I think it's also very good to experience it live. I think it would be great to have a live studio experience with Ma also.