Food photography session with Dario @ Food Pixels

A few weekends back, I got a chance to participate in a food photography class taught by Dario from Food Pixels. The class was organized on the 2nd level of The Light Room, in a small street just off Elizabeth St in Melbourne CBD. The atmosphere was small and cozy and I got a chance to explore something I like! A good way to enjoy the weekend!

I suppose the content of the workshop was not entirely new. Technical information and tips on composition and styling can be found in books and various places on the internet. What really valuable was the hand-on approach. With limited space and time, Dario did a good job in organizing practical activities so everyone got a chance to explore their camera, and food photography.

Some tips I learned from the workshop :).

{Controlling your light}

Natural light or strobe, the key is control. With natural light, this means to choose the “right time” to shoot, which can be tricky. Sometimes the light can be very strong, so diffuse and even double diffuse the window is recommended.

Controlling light also involves the understanding of light sources. Say your main light is big window. But how other windows or lights in the room affect your food? Should you block them out? Or involve and control them?

{The discovery of artificial light}

I was skeptical about using artificial light at first. You know, most sources teaching food photography emphasize on natural lighting. But with artificial lighting, there is control and the ability to create different lighting mood that draw viewers in.

Did I tell you that I love the first photo? The shadow and highlight of the photo create such a perfect lazy, casual mood.

The drawback of artificial lighting is the cost. The rule has it that the larger the source of light compared to your subject, the better. Decent flash system is not cheap at all. The one I am looking at costs close to A$1000. So I ask myself, do I really need it? (Yes…. And no….lol)

{Props add personality}

Worn-out, vintage pieces will never go out of fashion and add a home-feel touch. Food memories, the sweetest kinds, often come from the home. I like Dario’s reasoning here.
Props can be hard and expensive. And I discover something called prop hire shops! I have not explored these options yet, but a Google search yields some promising results.

{Practise with cheap but interesting ingredients}

This advice is perhaps more relevant for those who are interested in building their portfolio. Look for things that are unusual and interesting. Practise with simple subjects with different lighting and styling...
Photo with herbs, and… instant noodles

{Lighting and texture}

Again, on lighting. Dario drew my attention to its relationship with the texture of the food, background and props. In particular, how the light is reflected and bounced upon these subjects? Cherries will reflect the light differently from cauliflowers (the former yields highlight on their skin). Taking note of these small details will help to improve the photos, avoiding flare and unintended highlighting area in the photos.

Playing with artificial lights (combination of soft boxes and grid light?)

I guess there are more an more I can write about the workshop. Like how lovely everyone was! I hope there will be more intensive workshop, focusing on artificial lighting, for me to learn and practice!