My frist food shot.

[carrottopid]

This is my first food shot. I like the photo but there is something that bugs me and I can not figure it out. I try to make the orange pop more but then the plate gets out of hand. Not sure if the shadow on the center on the orange is the problem. Critique away. I'm a big girl, I can take it.



Canon EOS 60D
TV: 2
AV: 11
light from windows
Focal length: 85
AF: Manual

[Weird Girl]

I personally do not know a lot about photographing food but to me, the main orange looks a little dark- needs more light on it. Also, I would prefer to see only half of the main orange (cut) so it looks like the slices came from the other half... if that makes sense. I don't know, again, I don't know much about photographing food but just a thought Other than that, it looks decently in focus and the color looks good to me. I am not sure how I feel about the table cloth either but try some more shots and you will get it!

[Semjaja]

something just looks off-balance to me.
i think it's the fact that the rim of the plate on the left seems wider than on the right.

i can't do camera speak yet, but that was my first impression, for what it's worth.

heaps better than mine would have been though!

[The LoKW]

Carrot, ironically I just recently took some images of food and it was oranges. More difficult than would be expected.

I think the processing looks good on your image and the focus sharp. I may have altered the perspective as the top down is how we typically view a plate and comes off somewhat flat. I also may have played more with the composition to use the curves of the wedges, plate and whole orange to somehow "lead" through the image.

As mentioned, the most interesting thing to my eye are the various curves and the texture of the wedges. I would consider how I may highlight those qualities.

Look forward to your next in the series! TFS

[carrottopid]

Thanks for the input. Not sure when I will be able to shot again, but I will try the suggestions.

[crockny]

I think it's really a lighting issue ... even if you don't want to invest in lights, check out this website and watch the preliminary video -- I think you will see the problem very quickly!

Strobist: Lighting 101

[inkista]

Your white balance looks off (i.e., that plate looks green/blue, not white).

Try using the eyedropper to white balance off the plate, and then adjusting from there. You did shoot RAW, right?

[carrottopid]

Originally Posted by crockny

I think it's really a lighting issue ... even if you don't want to invest in lights, check out this website and watch the preliminary video -- I think you will see the problem very quickly!

Strobist: Lighting 101

I do own a set of lights. An SP Excalibur set. (love them) I was practicing with available light. Not sure, but I think part of the problem was that I had a polarize filter on and did not realized it till the next next day. oops. I could not get it unscrewed off the lens then forgot it was on there.

[carrottopid]

Originally Posted by inkista

Your white balance looks off (i.e., that plate looks green/blue, not white).

Try using the eyedropper to white balance off the plate, and then adjusting from there. You did shoot RAW, right?

I think my monitors is off. Yup RAW is is. Sometimes it seems when I use the eyedropper, the highlights blowout. Am I not picking the right place to take the sample from?

[crockny]

Originally Posted by carrottopid

I do own a set of lights. An SP Excalibur set. (love them) I was practicing with available light. Not sure, but I think part of the problem was that I had a polarize filter on and did not realized it till the next next day. oops. I could not get it unscrewed off the lens then forgot it was on there.

Hmmm -- well there's not much shape, it looks flat with not much direction of light or contours -- perhaps if you shot it from a different angle?