You've purchased the freshest ingredients, assembled a top-notch menu, found the best equipment, hired the finest help, have a great location, maybe even taken a second on your house - now don't settle for mediocre photographs that won't sell your epicurian delights. Get some great pictures!
Food photography can be one of the most challenging assignments for professional photographers. It has been said that "if you can shoot food, you can shoot anything". Time is of the essence when shooting food. A beautifully arranged cullinary creation can turn ugly in a matter of minutes. Cheese solidifies, moist food dries, sauces run, ice cream melts, and salads wilt. A successful food shoot is a matter of timing all the elements so they come together when the food is at its visual peak - usually as soon as it is put on the plate. This is generally achieved by using a "stand-in" for the perfect plate, while the lighting, props, camera position, and exposure are adjusted to meet the client's approval. The switch is then made for the real thing, and the final exposures are made as quickly as possible to catch the subject at its best.
Larger clients often use a food stylist to prepare the food and provide the coordinated props and background materials. This can be hard on the budget, but frees the photographer to concentrate on technical and artistic aspects of the shot. Simplicity in the setup and lighting will put the emphasis on the food, and can create some stunning results. Here at Photographic Solutions we have worked both with and without stylists, and have a good grasp of all the tricks of the food photography trade. Food is one of our specialties. Our digital studio facilities and location capabilities allow clients to see results within seconds, taking the guesswork out of shot selection and approval. We welcome the opportunity to work with you on any of your food photography needs.
Stan Macbean
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