Firstly, let me apologize for my lack of response(s) to your messages and feedback thus far... it's been a crazy week!
I was going to mention something about trying different DoF's after looking at the first photo. All the rest are spot on!! I just feel a little more would be good in the first. I'm wondering if the spaghetti is a little under-exposed. 3,4 and 7 are very good and the third is my favourite. Good to see this sort of thing and food photography is definitely more difficult than it looks. Great set.
Thank you Edward. You could be quite right about the spaghetti - But I also didn't want it to be a 'bright' picture either... need to find the happy medium.
Bethy, for what it's worth, this where I think your processing really comes into it's own! Yes, all those images have made me hungry!! No. 2 is my money shot. 1, 5 and 7 I also think would benefit from a tad more DOF. They still make me drool, though..
EDIT: I actually had to go eat something after viewing this thread. You just cost me a 1/2 inch on my waistline!
Thank you Dunc... and apologies.
Any chance of some pull-back shots?
As for the photos, they're excellent. I absolutely love your portrait work but this is just as good
Thanks very much! I have a pullback shot of a typical setup... but my softbox placement really depends on what the food is, sometimes it's better back lit, sometimes it's better from the side... sometimes I'll use an extra diffuser over top of the softbox, and sometimes I'll throw caution to the wind and use my kitchen window to backlight. But here's one... and the result...
Pardon the mess...
bts by
Beth Botterill, on Flickr
Soft Pretzel Logs by
Beth Botterill, on Flickr
Wow, I've just eaten and you've made me hungry again. I would say these look - to me - like top notch cookery book shots. Take that as a compliment or not, but it's how I see them
I'm massively into cooking myself, so this is a bit of a perfect storm for me (if you could add in mountains or skiing, it'd finish off the trifecta!)
Having got all of that out of the way, the only possible (and this might just be me missing something) tweaks I'd dare to suggest would be:
1. Wonderful and shallow DOF works for me... some people might not realise they're potatoes, so not sure if a clue would be helpful, but the image is superb. They definitely wouldn't realise they were potatoes if I was anywhere near, because I'd have eaten them...
2. Pancakes look delicious and I love the background of butter etc. Really daft and tiny observation would be the bit of batter which looks slightly less cooked (but probably isn't) on the top pancake which is closest to viewer (may have been cooled by the blueberry) jumps out a bit... this is a real nitpick though.
3. Blueberries... this is a recipe book shot full stop. Awesome.
4. Crackers aren't quite grabbing me as much but I do like the "assembled" cracker bottom left which adds context/story. In fact, I wonder what it'd be like to reverse the area of focus - have some assembled crackers as principal subjects with the pot containing the rest OOF perhaps?
5. Spaghetti - wonderful (perhaps touch more light on the basil?) and maybe toss the spaghetti in oil&water before plating up so it has a sheen. Composition absolutely perfect and again suggestions are real nitpicks
6. Fries look delicious but for some viewers they might prefer them less roasted? Conversely, the top of the cheese toastie could go a bit further and maybe a blowtorch to caramelise the oozy bit. Nice hiding of the burnt side though... I do that when plating up too
7. Mini pizzas again the composition is just perfect. I love the oil on the basil leaves. Rosemary could do with the same, perhaps? Melted mozarella looks like melted mozarella - a touch textureless despite the caramelisation?
Seriously, these are exceptional shots and I've tried really hard to find miniscule ways to crit them. They don't need it - they're so close to perfect as is. I want to get cooking now!
Thanks so much for the detailed feedback - I appreciate you taking the time to look over each one. You're right about the pancakes - rookie mistake... I only found out when I went to slice into one and there was still a bit of 'goo' lol... batter too thick. Sigh...
The crackers looked better than they tasted, alas... but were extremely delish though with the cheese and the chutney, so you're right there.. should have concentrated on that more.
Right about the basil on the leaves, wished I'd gotten them to look more like the pizza basil. Thanks for the tip on the pasta, will try that again at some point.
The 'fries' were sweet potato - wanted them to have a real roasted look to them, but because they have a lot of sugar in them, it caramelizes and you get that almost 'over roasted' look to them... when they're cooked. These were baked in the oven, perhaps deep frying would be better. And yes, I burnt the grilled cheese. I got caught up viewing a thread online
The mini pizza's kept me up til midnight - lol. These are probably my fav.
Thanks again so so much detail to your feedback, all taken on board.
Hmmmm yummy, no crit, just, could I have the recipies pleaseeeeeeee
Haha thanks Graham. Secret's in the sauce.. (aka Google
)
A fab set !!!!! well done
Thanks very much Owen.
Meh...
Wonderful as usual!
Not much I can add. The depth of field looks spot on. No need to increase it.
Colours look good. Food looks good enough to eat.
The only drawback I can think of is that you'll have to invest in different and funky serving dishes.
Ikea and Matalan do affordable modern stuff. It might be worth looking online.
Another reason is that it may inspire you to create new and interesting dishes.
YES! I said that... I said to the husband we should go to Ikea!!! But he thought that was a dangerous idea because I spend way too much there when I'm there. I have been scouring for some quirky stuff... good plan on Ikea. I've actually ordered some new pottery from my friend in Nova Scotia, some custom East Coast Canadiana type stuff - but that's on a slow boat to China at the minute. Last I checked, it was travelling west across Canada to eventually travel east to the UK.
Those jacket potatoes look sumptuous, are they deep fried after cutting or just carried on roasting?
They're completely oven roasted actually... basted in a butter / olive oil mixture at several intervals. Cut before they go in the oven. They're called Hassleback Potatos although I was a complete numpty and called them Hassleblad on Instagram. I've since deleted that...
@Sir SR caught me out on that one. Highly embarassing. lol.
Number 2 for me and double helpings. Spag bol looks dried up. Good pictures though as I realise you probably did not cook the food
I did cook it - but I'm no chef and I did struggle to get a nice sheen to the pasta. Thanks for the feedback.
To be fair, Bethy does say 'cooked in my own kitchen' and not 'I cooked them'.
Maybe Jamie Oliver popped in?
Ohhhh I wish... he's just 'a bit of that and a bag of chips!'.
Appreciate the different POVs and framing.of each image. Gives each picture, when curated as a group, a "fresh" look so not a single one is boring. Nice job on PP. All very natural looking except for I question the yellowish syrup on the BB pancakes. Just my humble.
In all, very awesome. Now I am really hungry.
Marie
Good catch - ran out of maple syrup, had to use golden syrup. Busted!
The lighting on these shots is pretty spot on imo give or take the odd area (I'd be ecstatic if I got that close). The food looks fantastically well cooked and the rest of the ingredients look good ie not bruised, battered or mouldy. Again, a very clinch eye could spot the odd stalk out of place. The two bits that don't do it for me are some of the liquid (oil or water) around the edge of plates/boards etc. My main beef (sorry for the pun) though is chopping off some of the food ie pancakes and spag bol. Fine, cutting off the edges of the boards or plates but not the food.
Take a look through the likes of Delicious or BBC Good Food mags as an example.
I'm not a bad cook but if I could produce the quality you have (certainly looks good but I clearly haven't eaten it) and topped it with your photography talent I'd be well pleased. However, I think you want to take it to another level and that means an extra level of attention to detail and probably through another set of eyes.
Good luck!
Thanks very much. I actually like that bit about leaving bits on the board / plates etc... personally I think it gives it a more natural look. But I appreciate what you're saying for certain. The chopping of the food, that doesn't bother me either. But again, I take on board what you're saying... it probably doesn't work for everything and has a time and a place.
Thank you very much for your fab feedback.
Cracking set of images Beth as usual.
I'm trying to lose a bit weight for my holidays and the look of your food is making me want to eat, eat and eat
Keep up the good work and all the best in your new venture.
Thanks very much Paul. Exciting times...
Again, thanks everyone for your wonderful feedback. It's all truly appreciated.
Beth.
Potato! by Beth Botterill, on Flickr
Breakfast for Dinner - Blueberry Pancakes by Beth Botterill, on Flickr
Berries of Blue by Beth Botterill, on Flickr
Homemade Crackers by Beth Botterill, on Flickr
Spaghetti by Beth Botterill, on Flickr
Sweet Potato Fries & Grilled Cheese by Beth Botterill, on Flickr
Soft Pretzel Dough Pizza by Beth Botterill, on Flickr
Berries
Strawberry Jam
Pepper me!
Struffoli
Chicken Soup for my flu-ed up soul!
Tomato Soup