Food Photography: Lollipop

I bought this large lollipop a while ago with the aim of photographing it, and got around to it today.  Again I managed to leave it til too late in the day and started to lose the light.  I was too busy running around doing stuff and housework, and noticed the light as I was folding towels!  So domestic 🙂

This is the best shot of the series, its evenly lit, and in focus.  I like how the texture in the candy is visible and love the brightly glowing colours.  Pleased to see that the white is well exposed and white and not blown out YAY!

The following are examples of how NOT to photograph food, turns out I cannot hand hold the camera in one hand with the subject in the other, I will need to be more organised next time and use the tripod.

This is the other side of the lollipop, and I hadn’t noticed that the sun had moved so its got too much shadow

Holding this in one hand, its out of focus. And the highlights are blown out on the left edge.

Also held in one hand and out of focus, and blown highlights.  A little too much shadow on the right side as well, I suspect I needed to move myself in relation to the sun to fix this.

Summary:

Well after three different experiments with shooting food, I can say that it is quite challenging.  Being a very three dimensional item, it gives you lots of DOF challenges.  Exposing correctly for different reflective surfaces is also a challeng.  Using natural lighting gives a nice soft effect but also only one source, so that is a challenge of itself.

I would like to try those mini light tent setups, where you can put in multiple light sources, filter and control the light better.  A mini strobist setup, something like these

http://strobist.blogspot.co.nz/2006/07/how-to-diy-10-macro-photo-studio.html

http://www.chesterbullock.com/2008/12/29/the-strobist-diy-light-tent/

http://strobist.blogspot.co.nz/2006/08/on-assignment-shoot-your-shiny-new.html

Of course that means an entirely new project…….

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