Good food and product shots are a great asset to anyone who is in the food business. They enhance a web site and add to the impact of your promotional material. Even with basic equipment you can produce remarkably good results and save yourself a small fortune.

The following technique should help you with your images. They utilise the advice of the previous article, using a tripod, reflector and flash to produce professional-looking images.

I have prepared three images for comparison using a top-end camera SLR Canon 5D and a five-year old Canon Powershot G5 compact – 12 vs 5 megapixels. The first two images were taken using the gold surface of a white/gold reflector. The third utilised flash directed at an angle into the white surface of the opposite side of the same reflector.

Canon 5D, SLR (12 Mp). No flash. Gold Reflector

SETTING UP:

• The images were shot in the shade of a balcony on a reasonably bright day.

• Camera settings were set on automatic (Program mode)

• The bowl was placed on a sheet of lightweight white cardboard so as to give a neutral, non-distracting background. This was bent upwards at the back of the setting to ensure the background was continuous.

• The camera was mounted on a tripod at a distance of approximately one metre from the dish and about 500-600mm above it.

• A 800mm diameter Lastolite reflector was used. One side was opaque white and the other glossy gold.

Think about how you usually view food – usually at arms's length and from an angle of approximately 45º. A good place to start is to put the camera where you mouth would be if you were sitting at the table. This is how we are used to seeing food.

One of the pleasures of eating is in anticipation. The salivary glands are most stimulated as the food is being carried to the mouth. Our happiest visual memories of food are associated with this close-up encounter. Try and replicate that vision of being up close and personal with food. Good food shots will detail texture and colour. You should be almost able to smell it.

DO:

• spend time styling your food. No matter how brilliant your photographic and technical skills may be, if the subject lacks colour, composition and contrast, nothing will make it look glam.

• Choose your props carefully paying attention to complementing colour, contrast, shape and texture.

• Fill the viewfinder with your target subject.

• Select the best quality image your camera is capable of producing

DON'T:

• Shoot in direct sunlight. The shadows and highlights are too strong.

• Clutter or confuse the picture. Simplicity works best.

• Try and fit too much in the picture. Better to take several tight shots rather than a single large spread.

• Shoot from too far away

• Photograph through cellophane or plastic wrapping.

Taking the picture:

• Once the camera and tripod are positioned, set the timer function of the camera. Using the delay ensures that the camera is perfectly steady at time of capture. It also means your hands are free of the camera and you have sufficient time to angle the reflector after you have pressed the shutter button.

• Before shooting, experiment with the best angle to set the reflector. By moving it around you can see the path of light that it generates. Once you are happy with the effect of the added illumination you are ready to take the photograph

• If you are using a compact camera, you will probably need to set the macro function and make sure you turn off the flash.

• Since you are standing back a considerable distance, zoom in on the subject rather than trying to get too close with the camera. You need plenty of room to manipulate the reflector.

• Focus on the key area and trigger the button. While the timer is counting down you will have time to position the reflector.

• That's all there is. Have a look at your results.

• Don't be afraid to be bold. Experiment with your photograph

Canon G5 compact (5 Mp). No flash. Gold Reflector

• When you zoom in on the subject you will encounter a depth of field effect. One part of the image will be in focus and the remainder will be out of focus. If you look at most food shots in magazine and books you will see that photographers use this to good effect.

• Consider where you want to concentrate the viewer's attention and focus on that portion.

• For those who are more technically inclined, you can override this manually by selecting a higher f-stop and lower shutter speed.

Editing notes:

These images required minimal editing in Photoshop. The levels were used to brighten the image and a touch of a cooling filter was used to compensate to the over-warming of the gold reflector.

CONCLUSION:

It is hard to pick the difference. Using the reflector without flash gives greater depth of field and more natural results. A reflector costs about $75 and tripods start at around $100. A modest investment in future images. And guess what? The more you do, the better you get.

Next edition: Product Shots

Canon 5D, SLR (12 Mp). Flash directed into White Reflector