break from portraits

[kennykodak]

did a menu today and yes, i got to eat my share.

[Graham_of_Rainham]

Re: break from portraits

This really is a very specialised type of photography, that simply has to be perfect. I appreciate the limitations of web sized images and how they reproduce, but this one really is not up to your standards.

It's hard to avoid saying that you have over cooked it, in a poor attempt at humour But there are so many over exposed highlights on the corn and other glazed surfaces. The sauce on the "Ribs?" looks like it is so sticky, is congealed and very unappertising.

Is this what is called a "Blue Plate Special" if so the green background needs to be a sympathetic "nutral" colour.

I was taught always to use the "Golden Ratio" of 1.618 when photographing food on a round plate. Yours is 2.27, which presents the plate too flat to the viewer and as such is also not "easy on the eye"

I've had to do this once and found it to be really difficult getting the food to look succulent and fresh. So while I'm no better at this than you have shown here, I do have some experience of the subject to be able to comment from.

[kennykodak]

Re: break from portraits

well it's a little hot but it was shot raw and the ad director will adjust for the piece. the table is the pub's and they requested it with NO table cloth. the plate is also theirs and the entree was presented on it. the corn if you look at it closely has both yellow and white kernels. as for the sauce, well it's the way it was. the client is always right whether they are or not especially in a recession. i think there may be a little cultural thing here too. ribs and wings here aren't considered good in a bar unless they are messy.
sorry to disapoint.

[mib2]

Re: break from portraits

Im a meat and two veg man myself.
I see exactly the points that Graham has made and totally understand where KennyK is coming from - "the client has the last word".

Cheers Dave R

[kennykodak]

Re: break from portraits

okay, let's try it again. the first one had no adjustments. this one is toned down some. remember this is for a pub menu and not a french bistro.

[Graham_of_Rainham]

Re: break from portraits

Having lived in the US for 18 months, I fully appreciate the culinary differences of our two cultures.

This second shot is superior in several ways to the original. The texture of the food is sharper and there appears to be a slight increase in the range of focus. The layout of the food is more graphic with only four elements and their arrangement is better ballanced.

The lighting on this second shot is better and what was previously mistaken as highlights on the corn are now clearly identifiable as white.

The additional information of the target market makes a lot of difference in understanding the construction of the image.

I hope you will show us the final menu that this ends up on.