Images of food are everywhere. We cannot walk down any major shopping street without being bombarded by them from the windows of all the food shops. We open a magazine and there they are again thrusting their mouth watering delights at us.
When you first take a peek into the world of food photography you may feel that you can never take photos like the pros but you could surprise yourself.
Light is the King when it comes to photography. When you get it right you get the results and when you mess it up we have all seen the results. Like any other form of still photography taking the time to get the lighting right will pay huge dividends in the results.
Using natural light from a window can be perfect for food picture taking because it gives food that natural look. Support this with bounced flashlight and you can get a simple yet perfect result.
If you have to take a lot of food pics then invest in buying or making a light box or tent. This is simply an enclosed area that is lit externally through diffused walls in the tent/box.
Slow shutter speed is king for food picture taking to capture the depth of the image. Make sure your camera is well mounted on a strong tripod and of course you should be using a shutter release cable to stop any camera shaking resulting in blurring.
Choose your props very carefully to suit the end results that you are looking for. The props will make or break your photos. It’s usually the props that set an amateur pic aside from a pro shot.
Do not skimp on your equipment if you want to do good food photography. Having a top quality SLR camera with a good lens will make all the difference. You must have full control over all the settings – shutter speed – aperture setting – zoom – to be able to create top shots. Using good quality lighting will also pay massive dividends.
The world of film making is loaded with choices and decisions. Among those, what script to produce as well as what team to put together are very important. However, another very crucial question that must be answered is whether you wish to use a film camera such as a High 8 or a digital camera that uses a hard drive or an SD memory card.
Either one is perfectly fine to use and each have their own advantages and disadvantages. Here are just a few of the differences between each.
Film Camera
Just as the name states, a film camera is one that requires film. Options for this include the High 8 which pictures quality is very clear, similar to digital. The other choices are the 16mm and the Super 8 which are the standard reel to reel cameras that were invented before VCR’s.
Film cameras offer filmmaker’s a much richer looking film. However, the disadvantage to this is that you will need to have the film processed. While this process only takes a day or two, it is very difficult to find a center willing to work with a filmmaker on a budget. But, if you do you will end up with a clear, more engaging film.
A camcorder that uses VCR tapes is another option. The tapes needed are very inexpensive and generally readily available. However, the disadvantages to this method are the fact that you must rewind in order to see the scenes you have already shot. If you find a scene you are not satisfied with your options are to tape over it or use a new tape. Furthermore, VCR tapes tend to wear down over time which will give your film a choppy, poor quality look.
You will also have to light your scene well. There are times with film or tape the scene will appear very dark and you can’t make out anything. Light the scene so you know what’s happening, but that it looks natural.
The Digital Camera
Today’s technological advances have made finding new digital cameras a walk in the park. In addition, digital offers special effects and editing programs you can’t get with film or tape which allows you the ability to produce a more professional looking film.
Digital cameras have a disadvantage of the picture looking too bright or clear, with no depth to the scene. If you have ever looked at a picture on an old 35mm and compared it to a digital camera you will know what I mean.
Digital is very clear, depending on the pixels you have on the camera, but you can’t get the same shading and light tones unless you are pretty good at your lighting and editing programs.
Digital cameras allow you to check your shots right away, by simply clicking on the play button or connecting the camera to a computer and watching it. It’s much easier to erase too, just click the delete button and it’s gone. You don’t have to worry about re-using tapes and having them wear out on you.
An additional advantage to a digital camcorder is that it only requires a quick hook up to your computer, uploading of your files and opening your editing program. With a tape camcorder a converter is required in order to connect to your computer.
Special effects are a breeze with a digital camcorder as well. All you need is to open the files already loaded on your computer and simply add the effects you desire.
The final disadvantage to a digital camcorder is the fact that the ones with a hard drive can be rather expensive. They usually cost anywhere from $400 and up. However, you can purchase ones that use an SD or an XD memory card instead. These tend to be much cheaper; however their quality is the same.
In order to purchase the right camera for you, you must first ask yourself a few simple questions. Are you more comfortable with the old school tape and film cameras? Or, do you want the ease and convenience of digital?
Once you decide this, it will make the choices much easier to make.
