Lighting: A Quest for Better Food Pics

[Spinaker]

Hello fellow Pit-Masters. I hope the summer is treating everyone well as the smoke permeates our patios and outdoor spaces.

I am looking for a set up to improve the pictures I have been taking of the food I make. I would like see if I can get a set up where I can improve the color of the light and avoid shadows and what not. If anyone has any ideas or products they use, please share your thoughts and ideas. I have looked at Meathead recommendation, but I wanted to check here to see if anyone else had first hand experience with either, Meathead's recommendation or another product.

Thank You for your input! Keep Calm, Smoke On!

- John

[Jerod Broussard]

troymeister Ernest

[Breadhead]

+10^... Ernest should become a food photographer.

[Spinaker]

Agreed, I was gonna just write to him directly but I want ed to share the information with the masses

[DeusDingo]

has anyone seen a post from Ernest lately?

[MBMorgan]

In addition to Jerod's recommendations (with which I totally agree ... but I might add Meathead to the list), just google "food photography lighting" You'll find tons of articles including this one from Serious Eats: http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/03/b...otography.html

[Potkettleblack]

I'm not sure anyone has better photography than the Modernist Cuisine and ChefSteps folks, imo:

https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/4-simple-tips-for-better-food-photography

[Ernest]

I use the Nexus 5X for my photos. Point, shoot, eat.

[Potkettleblack]

I wonder if you don't just have great natural lighting and/or good indoor lighting. Plus a good eye for composition.

[troymeister]

I sometimes use this setup for photos. Just regular wax paper for a diffuser on the trouble light. The diffuser on the flash for the DSLR was less than $5.00 on EBAY. I sometimes use the umbrella light ($25.00 on EBAY) very often people are waiting to eat and gets my wife PO'd.....White reflector card $2.00 at Walgreens. Very often I just use the trouble light with my iPhone.

[Jerod Broussard]

Sweetness!

[Spinaker]

Thats what m talking about!!! Thanks!!

[jgg85234]

Spinaker - first question is what are you using for a camera? It makes a difference. I didn't see photography among your list of hobbies.

Best regards,
Jim

[Spinaker]

Spinaker - first question is what are you using for a camera? It makes a difference. I didn't see photography among your list of hobbies.

Best regards,
Jim

I am just using my 6S plus. I would like to stick with the iPhone and some cheap or cheaper lighting options. I have always loved photography, I am just kind of getting into it from a technical standpoint, but I already have too many hobbies that cost to much money. So I am trying to stay on the cheaper side of things. That being said, I guess I am looking for cheap options to improve my iPhone pictures. I have a Nikon SLR but I don't use it much at all and never for food pictures.

[troymeister]

I would try to experiment with your Nikon DSLR and a $7.00 100 watt trouble light. Try the Auto and the Program settings to start then experiment with manual. I think you will surprise yourself.

[Spinaker]

Cool Thanks!! troymeister

[Potkettleblack]

A great site for phonography tools is: http://photojojo.com/

[Spinaker]

Lots of cool stuff there. Have you tried any of those lens on your camera?

[Potkettleblack]

Yeah, on my phone. I liked using the wide angle, until they invented the pano mode on the iphone. I like the macro lens, also. I keep em in my briefcase, even though they're set up for my old phone... Weird. Need new rings I think to make it work with my current phone.

[RonB]

I started photography as a hobby in the mid '60s, but when the food is hot I'm not spending much time taking photos. Normally I just use the overhead lights even though I know the color temp is off. I don't think that most here care that much if the color is off a bit.
However, if you want to geek out a tad, this is a quick and easy build to get great shots. I do suggest using daylight temp bulbs.

[Spinaker]

Great video, Thanks. This will be easy to make. And Cheap!! Thanks for your input. It was amazing to see the difference between "defused light" and light directly from a light source. Thanks again.

[Dewesq55]

There's a picture of my diy set-up here.

[Spinaker]

Wow, thanks. I've got all that stuff on hand.

[jgg85234]

Hi Spinaker

Sorry it took a while. Nurses and therapists are still coming to my house regularly to fix the bandages, and get me walking smoothly again. The good news is I'm getting around the house without the walker (or even the cane). And, a lot of the time away from home I get by with just the cane. So, it is healing, just going to be a long process.

Then one of my clients (a law firm) managed to get one of the encryption viruses on their network. So, we've been cleaning that up this afternoon. Good thing I can do most of that kind of stuff remotely (without being at their office).

OK, let's talk about cameras. The Phone makers would really like you to believe that it's all about pixel count, and that the higher they get the number, the better the picture. Very much untrue. The effects you can create, and the quality of the image is all about the lens on the camera. Look on the back side of the phone and you'll see how tiny the lens is. Now look at the lenses on your Nikon and the difference is pretty obvious.

You know the pictures you see where the target of the photo is tightly focused, and the foreground and background are a little fuzzy. That control is Depth of Field. A camera phone doesn't focus on an object, rather everything from point blank to infinity is in focus.

There's a lot more things that are unique about using a DSLR, but you get the idea.

If you want quality photos, do what troymeister suggests, and play with your Nikon. You'll be amazed at what it can do versus a high pixel camera whose best use is for "selfies".

I use my iPhone6 for quick snapshots, but when it counts, out comes the Canon DSLR and some quality lenses.

Best regards,
Jim

[Spinaker]

Thanks for all of your input. I hope your recovery is going well. My DSLR is about 10 years old. I have taken very good care of it and it gets very little use. I am going to break it out and get this thing moving. Thanks Again.

[billg71]

Use the flash on your iPhone. Just tap the flash icon on the camera screen until it says "On". Unless you're shooting outside in daylight.

[David Parrish]

The "Ice Light" MH recommends on his photography page works great. Get the tungsten filter as well. Oh and there's an Ice Light 2 out that MH doesn't link to but is probably the better solution. I have the original and it works great.

[Spinaker]

I bet this thing is awesome. But its waaaaay more than I wanna spend.

[David Parrish]

Yeah it's only worth it for me as I need pics to support the business. Otherwise it'd be gross overkill.

[Spinaker]

and you can write it off ! Guest

[Spinaker]

I think I have enough information here to get things rolling. Thank You to everyone for your input and ideas. I hope this was helpful to others as well. Hopefully you will be seeing a difference in my food pics in the near future!!

[Dewesq55]

If you have a ChefSteps paid membership, try going on their site and searching for "Tyler Mathis". They might still have the offer of the first chapter of his e-book for free. It has all the info about setting up an indoor studio in it.

[Spinaker]

Cool, I will check that out too. Thank You! Dewesq55