Sunday, December 23, 2007

Shooting The Queen

I found this video of Annie Leibovitz in a photoshoot with the queen of england (yes queen Elizabeth) ..... A lot to be learned here people , just some of the things i picked up as i watched this :

1) Notice how she chooses to go there a good while earlier , to scout the location , study the place , she needs that cause the time of the actual photoshoot is only 30 min ( which u will notice be reduced to 15 min ) . So she needs to make sure shes prepared to deliver top quality work in the smallest amount of time = Planning Beforehand...... Now i can imagine that after this visit , she had so many setups planned , as well as more backup setups .

2) Notice how she communicates with the queen , how she negotiates what she wants to do ( in the end she DID take off the queens tiara even after she got a FIRM no at first ) ...

3) Notice how many lighting setups she made in different locations , before the queen even arrived , which only makes sense as the queen wont be waiting for them to put together softboxes , or set lighting ....




A whole article bout this at strobist ..I am really amazed at how much Mr David can pick up in those few mintutes ( as opposed to my 3 points hehe) , PLEASE READ EVERY COMMENT HE HAS ON THIS , HE BRINGS THINGS OUT OF THIS PIECE U NEVER EVEN KNEW WERE THERE ..!!!

Video from youtube.

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Getting Creative in a garage ....

Another great strobist video .... A group of very creative strobists , head down to a garage to make some magic... Notice the ideas u guys , the picnic in a garage, and other things . Its all out of the box .... Very creative .... very well done...





Article from http://strobist.blogspot.com/2007/12/that-does-it-im-moving-to-seattle.html
The video is also on you tube ...

Monday, December 17, 2007

"Moments of Life" - Photography Exhibition

Events events events u guys , just to get u people
out of ur homes a lil ....

"Moments of Life" - Photography Exhibition


"There is Nothing in this World, that does not have its Decisive Moment", Henri Cartier-Bresson
Name:
"Moments of Life" - Photography Exhibition

Host:
Studio owned by the russian artist Yelena Alexandrovna

Start Time:
Wednesday, December 26, 2007 at 7:00pm
End Time:
Wednesday, January 9, 2008 at 10:00pm
Location:
Gallery & Studio Fine Arts
Street:
11 Al-Gezira el Wosta St, Zamalek
City/Town:
Cairo, Egypt

View Map
Google

Contact Info
Phone:
27351307
Email:
galleryfinearts@yahoo.com

"There is Nothing in this World, that does not have its Decisive Moment".Henri Cartier-BressonOn behalf of Yelena Alexandrovna the owner of Gallery & Studio Fine Arts & all the participant photographers.We are pleased to invite you to our "Moments of Life", Photography Exhibiton.


The participants are:


1. Aline Faltas


2. Marwa Samy


3. Mohamed El-Tamamy


4. Passainte Assem


5. Sara Yehia


Don't forget to invite your friends...Waiting for you ALLLLLL...

P.S: I am not sure about the End Time, I'll keep you updated...

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Food Photography (5) : Examples by Mr Michael Ray

Examples u guys .. Examples . !! :)




Please note the direction of the main light. You can see it by looking at the bowl in the upper left of frame. Not from the front, is it? This image is a really good example of the magic that small light sources and translucency can cause. Take a look at the lettuce leaf and shrimp tail. Besides the neat translucency, backlighting causes increased texture and rim light effects. Rim lighting helps to create that third dimension we photographers strive so hard to create. Also note the light ratio. The front surfaces are intentionally under lit (compared to the rear main light) to enhance the appearance of depth.




This is a good example of using a small light source. You can see the cast shadow on the left of the plate made from the main light. Do you find it distracting? Do you think that a large light source could create the same degree of texture? Take a look at the two shadows cast across the upper right of the background. No matter how hard you try, can't do that with a large light source. Also, notice the highlight area on the lower left hand side of the food item. By using a small mirror reflected back from the main light, I was able to light only the lower half of the item, enhancing the appearance of depth. Also, the texture of the white dish is enhanced by the use of the small light source. The minimum depth of field was chosen to isolate the viewer's attention. I think it worked. You?

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Choosing a flash ?

A great article i found at "one light workshop " .

We discussed offcamera flash before in posts like wireless trigerring , and umbrella and flash , and several others .

"If you are ready to start shooting off camera flash and you are needing to buy a flash, I’ll outline a few basic things to think about as you start the process of buying gear.


1. Budget. How much scratch do you have to drop on a flash?
2. Dedicated? Do you want a flash that will also perform dedicated functions such as TTL on your current camera body?
3. Power. How much light can you get out of it?
4. Manual Mode. This is non-negotiable for me. Any flash I have MUST have a manual mode with 4 or more stops of user adjustable power settings.
5. Accessories & Special Features. Do you want a flash with a zoom head? Bare bulb? External power sources? Etc.

I’ll break this 5 point list down and give you some information to consider. Then I’ll recommend specific flash units that I use on a regular basis. Most of what I recommend will be on the less expensive side of the spectrum of lights available on the market. I’m working on another article about higher end and more powerful lights.

1. Budget. There are many cases of “getting what you pay for” but I can think of a number of flash units where this universal statement doesn’t really apply. I have found that there are items that are cheap and items that are inexpensive. Inexpensive items are pieces of gear that don’t cost a lot of money but have a great reputation for being reliable. The Vivitar 285 flash is a great example of what I am talking about. You can buy them brand new for $89 from B&H. They have been around for 20+ years and are known to be reliable workhorses. When looking at your budget, remember to keep light stands, modifiers, triggers, batteries, and other accessories in mind.

2. Dedicated? - If you want a flash that will also perform dedicated tasks such as TTL, then your choices just narrowed quite a bit. I have always found TTL to be too inconsistent for my needs and purposes so TTL is never an issue for me when buying a flash since I don’t use it. The new Canon 580ex II is out and selling for $409 at B&H. I figured out what the “II” means in the name. It means, “Too” expensive. For $409 I would want a hot shoe flash that made my coffee and checked my voice mails.
While it is a great flash, it is not necessary for Canon users to have for off camera lighting situations. Same goes for the Nikon SB-800. I know you can use proprietary accessories to fire them off camera, but for the cost of another SB-600 / 800 for the Nikon CLS or the ST-E2 needed to go off camera in the Nikon and Canon line of cameras, you are nearly spending as much as you would on a set of Pocket Wizards.
All this to say, if you can learn basic gear and learn light, then you don’t need to be tied to $300 - $400 dedicated flash units. I have shot over 100 weddings and hundreds of portrait sessions in the last 3 years without ever needing or using TTL. I only say that to say it can be done without TTL.

3. Power - This is an important part of the purchase process. Ideally you want the highest guide number as possible from a flash but when it comes to small hotshoe flashes, there isn’t much difference in power at the top of the flash food chain. Comparing a flash with a guide number of 150 to a one with a GN of 180 is similar to comparing a Honda Civic at 150 HP and a Toyota at 180 HP. It is difficult to really trust the stated GN for a flash since manufactures have always been known to exaggerate the actual power output. To find more information about understanding GN’s, see this article at
ShortCourses.com.

4. Manual Mode - Any flash I buy HAS to have a manual mode with more than 4 user selectable settings. I’ve seen some older units with only one or two manual settings. That’s useless to me. A Vivitar 285 has 4 settings. Full, 1/2, 1/4, and 1/16th power. A Nikon SB unit can be set in 1/3 increments from Full power to 1/128th power. That’s 7 stops of adjustment available to you. The more the merrier.

5. Accessories & Special Features. - Before you decide to start buying flashes, check out the accessories that are available from the manufacture and third party companies. The first thing I look for are external battery options. Can I get a high capacity battery for the flash? For a 120j, 285, or SB unit, the answer is yes. There are several battery options on the market for any of these flash units. You can also buy one battery to power them all if you buy the right cord for each flash.
Special features include being able to shoot bare bulb with a 120j. The only other flash that can shoot barebulb with for less than $500 is the..... The. Ummmmmm. Oh yeah. There isn’t one. You have to start shopping for used Q-flash units with battery packs to get a bare bulb flash anywhere near the price point of a $500 or less. New Q-flash units with a battery hover around the $1,000 mark. The Q-flash does have a good bit more power than a 120j BUT you can run a 120j on AA batteries, fit it in your current camera bag, and save enough to buy other items.

6. Conclusion. - There are three basic flashes that I have used A LOT and that I recommend. They are as follows.

Sunpak 120j - I highly recommend these flash units. The problem is finding them. Sunpak recently discontinued production of this flash. I have been in contact with them and there is talk of a new model in the works but nothing is for sure. When they were still available you could buy a 120j with an external battery pack for about $289 from B&H. The 120j has 5 stops of manual power settings, has a parabolic reflector, and has the ability to be shot bare bulb by slipping the reflector off. They are powerful, inexpensive, and there are a number of accessories available for them. I have NO idea why they stopped making it. If you can find one, get one. Look for the non TTL version because the non TTL versions have a 1/4” thread on the bottom that make it easier to mount to am umbrella bracket.
Vivitar 285 - Pros - Super affordable (especially if you find a good one used), Rugged, dependable, zoom head, multiple power options (AA, external battery packs), after market metal hotshoes available, very accurate auto modes for event shooting. Cons - Hard to fit in a pocket (it’s a bulky flash), proprietary sync connection that requires specific Vivitar to 1/8th” sync cords for use with PW’s (not always easy to find locally).
• Nikon SB26,27,28,80dx - Many older Nikon flash units make FANTASTIC off camera lighting rigs. Whether you shoot Canon, Nikon, or any other maker of camera bodies, you can still use a basic Nikon flash with any camera you throw at it. Pros - Affordable but you have to find them on the used market (You can find them used from $60 - $120), standard PC sync socket built in (can be used with the sync cord that comes with new
Pocket Wizard), small and powerful (can fit in a pocket), 7 stops of manual power settings, zoom head. Cons - not many to list other than you have to find them used. The pro about this con though is they are easy to find unlike the 120j. Check out the used section of B&H or KEH for good prices on these.

If I had to choose just one? That’s tough. It would be either a 120j or an SB unit. I love the bare bulb option of the 120j but the SB80-DX I use on a regular basis can be powered down to 1/128th power, is very compact and is slightly more powerful than the 120j. I suppose my desert island hotshoe flash would be a used SB unit. "


Article and photo from http://www.onelightworkshop.com/OneLight/News_And_Articles/70875692-7555-44F2-BBE0-928DAF0E0916.html

Sunday, December 9, 2007

NEWS : Upcoming PhotoCourse at CIC


News from the Cairo Camera Club . Sounds like good stuff to me , maybe some of u guys would like to check this out...


Upcoming photography courses at CiC


We are pleased to announce our list of upcoming photography courses at CiC during the first quarter of 2008, with a bigger variety of courses including Portraiture and Documentary Photography to come later in the year.
The following 3 courses are offered in January and February:


1) Introduction to Black and White Photography (a darkroom course) with Mohamed El Maymouny / LE 400

2) Portfolio Build-up (create your own portfolio) with Heba Farid / LE 850

3) Introduction to Photography (a six-week course) with Aladin Abdel Naby / LE 1200
For a more detailed description of each course such as date and time, curriculum, biography of instructor and registration, please get in contact with:

Ms. Shaza Moharam
Mob: 012 4098 459 or
Tel: 794 1686 between 10pm to 6pm. shazaster@gmail.com
Thank you in advance,CiC team



Office:CIC(Contemporary Image Collective)

Street:20 Safeya Zaghloul, off Kasr El Einy st., Garden City, Monira

City:cairo, Egypt

Saturday, December 8, 2007

Food Photography (4) : Food Photography as a proffesion

Amazing article from Mr Michael Rays Blog.... He has a great blog u guys MUST check it out...

Food Photography as a Profession


Basically, there are three main types of food photography: Packaging, Advertising, and Editorial. These are vague, abstract categories and you will always be able to find exceptions to the generalizations I’m about to make, but for discussion sake, here we go.

Packaging food photography

Of the three types of food photography, packaging tends to be the most technical, tedious, and anal-retentive type of food photography. It is not unusual in a packaging shoot to actually count the number of peas shown on the plate. Strict rules in advertising make everyone involved in the process. Lighting must be relatively flat to show maximum detail and there is definitely not room for special effects. Your job is to show the food in a realistic, favorable way. An Art Director and a layout will be supplied and you are expected to match that layout to the best of your ability. Most details of the shoot regarding cropping, propping, and backgrounds will be pre-determined. Your input and creativity will be put on the back burner. Most of the time at the shoot will be spent poking very small details and dropping images into layouts to see if everything fits just right. Please don’t get me wrong, it still beats “working for a living” but of all the types of food photography, this kind of work is the toughest.

Advertising food photography

I’m using this category of food photography as a broad “catch all” category encompassing actual food ads, menus, product brochures, and possibly billboards. This type of food photography tends to be less tedious than packaging, but still can be quite restrictive because of layout parameters. Someone, usually an Art Director, or possibly a Designer, has a predetermined idea of what end result will look like. There is usually a layout, and everyone expects that the final photo to end up looking very close to the Artist’s illustration. There is usually some room for taking advantage of unforeseen opportunities such as props or lighting special effects, but the end result must communicate the idea behind the photograph. A pretty picture will sometimes take a lower propriety to communication.

Editorial food photography

This is the type of photography that most food photographers love the most. The most important thing is “making a beautiful image”. Instead of needing to communicate “Heinz’s hot, moist, meaty, abundant, corn fed ground meat stew”, you just need to make the viewer say “Wow!” This kind of shot usually makes “lighting” the big issue of the photo. Ya, it has to be well composed, and beautifully styled and nicely propped, but if the lighting isn’t spectacular, the shot ends up being just so-so. One of the greatest compliments I ever received was from a food stylist that said, “Mike, you can make a turd on a paper plate look good”. Now that’s high praise!


Photo by Mr Michael Ray

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

A very well explained well done photoshoot by Bert Stephanie

An amazing video by Bert Stephanie a belgian pro photographer ... I was surfin over at Ms Tammys blog ( one of my fav places on the net , we mentioned it before in the post "Available light only they say " ) , and i saw this post.... Had to bring it over .... Its a great example of the Strobist principle.... Usin little , to get a big effect.... The vid is very useful , he shows how he does his lighting, what equipment he used , and he explains very nicely too.... This is a shoot he makes for a photo competition about pollution and earth in the future , notice the brilliant idea he comes up with... with him in the shoot are fellow photographers Ake van der Velden , Pieter Van Impe, Didier Jouret, and model Dirk Hesse . Enjoy the vid.....










U can see Berts Channel here on You tube... or visit his blog .

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

EVENT : KARAS STUDIO FOR COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY


KARAS STUDIO FOR COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

For every commercial, fashion, portrait photographer that are looking for a studio to shoot in. Whether you need to hire a short or a long time period for shooting, KARAS STUDIO is now available for you.


Specifications:
1-Shooting area: 4,80cm x 3,70cm (extendable).
2-Height: 2,70cm.
3-Floors: non solid to reduce shock .
4-Equipment: Three strobe flashes (300 watts) each.- Three softboxes (70x100cm).
5- One bathroom.Location: Cairo, Sheraton Heliopolis.
For reservations:-Tel: 22661832 daily from 9am till 3pm except Fridays.-

Mobile: Sherif Karas 0122272129 (after 3pm).-



Note: Available without equipment as well, the place is in a ground floor so it's easy to bring yours.

Email:
studiokaras@yahoo.com
Website:
http://www.sherifkaras.com/

Monday, December 3, 2007

Funny But true : Facts In photobusiness


Funny but true..... a piece from Mr John Harringtons blog....

10 Ways To Remain a Starving Artist

1 Don't set goals.

2 Never ever think about money.

3 Keep your artwork to yourself—don't show it, don't talk about it.

4 Don't tell anybody you're an artist.

5 Spend all of your time in your studio. Don't bother marketing—let your art stack up.

6 If people are buggin you to buy your artwork say it's not for sale—it's not priced—that will deter them.

7 Go at it alone—don't get any help.

8 Stay away from artists earning money.

9 Expect instant success.

10 Wait to be discovered.

This list was compiled by Martha Zlatar, Art Business Consultant at the Small Business Development Center of San Francisco. Google certainly has a number of references to Ms. Zlatar, however Ms. Zlatar is Vice President of Marketing and Special Events with 12 years experience in Event Management, Market Research, International Business, and Art Business Consulting at Paragon Strategies in San Francisco.



Article From Business 101 section of Mr John Harrington..

Painting by the Ed Rath

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Blog Round up for the month of November 2007 , A Summary of whats been discussed this month :

Photojourneys Blog Round up for the month of November 2007 , A Summary of whats been discussed this month :

Articles of the month :

1) Article from Photoeditor : discussing the importance of getting urself a good subject to help make you an impressive picture...

2) Shoot what u want to work : discussing tips for putting together ur portfolio....

3) Shooting for Mood : article discussing how to control moods in ur picture ( technique included)

4) How to build ur portfolio: New series to help guide one to building a successful portfolio...

5) Available light only they say ! : and article discussing the importance of supplementary lighting to get the best results....

6) Strobist article : about lighting in different planes...

7) Assisting a photographer : an article for assistants , or would be assistants .

8) Talent Spot : Aaron Lam

9) Things u should know part 5: Continuing our series things u should know , this time explaining day rates .

10) Shooting Jewelry : a small simple diagram to achieve simple soft lighting on jewelry.

11) Shooting food: Parts 1 and 2 , a new series were starting discussing the beautiful yet hard to mater art of shooting food.....many posts yet to come in that series insha2ALLAH..

12) So u wanna Become a pro photographer ? : article from Mr John Harringtons blog...13) Various events and photo exhibits in cairo , like Mr Hamdy Redas exhibit Kitchen window , Bedaya exhibit by Hany Abdien , Nihal Ramzy , Sara AbouBakr . Stolen Moments exhibit by Mr Thierry Giquel .


Videos of the month :

1) Sports Magazine cover photoshoot

2) Industrial photoshoot

ID ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT TO THIS SPECIAL SECTION ON THE BLOG CALLED TALENT SPOT WHERE WE INTRODUCE TALENTED ARTISTS AROUND . SO IF U FEEL U HAVE WORKS UD LIKE THE WORLD TO KNOW OF , OR IF U KNOW OF ANY TALENTED PHOTOGRAPHER PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME ON MY EMAIL WITH LINKS TO UR WORK AND IF ITS TALENT I SEE THEN REST ASSURED UR WORK WILL BE DISPLAYED WITH A SMALL BIO ABOUT URSELF INTRODUCING U TO THE PEOPLE .

If anybody has any feedback , ideas , articles he'd like to share please feel free to contact me .Also if u happen to be a photoblogger or own a photosite please contact me so we can link to each other.


Thank u all ,Semary

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Photography Exhibition - International Disability Day

Another exhibit u guys..... Novembers been a party....;)

Photography Exhibition - International Disability Day
Hussein Shaaban, Karim Omran, Luay Al Shaikhly, Mariam El Mofty and Tamer Eissa


Event Info

Name:

Photography Exhibition - International Disability Day
Tagline:
Hussein Shaaban, Karim Omran, Luay Al Shaikhly, Mariam El Mofty and Tamer Eissa
Host:
British Council

Start Time:
Friday, November 30, 2007 at 2:00pm
End Time:
Monday, December 3, 2007 at 10:00pm
Location:
British Council Agouza
Street:
192 El Nil Street, Agouza
City/Town:
Cairo, Egypt

View Map

Contact Info
Phone:
200219789
Email:
information@britishcouncil.org.eg

In celebration of International Disability Day, the British Council is hosting talented photographers Hussein Shaaban, Karim Omran, Luay Al Shaikhly, Mariam El Mofty and Tamer Eissa to present their views on the issue of disability. Photos will also be exhibited on 3 December 2007 at the Wisdom Hall, El Sawy Culturewheel, Zamalek.Both venues are wheelchair accessible.This photography exhibition is under the umbrella of 'A Celebration of Different Abilities' and is one of many activities organised by the British Council to celebrate the day.
For more information, visit: http://www.britishcouncil.org/egypt-arts-culture-events-idd.htm


Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Food Photography (3): Whats the best lens to use ?


Contuining our ongoing series Food Photography , the more practical angle. An article from Mr Michael Ray's blog....


What's the best lens for food photography?


" If the photographer knows what they are doing, they will select a lens because of a combination of factors that pertain the reason for the photograph and to the individual needs of a particular subject matter. One type of shot or one type of food my lend itself to using one lens over another. For example, shooting editorial magazine food photography is very different than shooting for food packaging. The differences in the two looks may require the selection of different lenses. This is just one example of why one lens may be better for another.


There are many reasons that a knowledgeable photographer chooses a particular lens. Some of these reasons may include:


#Perspective
#Weight
#Maximum aperture
#Minimum aperture
#Focus flexibility
#Relative sharpness
#Working distance from subject

Lets discuss some of these reasons why a food photographer may select a particular lens as the their “favorite” lens for food photography.



Perspective in food photography




Some photographers believe that distance from the subject is the only thing that changes when they select a particular lens over another. The truth is that many things change when one lens is selected over another. The biggest thing that changes is what I call perspective. A wider lens will create a very different effect that a longer (more telephoto) lens. Take a look that the illustrations above. The “crop” of each camera is the outside of the plate on one side and the outside of the spoon on the other. Notice how much more background is included when using a wide-angle lens. This means that more props would be required to complete the background composition. When using a telephoto lens, fewer props would be required to give a similar compositional feel to the same picture taken with a normal lens.
Another thing that perspective effects is the relative size increase of a closer object, when compared to an object that is farther away. With a wide-angle lens, closer objects are emphasized and farther away objects are de-emphasized. This effect is a tool to be used by the creative photographer. If you want to emphasize one object in the shot, then maybe a wide angle lens would be a useful tool to use. On the other extreme, maybe the job requires that you give more equal emphasis to multiple objects. In that case, maybe a telephoto would be a more logical and useful tool. You get the idea.



Depth of Field in Food Photography



Another characteristic of a telephoto lens over a wide-angle lens, is that the focus tends to “fall-off” more quickly. The effect helps to concentrate more attention on the main subject of the photo. Again, this is a tool to use in your creativity. There may be time when more focus is desired. If that’s the case, then maybe a normal or wide-angel lens would be a better choice. Lenses are tools of creativity. Use the right tool for the job at hand.



Working distance in food photography


In food photography, working distance is something to consider. A food stylist will sometimes have problems working on a plate when the camera and the subject are too close together. He or she may not be able to view that plate from the same angle as the camera, making their job quite difficult. This doesn’t mean that wide lenses should never be used in food photography, I’m just saying that it should be taken into account.



Focus control in food photography


Since we’re talking about lenses and not cameras, I’ll not go into my sales pitch regarding the advantages of view cameras over SLR cameras. Most of the people reading this aren’t in a position to get into buying a view camera, but in my opinion, they’re the way to go. This is an arguable issue, because many very successful food photographers use 35mm digital cameras. I’m just not one of them.


I would like to talk for a moment about view camera lenses. Probably my favorite lens for food photography is the 120mm Schneider Super Angulon lens. I like this lens because it’s designed as a wide-angle lens for an 8x10 film camera. Since I shoot with a digital back, and not an 8x10, I rarely use the large coverage area that this lens offers, but on occasion, I will make some pretty extreme swings or tilts and I’m glad for that coverage. Regular view camera lens are usually ok, but it’s nice to have that extra buffer of a wide-angle design to cover my butt when I try to twist that camera into a pretzel.




Here's a sample of how a view camera can control focus. Instead of the focus example above where the focus plane is fixed, the view camera can manipulate the focus so that areas can be selected for being in or out of focus.












Most people think that photographers only use the view camera’s movements to get things into focus, where in reality, sometimes keeping things “out” of focus can be just as important as a creative tool.










The focus can be manipulated on both the vertical and the horizontal axis.












Sharpness at a given magnification in food photography


Another thing to consider when choosing a lens, is its degree of sharpness at a given magnification. Lenses are designed for a given magnification range. That’s why there are such things as Macro lenses. Non-macro lenses are not as sharp doing close-ups. That’s a simple fact. Some lenses are “ok” doing close-ups but many are not sharp at all. The only way to really tell just how sharp your lenses are at a given magnification, is to test them.




Sharpness at a given f-stop in food photography


Sharpness at a given aperture is another factor to consider when selecting a lens. For example, I have a lens that is designed as a close-up lens. Through experience, I’ve learned that this particular lens is not at all sharp when stopped way down. At f-16, some things are sharp, at f-64, nothing’s sharp. Your lens may be like this too. You’ll have to test to know for sure.The importance of relative sharpness in food photography
I’d like to talk for a moment about sharpness. In my opinion, sharpness is both a relative thing and an over-emphasized issue. I say that sharpness is relative because has much to do with viewing size. Sometimes sharp images are reproduced so small that the sharpness is irrelevant. (relatively speaking), For example, I have a client, who shall remain nameless, who likes to shoot in Chicago because this particular photographer still shoots 8x10 film, and they want the very best. The problem with that is, the client was shooting for a can label! The image would end up being about 2” x 3”! And they insist on shooting 8x10. Boy, those big chromes look good. And after they get the film back and reduced it down to 2x3, they are going to scan the film and print the label on a web press. To me, that’s funny!
So to conclude… I can definitely say that I do have favorite lenses but I can honestly say that there is no such thing as a best lens. And that’s all I have to say about that.


Article and photos and diagrams by Mr Michael Ray

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Food Photography (2) : More practically explained


A lil more bout food shooting.... This time a lil more practically explained.... article from Seattle times .




Turn blah into mouthwatering

By David Hagedorn


Garnishes are to a dinner plate what accessories are to fashion models: They set off attributes to their best advantage. But making food look nice — the "halo effect" of plate presentation — doesn't require foam machines or truffle shavers. Here, a three-element plate gets a simple, effective makeover.
One caveat: Because we tried to show as many techniques as possible on one plate, this comes dangerously close to overdone. Learn to stop garnishing at the first moment of satisfaction — or even before.






Before: The dish is divided into equal thirds, like a prison or cafeteria tray, with a case of the monochromatic blahs.


• The sugar snap peas have vibrant color of their own, but even they need some help.
• The sauce sits in a dollop on top, inert and sad.
• The chicken breast idles blandly — and flatly — on the sidelines.
• The couscous, a drab beige, cries out for color.


After: The chicken takes center stage, and garnishes break up the visual monotony.


• The sugar snap peas gain attention when a few of them get pulled onto the rim in a pattern.
• The sauce, once it's squeezed from a cut corner of a food storage bag, creates a sense of movement.
• The chicken breast, cut in half to create an illusion of abundance, nestles on the side dishes and makes the plate three-dimensional.
• The couscous gets color by being prepared with a quarter-teaspoon of ground turmeric, turning it a bright yellow without affecting flavor.
Other garnishes: A sprig of flat-leaf parsley (the curly kind is hackneyed) sits off-center. Red bell pepper strips enliven the sugar snaps, while black sesame seeds and chopped scallions set off the yellow of the couscous.


Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company

Food Photography

I love food..... Yes ... i just had to start this with those 3 words.... I LOVE FOOD....and im sure a lot of u out there share the same feelings . Feels only right to be able to shoot something u love , doesnt it.... Now lets talk about food photography a bit..... Article from this place .

Photographing Food

By Lara Ferroni

I’m sitting in a cafĂ© doing an odd thing. Watching someone take photos of cupcakes. What’s unusual about the scene is not that someone is taking the photos. It’s that it isn’t me clicking the shutter.
As a professional food photographer, I’m usually the one on that side of the camera, my
tripod getting in the way of the waitstaff or with my family rolling their eyes at me wondering if they’ll get to take their first bite before the meal gets cold. These days however, I seem to spy others popping off shots of the delicious dishes in front of them almost as much as I am.
The sheer number of food photos on websites, blogs and photo sharing sites like Flickr is enough to feed millions of hungry eyeballs, and is growing at an enormous rate. Finding quality in those images, however, is still a bit of a challenge.

Tips for taking great photos of food

Food rarely looks appetizing when shot with a point-and-shoot digital camera on its automatic settings. A quick web search on “food photography” will return a lot of good tips: turn off your on-camera flash, shoot quickly before the food starts to wilt or congeal and get in close. These are all great tips, and will go a long way towards getting you more scrumptious looking photos.
But if you are still looking for ways to improve, try some of these tips:

Simple settings and props

First, decide what detail you want to show in the food or the scene and make sure that you don’t have other distractions in the frame. If it’s the lusciousness of a chocolate swirl, its simple to do by filling the frame with just the chocolate. If it’s the overall table, back up a little, but try to only include hints of the curve of a chair, or a casually strewn napkin.
It’s far too easy to have too many props distracting from your intent yielding cluttered and chaotic photos. Props, like dishes, flatware, flowers and linens are a bit like jewelry. It’s always a good idea dress the table, but then take off at least one item before the final shot. Simple settings lead the focus to the food. For this reason, it’s also usually best to stick with white dishes and linens without a lot of ornamentation.

Shooting angle

You’ll also need to find the right angle for the dish you are shooting. Most food photos that I see are shot from about 45 degrees looking down on the dish. This is a safe angle as it is similar to what someone who is sitting down to eat the food will see. It’s familiar, and gives some dimensionality to the food.
When shooting, I almost always grab a shot at about a 45 degree angle. However, as with most photography, you are likely to find better shots with a bit of exploration.
For stacks of food, like pancakes dripping with syrup and butter, shooting directly from the side will emphasize the height of the dish. Tilting the camera away from the standard straight portrait or landscape will add a sense of motion. I often use this for shots that involve pouring or how-tos in the kitchen. For a more novel look, you can try shooting from directly overhead. The food will appear very flat and more graphic… a fun look for things that are already flat, like decorated cookies.

Focus

A great shot means getting the focus right. Often when shooting a plate of food, the camera may be quite close to the dish. If your lens can’t focus that close, you’ll end up with a blurry image. Make sure you don't hold the lens closer than the minimun range for the camera.
If you are using a point-and-shoot, make sure it is set to macro mode. If using a
digital SLR, get familiar with the minimum focal distance of your lenses and respect its limitations. It’s better to not fill the frame than end up with a blurry subject.
Also, auto focus doesn’t always work well on the uneven, soft shapes of food. If your camera has it, use manual focus to make sure you get the right point in focus.

Lighting

Lighting, of course, is the other key to getting a great food photo.
Like most portraiture, softer lighting helps bring out the right amount of detail while hiding the less appealing aspects of the subject. Side and back light bring out the shape and color where using flash from the front tends to flatten and make the food look dead or oily.
Food is happiest under natural light, so get the food close to a window when shooting. If the light from the window is too bright, it will cast harsh shadows, so soften it by covering the window with white paper or choose a different window.
You may also need to bounce a little bit of light onto the front of the subject, so you don’t end up with just a silhouette. Something as simple as a piece of Styrofoam, or a white napkin draped over a glass, placed just out of frame in between the subject and camera can provide the right amount of additional light.

Use a tripod

Soft light does tend to mean less light, so it’s always best to use a tripod when possible. This not only prevents camera shake but you can use the lowest ISO number. If you can’t use a tripod, increase the ISO setting to a point that you can still safely handhold the camera. The image may be a bit noisy (grainy) but it is better to have extra noise than a blurry image.
White balance
Finally, make sure you set the
white balance on your camera. While a yellow glow might be nice to set the mood for some images, color cast is one of the biggest problems beginner photographers encounter, and one of the easiest to correct. At a minimum, change from auto white balance to one of the situational presets your camera has…usually setting like cloudy, interior or sunny day.
Even better, if your camera supports it, do a
custom white balance. Take a quick shot of something neutral in color…a white napkin, the grey floor…that is in the light you will be shooting, and then set the camera’s custom white balance to this image. It’s a quick step that will ensure you are getting neutral color with every shot.


Lara Ferroni is a Seattle food photographer and writer who has a not-so-small obsession with food. She has photographed in some of the best kitchens and has penned pieces and snapped shots for Seattle Magazine, Portland Monthly Magazine, Edible San Francisco and Seattle Best Places. She owns two blogs, Cook & Eat and Still Life With, which is dedicated to food styling and photography.
Article and photos by Lara ferroni

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Photography Business: Becoming a pro photographer

We talk about this regularly, and we have several other topics running like building ur portfolio and things u should know , which serve the purpose of helping people who wanna make this transition from amateur to pro.... Its a big jump , theres a lot to learn .... I found this piece at the great blog of Mr John Harrington ( author of best business practice for photographers) . Pros and amateurs should regularly check his blog out.....This is an article from his blog....


The other day, one of you readers posited this:

Hi John,I have a simple question for you, one I'm sure you get a lot. How do you go about building a portfolio when you are starting out without undercutting established photographers for a certain time period, even if you intend on staying in the business long term? It seems a catch-22. Without charging less why would a client go to an unestablished, unproven photographer when there is an established one charging the same price?

Consider, for example, Heather Drake, whom I met recently at an Advertising Photographer's of America meeting here in DC this past Tuesday. Heather has a full time job, is taking classes at the Art Institute of Washington, and, she - STEP 1 - Has a website, STEP 2 - has not let the fact that she doesn't have many assignments keep her from making great images in the style and type of work she likes.Of course, her site's not finished (check the Fashion, Beauty and Celebrity sections), but she's headed in the right direction. She has taken the first few steps. She also has the financial backing (i.e. she has a job that pays the bills, even if she would rather be doing photography) so she's not forced to take the jobs that undercut what she's worth. Yes, her website will improve, get finished, but she's moving down the path, not stationary, paralyzed by her own inaction.

Before someone will give you a paying assignment (worth having), you have to proove you can complete an assignment. Yes, I know, seems a catch-22, as suggested. Yet, it's not. Give yourself an assignment! It's called....self assignments! Read the paper, find out about the latest parade in your area. Go to high school or small college sports, and practice. You want to be a wedding photographer? Offer to cover a friend's wedding as a guest that will not cost them anything as you won't eat, or if you are a guest at a wedding, cover it as if you were working. After two or three, you'll probably have the beginnings of a portfolio that you can use to get paying work. Portrait photography? Offer to make portraits of friends and family, and then use those in your portfolio.

Once you have a portfolio - and by that I mean a website - where your work is displayed, once a client determines, based upon a review of your work, they they want to give you their assignment, then they have deemed you worthy of the work, and capable of completing it. Period.

At that point, it's all about what that assignment is worth. If you don't know, start looking around for guidance. Ask the question "What budget are you trying to work within?" See where they are coming from. Tell them you'll work on the paperwork for the assignment, and then do so. Call a few other photographers and ask them what they'd charge. Post a message on a photo forum that has professionals on it that have done assignments like the one you're being asked to do. Be thoughtful about the estimate, and then put it in writing, including the proper rights package, and then send it along via PDF attached to a cover-letter-type e-mail.If they said their budget was $200, and everyone you got counsel from said it was an $1,100 assignment, send the estimate near that knowing you may not get it, and chalk it up to good practice. And, as it says on the back of the shampoo bottle, "lather, rinse, and repeat." Eventually, fair budgeted assignments will come your way, and you will (slowly) grow your clientele to be fair paying. If you take every $200-job-that-should-have-been-$1,100 at $200, you'll never have the fair paying clients, or, at the most they will be few and far between. Further, you'll be surprised at how many people tell you $200 and then approve your $1,100 estimate. Sometimes, they are just trying to be cheap, but know what they really have to pay.

If being a professional photographer was easy, everyone would be one. Many many people are photographers, or hang out their shingle and call themselves one, yet are not among the professionals, nor are they even aspiring professionals. They are just stepping in and dilly-dallying around, not being serious about it as a sustainable profession. About 2% of actors actually earn their living as actors. I submit that less than that are professional photographers. "

Article from
http://photobusinessforum.blogspot.com/2007/03/so-you-wanna-be-photographer.html

Photo from
http://photography.qj.net/category/Canon/cid/711