First food shot sales!

[janet Smith]

As some of you will be aware I am relocating to the north west Highlands of Scotland in about 18 months time, and having given up my previous career, am in the fortunate position of being able to spend the next 18 months working on my photography. As we'll be moving to a very remote location with few people, I need to develop areas of photography such as landscape, flowers, and food.

I am delighted to have recently sold images of langoustine, and breakfast shots and have just sold the soup shots below. I go to the far north west of Scotland again late next week, staying near Applecross and visiting the Isle of Skye again, so when I come back (hopefully with some good landscapes - light and weather permitting!) I have decided to concentrate on food photography over the coming months, I enjoy cooking so it's an obvious choice for me to work on during the winter months.

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa318/JanGlenelg/IMG_0015sharpsrgbcopy.jpg
This shot of Butternut Squash soup has just sold through Alamy, my first food sale with them so I'm delighted!

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa318/JanGlenelg/IMG_0021sharpsrgb.jpg
This one has also just sold!!
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa318/JanGlenelg/IMG_0005sharpsrgbcopy001.jpg
Strawberries and lemon syllabub
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa318/JanGlenelg/IMG_0007cleansrgbcopy001.jpg

I'd appreciate your thoughts about these, and any advice about technique.....

[Asher Kelman]

Delicious! Scrumptious! How many can you cook for?

..congrats on the sale. The shots are uncluttered. Technic? You sold them :)

If you ask anyway, my modest $0.02:

The reflection/ light on the soup is attractive and not distracting. I'd moisten the fruit and watch the few highlghts on the fruit. I'd prefer to see the large foreground strawberry in magnificent 3D shading and sharpness for the part near the bowl.

Did you have a T/S lens

Asher

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

Delicious! how many can you cook for?

Yeah, but the soup will probably be cold before you may eat it http://www.openphotographyforums.com/forums/images/smilies/wink.gif.

Bart

[janet Smith]

Delicious! Scrumptious! How many can you cook for? Asher

Hi Asher

Can always find a space for one more at our table!!

There is no one more surprised than me that they sold, so I'll try my luck again and do some more, hopefully better ones, I've a feeling that my family will become very tired of soup!! Brocolli and stilton, and Asparagus and Leek coming up in the next few days!! We'll be taking Macallan whisky and champagne with us to Scotland, so I'll probably try my hand with those too!!

Yes I agree with you, in retrospect the strawbs would have been better moistened, I'll make sure I do so next time, you're also right about the highlights etc, I'll pay more attention next time.....

The soup was taken with Canon 18-55 @ 39mm @ f4.5. The strawbs were taken with Canon 100 - 300 @f8.

Thanks for your encouragement, as always much appreciated.

[Georg Baumann]

This is so kewl that started to sell pictures, congratulations Janet!

Hope that the flippin weather changes a bit when you are up, it is a bit of a drag recently.

As for the shots, it works for me. However, here is an idea, I find most food shots boring to look at, may be someone needs to bring some fresh winds into it, compositing gives you all the freedom to work creative on food....

Asparagus, yummy.... Here is what I do to it with champagne. "Bear's Asparagus"

Large pot with boiling salt water and a teaspoon brown sugar (asparagus needs that!) green asparagus 4 minutes, no longer.... drain... Parma Ham.... wrap 3-4 asparagus in 2-3 slices Parma.... large pan...hot butter.... whack parma packs in butter, really hot, short before burning, 1-2 minutes, squeeze a glas veuves cliquot on it and reduce 30 seconds, take of the heat... add cream, white pepper, no salt and sprinkle with generous amount of parmesan cheese shavings.... in the fan assisted overn 175 degrees celsius, 15 minutes.... serve with herb ciabatta (I make that myself 3 hours before) and generous amounts veuves cliquot <grins>

[janet Smith]

Georg, you're a cook too!! thank you for your encouragement, ideas, and the recipe!

How funny I do something very similar with Asparagus too, but add a dash of brandy and a touch of mustard, just 1/2 teaspoon or so to the sauce, great as a prelude to Langoustine or Scallops. When we were on the Isle of Skye in June we got a carrier bag of huge live langoustine from the fisherman at Elgol, also live scallops from a diver. Our favourite thing is to open scallops and clean them, then grill in their shells with a little butter and garlic, serve with a good squeeze of lemon, crusty bread & salad, divine!

If the weather is bad in Scotland, I'm taking reflectors, backgrounds and 2 flashguns with me, it's my husbands birthday while we're away, so there'll be plenty of Champagne and whisky around, for food and drink photography!

Thank you for your ideas, sometimes I get discouraged, so it helps to have feedback/ideas from others <grins too>

[Georg Baumann]

Sounds yummy <smile>

Here is one more from my personal cook book:

----Drunken Piggy---- 4 persons

2 Porksteaks
Dijon mustard
500g brown cap mushrooms
Red oinions
Garlic
Tarragon
200ml Sweet Cider
250ml cream
250g Appenzeller

500g red skin tatos
200g plain flower
salt
ground black pepper
fresh basil

1.
Spice with pepper/salt/mustard and whack piggy into very hot butter, brown all around for 5 minutes, add mushrooms, chopped onion and garlic, reduce to medium heat. When onions are glazed transfer the whole into a deep baking tray, cover with alu foil and whack into 180c fan assisted onto medium shelf. Add Cider after 15 minutes . Bake for another 20 minutes.

2.
Slize the porksteak in 3"-4" chunks and put back into juices. Add Tarragon leaves and cream, cover with generous amount of Appenzeller shavings. Continue to bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes at 180c on lower shelf until sauce has rendered and cheese is nice.

3.
Boil the tatos until tender then drain. Mash very well, as smooth texture as possible! Chopp basil and add with pepper/salt to flower, mix mash and flower and make a dough. Roll dough into sausages and cut 1" slizes, simmer in hot water for about 2 minutes, when they rise to surface they are done.

Est voilas, homemade Basil Gnocchi.

Serve with Chablis premiere Crux.... Bon appetit

Desert? "Yes, my ususal please Charles, thank you."
.... Remy Martin
....Espresso
....smoke http://www.karma-lab.com/forum/images/smilies/smokin.gif <grins>

[Kathy Rappaport]

I think I might have to go to the British Isles and Ireland for vacation (or Holiday as you say).

Those recipes sound wonderful. Tranlation of grams to ounces is always an interesting exercise.

Cooking (and eating) are a passion of mine too. I've been playing with some food shots here and there, but, never thought to cook and shoot. Mostly when dining out. My next trip, in November includes a cruise with a Cordon Bleu class for 6 sessions.

[janet Smith]

Hi Georg

Thanks again for another of your lovely recipes, sounds nice, I think when I come back from Scotland, and have more time I will have to try cooking your recipes, and of course photograph them for you, and then you can inspect my work! It is surprisingly difficult to photograph food and make it look appetitising. Being a busy Mum my food is cooked up and usually served quickly, but the "styling" of the food for photographic purposes is quite another matter, and I have found the styling and lighting to be the most difficult aspects. That and slipping on dog dribble on the floor!! my dog Kim thinks all this playing with food is just bizarre, but loves to eat the cold offerings after shooting!

It will be after my holiday before I get round to photographing "Bear's Asparagus" and "Drunken Piggy" but rest assured I will!!

Another thing Georg, have you tried your hand at photographing your recipes? It would be interesting to compare your interpretation and mine of the same recipe?

[janet Smith]

Hello Kathy

Another cook, how nice, will you be photographing the food you cook on your cookery course?

If you come to the UK let me know, it would be nice to meet you, perhaps I'll be off in the far northern Highlands permanently by then, so be prepared for Highland hospitality!

[Georg Baumann]

Another thing Georg, have you tried your hand at photographing your recipes? It would be interesting to compare your interpretation and mine of the same recipe?

Hell no, it never surrvives that long. <grins>

[Georg Baumann]

If you come to the UK let me know, it would be nice to meet you, perhaps I'll be off in the far northern Highlands permanently by then, so be prepared for Highland hospitality!

Kathy,

don't forget huge quantities of Aspirin, this scottish hospitality usually ends up with vast amounts of whisky, hehehe.

[Doug_Kerr]

Hi, Jan,

Great work.

As I scrolled down through your message and at first saw only the image of the soup, I immediately recognized what kind of soup it was! The shot is evidently a great representation, among other things.

Best of luck with this new area of photography for you - and with life in the Highlands.

[janet Smith]

Hello Doug

Thank you so much for your kind comments, really appreciated and helps to keep me going. I'll probably bore you all silly with food shots over the coming months as I continue working on my technique.

[Kathy Rappaport]

Well, I doubt that I will make it there until 2009 to 2010 (lol) since I plan a year or more out and have deposited for 2008 to go to St. Petersberg.

But as far as cooking class, yes, I will take some photos since much of it is about styling the food for serving. I do bring my camera frequently when we are doing day/street shooting and will do grab shots of plates that I think are pretty.

http://www.pbase.com/chatkat/image/80065793.jpg

[janet Smith]

Hi Kathy

Looks lovely, I'll watch for more from your cooking class.

[Will Thompson]

All this good looking food is making me hungry.

So here is one of my food shots.

Now off to the kitchen to eat.

http://idisk.mac.com/med007/Public/Wills/food/042603FOOD171_RJ.jpg

[janet Smith]

Nice one Will, you must be feeling very hungry! enjoy.....

[Will Thompson]

Hi Janet, The hard part is that I have tasted the the hot dogs courtesy of the customer and must say they are the best I have ever had. This makes it very hard to look at them in photos without getting very hungry. The owner told me that he has Hoffy make them with a special combo of spices that makes them very addictive.

Here is another I shot for the same customer.

http://idisk.mac.com/med007/Public/Wills/food/042603FOOD231_RJ.jpg

[janet Smith]

Hi Will

I can feeling the inches piling on my hips just looking at this!!!!

[Will Thompson]

Janet should we start a new thread in the wide angel section titled "A Self Portrait, Before and After a Food Shoot"!

Too bad I shot mine a few years ago.

Here is another.

http://idisk.mac.com/med007/Public/Wills/food/042603FOOD235_RJ.jpg

[janet Smith]

Hi Will, how funny!! Here's what I had for my lunch today, how's this for an antidote to all that Cholesterol!!

Roast Red Pepper huomous and carrot and celery sticks, not the most photogenic of substances, or the best photo, but I was too hungry to mess around any more, could easily be mistaken for cat sick couldn't it!! Luckily tasted lovely!! (haha).......

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa318/JanGlenelg/IMG_0008sharpsrgb.jpg

[Will Thompson]

Janet, Not for me to eat but looks like something my Mother and Sisters would love. (the hummus, I love carrots and celery sticks with cream cheese)

Here is another.

http://idisk.mac.com/med007/Public/Wills/food/042603FOOD027_RJ.jpg

[janet Smith]

Hmmm Will - Looks like we're back to the hips and thighs again!!! Not for me! not too sure what this is, are they cinnamon chocolate curls to have with coffee? I'm just making prawn salad and you're making me think of sweet things again!

[Asher Kelman]

I might just diet on lettuce asnd get the virtual pleasure here!

Asher

[Kathy Rappaport]

Those strips of fried dough are similar to donuts and are called "Churros" - they are very sugary and are an import to the USA via Mexico - very popular in California.

Asher - I dine on lettuce far more than I choose to but I am working on becoming my husband's favorite model.

[Paul Bestwick]

A couple of nice shots here & congratulations Janet on your first sale.

What a funny coincidence. I saw this thread a couple of days ago & only yesterday ended up booking a food shoot myself.

It is shots of Sushi which are destined to be used on a menu in the window of the restaurant. Being menu shots & fairly tight shots, the emphasis needed to be on the food rather than the ambience of the setting.

Anyhow, shoot done today. Wow, that MK3 with live view is amazing. Very cool.
Tomorrow, I will post a couple of shots.

[janet Smith]

Hi Paul

Thank you, look forward to seeing your Sushi shots, incidentally, one of my favourite foods.....

[Marian Howell]

like asher, i think i'm gonna skip lunch and just keep checking this thread...fabulous food shots everybody!!

[Paul Bestwick]

well it is a funny situation owning a photography studio. What I mean is this. Most other professions people specialize, you know, a surgeon that deals with the heart would be totally unqualified to operate on the brain. You could make lots of analogies to get the point across.

The point..... well the point is this. I get a call from a Japanese restaurant who need some sushi shots for the menu in the window. ( I shoot people... almost exclusively)

Option A : sorry I don't do that phone this guy.

Option B : thinks, Sushi, are you serious, what do I know about shooting food. Says, sure when would it be convenient for you. Does: quickly visits commercial photographer friend & gets the lowdown.

Result: Bank balance increases, customer gets nice sushi photos for menu.

http://www.studio58.com.au/OPF/Sushi%201.jpg

http://www.studio58.com.au/OPF/sushi%202.jpg


http://www.studio58.com.au/OPF/sushi3.jpg

http://www.studio58.com.au/OPF/sushi4.jpg

[Kathy Rappaport]

I did a whole range of eyeglasses that way. Third time I decided that it was BORING to shoot 100 pairs of glasses. Ka-ching. Then I found out what other photographers were actually charging and so I withdrew from that line of photography - temporarily. My price list for that kind of work went WAY up.

[janet Smith]

Hi Paul

Nice Sushi... interesting to see the different styles we all have, mine is distinctly "homely" as I use my breakfast and dining rooms for food photography, not being lucky enough to have an actual studio....yet...... Here's a couple more, I am about to start loading the car up, and drive 430 miles to northern Scotland for a couple of weeks, I'll no doubt bore you all with lots of Scottish food shots when I'm back, bye for now....

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa318/JanGlenelg/sharpsrgb.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa318/JanGlenelg/IMG_0021001.jpg

[Kathy Rappaport]

Janet -

Too bad we don't live closer for those polka dot shots. I have latte cups that match with the polka dots. Love the cookies and cups.

[Paul Bestwick]

Hi Janet,

OK well here is the thing regarding style. In respect to food photography, I don't have a style as the images here are the first I have done & were shots for a window menu. The brief being to create images that highlight the dish so the customer can easily see what they are ordering.

However, now that my interest in the subject has been awakened, I may just pursue it a bit further & possibly some style may become evident.

[janet Smith]

Hi Kathy & Paul

I've just come back from Scotland, had a really good time, a mix of lovely and terrible weather, alternating torrential rain and bright sunshine, got loads and loads of landscapes that I'm just beginning to wade through, didn't do any food photgraphy..... too busy doing other things!

Back to the topic of food..... Kathy, thanks for your comments, yes a shame you're not nearer, how funny that you should have the same polka dot cups!

Paul, I have only just started food photography too, but I like to cook, so the two go hand in hand for me...... I'll be cooking Georg's recipe's contained in this thread in the next few weeks when I've finished processing all the landscapes from Scotland, then you'll all be able to have a good laugh at my attempt.

I'll post some of the landscapes in the next few days, got some great ones, that I'm delighted with!

[janet Smith]

Here is one more from my personal cook book....

----Drunken Piggy----

Well - you know sometimes you say you'll do something and then find yourself wishing you hadn't........ well this is one of those occassions!

It goes something like this....... friend came round for lunch, rushing etc.... (excuses, excuses tut, tut) food delicious, photographs terrible, to use Rays analogy from another thread definately "splinter ridden Ikea rejects"

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa318/JanGlenelg/IMG_0034srgbsharpopf.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa318/JanGlenelg/IMG_0010sharpsrgbopf.jpg

More excuses - tut, tut, etc

Recipe was not going well, so decided to adapt, not being able to find either Appenzeller or the suggested alternative Greyezer cheese, so I changed it completely (sorry Georg) it is now a recipe for "Absolutely smashed piggy" in lots of cider and Calvados, little cream and plenty of mustard!! Also replaced Gnocchi with roast butternut squash mash, with roast garlic (my favourite thing)

My friend arrived early so there wasn't much time for photography, also we shared a bottle of wine!! I never drink at lunch time, in fact 1 whisky or two glasses of wine are my limit, so I think that could have something to do with the dreadful results (sorry Georg) anyway, we had a lovely lunch, we've had a very ill relative who has now been declared out of danger, so we were celebrating!

I will do your Asparagus recipe some other time....... (more excuses tut, tut tut!!) <grins>

[Georg Baumann]

Hehehehehe, I never said it is easy.

The calvados is a no go for me.... you take cider or you take calvados, but both is like having apple crumble with apple juice.... don't know about that. <grins>

See, it is a little like that al forno italien stuff, you want to get the consistency right, otherwise the cheese seperates from the sauce, which happens quite often if the liquid is too little or too much.

And here I better leave it.... I am no teacher, in fact never will be, I just lack the social skills. <grins>

P.S.
I like the idea of roasted apple slices on top, but scratch the flippin brocc.

[janet Smith]

Hehehehehe, I never said it is easy.

Hi Georg

Well you've got to laugh!!

Yesterday was great fun........you can't win them all - at least I had a go!! - back to the serious stuff today - I was trying to do far too much at once yesterday.

I think I'll go faster if I slow down!!!

Have a great day.