Masterchef fever!

[surenj]

To keep up with the times, I have had a go with photographing some Friday night home made gourmet food....

I would love any critique as this is quite a new type of image for me. I have done the styling and plating myself and found that challenging.

Lighting was pretty conservative due to time constraints. I wish I could have played a around a bit more.












Thanks for looking.

[aim54x]

I think in general they are a bit too bright, esp the last two. You have started to lose the colours (especially in that soup due to the reflection). As we dont have smell and taste, it is important for the colours to invoke our associated reactions. Those highlights need to be reined in a bit. BTW...where is my friand?

[big pix]

........ for me

the first image although interesting is not a good food image for a number of reasons
the hero should not be burnt
for me the composition does not work
the white areas bottom left are a complete distraction
and overall the tops lack detail

2 DOF lets this down

the dribble down the side does not work as there are others that do not have this along with the red dribble under the product, very messy
the whole berry works but is the wrong way round
and it is hard to say what the rest could be due to lack of DOF

3 Looks like a pix of leaves in liquid in a bowl, leaves look like the hero, liquid has lost detail and color, spoon upside down just not working and the bread roll should be towards the back and maybe broken in half. Cropping too tight at the top leaving no room to move

[biggerry]

3 Looks like a pix of leaves in liquid in a bowl

rofl - looks like coriander in pumpkin soup to me, oh wait ...never mind

Suren, I think you were fighting an uphill battle here, the main thing that comes across in all the images is the fact that the light source is come from straight ahead, particularly evident in the shadows in the first and last, this creates those annoying shadows.

Moving 90 degrees to this position would have made a world of difference to these images.

Compositionally the second is strongest, getting that friand in focus and the strawberry and cream in the BG OOF is perfect

I would be interested in seeing this one with the brightness toned down.

[Mr Darcy]

I didn't realise these were traditional Indian dishes

#1 needs more DOF. Front friand just seems blurry to me. And fix the oven floor - you are the PP king aren't you?

#2 As others have said. Tone the lights way down. Crop out the dark wedge in the corner.

#3 Too tight. Too bright. Wipe the rim of the bowl.

[surenj]

they are a bit too bright

for me the composition does not work
the white areas bottom left are a complete distraction
and overall the tops lack detail

light source is come from straight ahead

#1 needs more DOF. Front friand just seems blurry to me

Thanks Cameron, BP, Gerry and Greg for your solid review and comments. Since composition came up as an issue, I decided to reshoot rather than manipulate in photoshop. It's so much nicer to have subjects that could be re-shot!! These subjects didn't complain about me taking too long to setup the shots etc. The composition, highlights, distractions, detail, DOF and the direction of the lights have changed.





I am interested how the brightness issues came out alot. I recently reduced the brightness on my monitor (after calibration) because my prints seem to come up a little dark. Perhaps I need to turn it back up? These look a tad dark to me!

Soup to come next....

[aim54x]

Your still losing a bit on the top, but much better...my mouth is starting to water.

[surenj]

BTW...where is my friand?

my mouth is starting to water.

There is one last one left Cameron. I ate two after I reshot them this morning. I am beginning to like this type of subject.

I didn't realise these were traditional Indian dishes

I don't know where you got that idea as well?

[biggerry]

I don't know where you got that idea as well?

me too... i swear last time I checked, I thought you were Srilankan

The lighting is looking better in these, maybe still a fraction too bright, but hey. i like the wire rack in the composition, however, imo, better use of the wire lines could be made, for example how about positioning the rack so that the wire lines run at 45 degrees or diagonally thru the picture...

The DOF on the second one is much better, the eye is drawn only to the first, front friand...

[zafra52]

And yet, and despite the constructive comments, above
these photographs are better than many I see in mags
and brochures. However, I must admit that the last
effort looks better. I just thought reading above that you
should consider using fresh fruit on top glazed with syrup
to make the fruit attractive.

[Mr Darcy]

you were Srilankan