Bits and Pieces: Jan 3, 2007
• From the Flickr Strobist threads: Broncolor (the flash manufacturer) has a cool website that 'splains a lot about light and even lets you do apples-to-apples comparisons of different light modifiers. There's a lot of good stuff there, if you click around some.
• The little brown image ad on the sidebar is a month-long link exchange I am doing with the very surfworthy site, The Online Photographer.
We decided to introduce our readers to each other. The banner links to Mike Johnston's for-sale prints, but don't miss his blog, either. One of the best photo sites on the 'net.
Edit: Be advised that the T-O-P site has a small, (approx 1"x1") ad on the left sidebar that would not be considered work safe. Unless you work, say, in a topless bar. Just a heads-up.
• Pre-think this one along with me: Tomorrow my assignment is to do a series of macro shots of common snack foods. What would you do? How would you light it?
Do a little head-scratching, and compare your ideas to what I come up with for comparison. I will use only SB's, and will post my shots later as an On Assignment.
________________________________________________
EDIT: FWIW, I am not looking for ideas - I already have a few of those and will probably call a few audibles in the studio. It's more of an exercise in parallel thinking - of even shooting, if you like - to compare and contrast the final shots.
As an FYI on the technique, the closest thing I have to what I am gonna be doing is probably John Dohrn's cool bug shots.
But hopefully, my subjects will be a tad more appetizing...
-DH
• The little brown image ad on the sidebar is a month-long link exchange I am doing with the very surfworthy site, The Online Photographer.
We decided to introduce our readers to each other. The banner links to Mike Johnston's for-sale prints, but don't miss his blog, either. One of the best photo sites on the 'net.
Edit: Be advised that the T-O-P site has a small, (approx 1"x1") ad on the left sidebar that would not be considered work safe. Unless you work, say, in a topless bar. Just a heads-up.
• Pre-think this one along with me: Tomorrow my assignment is to do a series of macro shots of common snack foods. What would you do? How would you light it?
Do a little head-scratching, and compare your ideas to what I come up with for comparison. I will use only SB's, and will post my shots later as an On Assignment.
________________________________________________
EDIT: FWIW, I am not looking for ideas - I already have a few of those and will probably call a few audibles in the studio. It's more of an exercise in parallel thinking - of even shooting, if you like - to compare and contrast the final shots.
As an FYI on the technique, the closest thing I have to what I am gonna be doing is probably John Dohrn's cool bug shots.
But hopefully, my subjects will be a tad more appetizing...
-DH
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by David, at 12:22 AM.
11 Comments:
I think for the snack food shoot, I'd have crumpled-up wrappers lit with a big soft wraparound light, and crumbs of the actual product scattered around. Like maybe a full-size snickers wrapper accordioned down to a 1-inch long tube, or one of those single-serving doritos bags crushed up and somewhat re-straightened out with orange crumbs and little corners of chips on top of it. Might have to do double-diffusion on a shiny cellophane bag. I'd for sure use my DIY macro studio!
I think I'd shoot it in a black macro setup, using your granite tile technique to accentuate the colors of the product wrappers. Maybe I'd use a background with a complimentary color. Or maybe I'd eat the candy and use a picture of me lying on the floor holding my stomach in pain, with the wrappers lying next to me.
I am not sure what "snack food" means, but when I shoot food, it is backlit in 90% of the cases. I would put an SB behind the food with double diffusion through two diffusors (get my diffusion metarial from a kite shop).
Then I would put a reflector or styrofoam in front of the food.
Macro shots of common snack foods to illustrate ... what? Health problems? Food reviews? Advertisement?
The resulting images would vary a lot depending on context :)
To those asking about the story angle, I can't really telegraph a story on a widely read site before The Sun runs it. But suffice to say that the angle is not strong enough to influence the way in which I am going to shoot the stuff. It's just a little lighting exercise, using small flashes and readily found objects.
How about something from left field?
Shoot front lit with little/no modifiers , get interesting sharp shadows thrown back from the packaging - I guess this isn't advertorial so there is no pressing need to flatter the subjects with soft creamy lighting...
You could also maybe suspend the empty wrappers with thread/fishing wire above their contents to get an interesting visual "macguffin"...
I haven't tried this or seen this done so I might have missed a major problem with this setup!
My chief concern (other than getting usable shots!!) would be to differentiate the images from the typical product shot seen in every advert and generic article.
An EXCELLENT snack-food to shoot would be the "Chex-Mix" snacks - there is plenty of contrasting color, and outstanding texture at macro view. Don't worry, I do not work for them, I've toyed around with things like this to shoot, although I haven't tried it yet. Hmmm...I think I need to ask my financial supervisor (A.K.A. Wife) if I can buy a good macro-lens.
Bizzare. I have a very similar assignment coming up but with a block of LARD (fat) alongside the food to illustrate just how bad it is for us.
Must be new year resoloution time!!
How was the funerall?
I think i'd probably have a double diffusion tent that the candies are in to prevent reflections (especially if there are wrappers) and then light the candies probably with a 1/4 cto gel to help seperate them from the double diffusion light. And, you can't tell me fleshflies dont' taste good!
Btw, on the The Online Photographer link, its not really work safe because there'a topless chick with nudes next to it. Might just wanna put a headsup for the worksafety
where is the NSFW ?
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