Dessert

[The Lady of Hillsboro]

Cookies on plate, the options are endless.



I photograph a lot of food and it is where I have the most trouble with light and composition and, well, everything else.

Natural light, straight out of camera

[FocalFrenzy]

Nice shot! Can I have a glass of milk with that?

[Sandie]

I like the lighting and basic composition. I think the tiny corner on the right at the bottom is distracting. I would like to see the whole plate or a tiny bit less of it. I think I would have like to see a dark rim ont he plate too. Very pretty shot.

[amy-rose]

i think you did a very nice job. nice and sharp with a blurred background :0)

[clockdoc]

Please tell me a little more about your lighting setup and camera/lens used. Main light appears to be coming in from the upper right corner providing texture on the cookies. You need a litle fill light or bounce from a reflector to open up some of the shadow detail. This will make the cookies have more eye appeal. The background tone is very similar to the plate and foreground. A little color contrast would help separation. What idea or thought were you trying to convey here? The three stacked cookies are only part of the story. There needs to be something else to tie them together like a glass of milk (full or partly empty). Next time you are in the super market, study the cookie boxes and bags (even the dry mixes) to get some ideas.
When you say you photograph a lot of food, is it for commercial use or that is your main subject matter interest for photographs? I'll be happy to help where I can.

[The Lady of Hillsboro]

Thank you all!

Clockdoc,

Nikon D40, 18-55mm (my first DSLR) My lighting 'setup' was a bit of southern sun and my overhead incandescents. I have no auxillary light source beside the built in flash and shadows are a persistant problem. My main focus at the moment is to learn more about how to manipulate light, like by using a reflector as you mentioned. In regard to fill light, what would be my options?

The purpose of the photo is for my own purposes (blog & crude family cookbook), simply a picture to accompany a recipe. BUT, I really want my food photos to inspire appetite, you know.

And you're dead on about that contrasting background.

[clockdoc]

Thanks for the update on your equipment. One excellent resource on lighting is a book called Light Science and Magic by Hunter, Biver and Fuqua. As for your current resources, you can do wonders with a piece of white poster board. Just study where your main light is coming from and orient your board for the best quality of fill light. Does the D40 allow you to vary the output of your flash? If so, try using it on its lowest power as a fill light. Otherwise, diffuse it with some white translucent material. Be careful not to let any material touch the flash tube as it can get very hot! Another suggestion is to work farther away from your subject and use small apertures for greater depth of field (if that is what you are seeking in an image.)
You are off to a good start! Keep shooting and posting. Feel free to ask any questions as they come to mind.

[jiminyClickit]

The Lady of Hillsboro,

Often on packaging, you'll notice a staggered stacking to the cookies, as if they want them to appear more fun, approachable, and interesting (perhaps appealing to a child's sense of abandon and freedom from regimentation). Who knows? Just something to try.

Background is an important part too. I'm drawn up and over, away from the cookies by those bright bits. And cookies are important to me.