Plate to Pixel Read online

  You can adjust and re-adjust at will in post production. But the beauty of getting the shot set correctly before you press the shutter button is more time to photograph—and do other stuff you enjoy. Minimizing time in front of a computer to fix images means more time to cook and shoot new images and hang out with friends and family.

  Achieving out-of-the-camera accuracy is more likely if you shoot a scene within a short period of time. But if you must shoot at different times of the day, or if you are experimenting and getting creative, then you’ll need to adjust your white balance setting for the various conditions. This is a great situation if you have a block of time set up for your photography, but not so great if you are trying to shoot your eggplant parmesan before dinner and before it gets completely cold.

  Camera Modes

  Photographers can be pretty adamant about the camera modes they favor. Discussions among photographers often resemble the banter of chefs postulating on their preferred cookware. So how do you decide which one to pick?

  The short answer is to try them all and pick the one you’re most comfortable using. But that would be short changing you. Each camera mode has its purpose—and pros and cons—that has very little to do with preference.

  Auto Mode

  As you (likely) know, Auto mode is available … and it’s always an option for quick and easy photographs. But I’m not going to elaborate on the Auto setting here, because we’re working on gaining more control over creating photographs. So while Auto mode can be very helpful in some cases, using it means that the camera makes all the decisions for you … aperture, shutter speed, light metering—everything! And relying on your camera to make all these important adjustments can only take you so far.

  We’ve been talking about taking control to achieve great images. So be the boss of your camera. When you challenge yourself to interpret a scene and respond to it, your creativity will soar.

  Manual Mode

  You’ve probably heard photographers say, “Manual, Manual, Manual! You have to learn Manual.” And while it’s true that you do have to set everything yourself in Manual mode, do you know why it’s important to know how to manage a camera manually?

  It’s because … if you find yourself in a situation in which all the other buttons on your camera are broken—or if you’re handed a completely different type of camera to shoot a series of pictures—knowing how to set up a shot in Manual mode means that you could still achieve great images. You’d apply the basic rules of aperture and shutter speeds and have sound results … no matter what camera you had to use. These components are constant. They won’t change, no matter what country you are in or what language you speak.

  I personally consider Manual mode my safety spot. I favor Aperture Priority mode (described below) about 60% of the time, because I really get my kicks from playing with depth of field. But that’s just me; it works for me. Yet I have found myself in situations where I would have been in serious trouble if I had not known how to revert back to Manual and adjust aperture, shutter speed and ISO separately to get “the shot.”

  Manual mode allows you complete control of your camera and unlimited versatility. Here’s how it works: Let’s say you’ve figured out the best ISO for your picture, and you decide to shoot in Manual mode—adjusting only the aperture and shutter speed. They work like opposite sliders/ arrows on a sliding scale. When you increase one, you have to decrease the other to keep the same exposure.

  For example, if you want to shoot Manual and you put your energy in getting that well-loved shallow depth of field (which has the signature blurry background that often appears in food magazines), then open up your f/stop (decrease the numbers) and increase your shutter speed. It works the opposite way to achieve deep depth of field.

  Or let’s say that you want to focus on time rather than depth of field. You’re capturing liquids in motion. In this case, you need to play opposite scales … between the shutter speed and aperture … to keep getting the correct exposure. To freeze liquids in motion, increase your shutter speed and open up your f/stop. To capture flow, or show motion, please refer to the Shutter Priority section further below.

  Manual does not have many downsides, but it does require a full understanding of exposure and the relationship between depth of field (aperture) and time. It’s also easy to find yourself with the wrong settings, especially when a situation changes abruptly.

  When I photograph food-centered events, such as chefs’ exhibitions, a busy night in the kitchen—with dishes flying in and out, things happening fast and furiously—I tend to set my camera to Aperture Priority mode (described below), because there are too many changes … happening in the span of seconds … to stay in tune. Manual would make it tricky to catch all the shots in a quick-changing situation.

  Aperture Priority

  One primary difference between Manual and Aperture Priority modes is that the latter automatically adjust the shutter speed after you select the aperture and ISO. This makes it a bit easier (than when in Manual) to set your exposure properly.

  Aperture mode also makes it easier to control depth of field in your images—whether you’re going for a shallow depth of field, where only a small portion of your photograph is in focus (and the rest is blurry), or a deep depth of field, where everything throughout the image is in focus.

  Notice in the set of images on the left—each photograph was shot at a different aperture—how much or how little is in focus depending on the camera setting. A small f/stop number (a large aperture) will generate a lot of soft focus throughout the image. It’s hard to even read the word sugar on that enamel jar at f/1.8 (page 29). But as we gradually increase the f/stop number, it decreases the aperture of the lens and brings more of the elements in focus. The difference at f/2.8 (page 29) to f/22 (lower right on previous page) is striking in terms of visibility.

  Using different degrees of shallow depth of field can be useful in telling a story through composition and styling. (See Chapters 5-7 to find more information on Composition and Styling.) Try placing the main dish in focus and blurring out other servings, props and ingredients to help convey a certain mood.

  There is a soft quality to shallow depth of field that works really well, especially if you’re shooting level with your food or three-quarters above the plate. If you’re shooting from overhead, there is little reason to keep the f/stops low unless you are in low-light conditions and/ or there is a creative reason for a shallow depth of field.

  These pears were shot with a wide aperture and shallow depth of field.

  f/3.5, ISO 100, 100mm, L

  This shot of a basket of pears was taken at a shallow depth of field. The low f/stop was used to hide the concrete and grass, which were not very pretty, and to create a soft feeling … as if the pears were floating.

  A major drawback to using a very low f/stop is the narrow focus point that comes with it. Take this scenario: If you shoot a bowl of freshly cooked pasta at a low f/stop, then the focus point might be so narrow that only the tip of the noodle strands are clear in the image, instead of the full dish. I am exaggerating slightly, but you get the idea.

  I know that a lot of food photographers aim for shallow depth of field, but it is far more likely that a reader will get excited about a pie if (s)he can see at least half a slice in focus versus only the tip of the crust.

  Another thing to keep in mind when shooting in Aperture Priority mode is how to use the exposure compensation button (EV or Exposure Value button) on your camera. Since being in this mode necessarily means you are not in Manual—and thus cannot adjust the shutter speed to give you proper exposure—learning how to turn exposure up or down can really help. Just remember, depending on your camera brand and model, the exposure compensation button might have a different icon or increment scale.

  What’s the right DOF?

  So how do you choose the right aperture and focus point to get the depth of field you want? It really depends on what part of the dish you want to feature.
Is it the whole plate, the whole table, or maybe just the tomato perched on top of a salad?

  Ask yourself what you are trying to say with your image and how much you want to reveal … versus suggest.

  Each of the radishes photos was shot at the same ISO and aperture, but I started with an exposure compensation of -2 and went to +2 … to show you how easy it is to under- or over-expose your shots. Practice to see which setting works best for you.

  One last thing to consider when shooting in Aperture Priority mode is its limitations when trying to capture the movement of liquids … or ingredients splashing into liquids. This mode does not focus on time, like Shutter Priority mode (described below) does.

  Wide aperture and a low

  f/stop shows a very shallow depth of field.

  f/1.8, ISO 500, 50mm

  Wide aperture and a low f/stop provides medium shallow depth of field.

  f/3.5, ISO 500, 50mm

  Wide aperture and a low

  f/stop results in a shallow depth of field.

  f/2.8, ISO 500, 50mm

  Medium wide aperture and medium f/stop generates somewhat shallow and somewhat deep depth of field.

  f/5.6, ISO 500, 50mm

  When aperture is narrow and f/stop is high, the shutter speed slows down and the depth of field becomes deeper.

  f/8, ISO 500, 50mm

  Narrow aperture and high

  f/stop reveals more and more details on the subject and on the background.

  f/13, ISO 500, 50mm

  Narrow aperture and high

  f/stop results in deep depth of field.

  f/16, ISO 500, 50mm

  Very narrow aperture and very high f/stop leads to a very deep depth of field, where everything is sharp and in focus.

  f/22, ISO 500, 50mm

  Shutter Priority

  As with Aperture mode, shooting in Shutter Priority mode lets the camera do part of the job to achieve a balanced exposure. Yet, when talking about the Shutter Priority mode, I always want to say that it’s the mode you are least likely to use for food photography. But that’s not entirely true.

  In general, unless you want to capture hot chocolate sauce dripping from a spoon or pancake syrup as it hits a tower of pancakes and flows nicely down the sides—or unless you have a blog dedicated to flying food objects, liquids in motion or food fights—you’ll rarely use the Shutter Priority mode for still-life photography.

  If your exposure is good to start with, setting the aperture compensation button at -2 generates a very under-exposed (dark) picture.

  f/3.5, ISO 200,100mm, Macro L

  If your exposure is good to begin with, bumping the aperture compensation button by one will give you a slightly overexposed picture.

  f/3.5, ISO 200, 100mm, Macro L

  If your exposure is good to begin with, setting the aperture compensation button at -1 will give you a slightly underexposed picture.

  f/3.5, ISO 200,100mm, Macro L

  When your exposure is good to begin with, bumping the aperture compensation button by two will create a very overexposed picture.

  f/3.5, ISO 200, 100mm, Macro L

  When your exposure is good to begin with, you do not need to use the aperture compensation button.

  f/3.5, ISO 200, 0-100mm, Macro L

  In the photo series of strawberries under water, see how the decreased shutter speed gives the water flowing out of the faucet a very soft, almost cotton-looking quality. This effect can be helpful if you’re trying to focus on the object rather than the liquid itself. But by using a faster shutter speed, you can freeze the movement of the water. Notice the bubbles and ripples that are created as the water hits the berries and flows out of the bowl.

  That said, the ability to capture movement is not the only benefit of the Shutter Priority mode. This mode also allows for deep depth of field to be achieved through small apertures and long exposures (slow shutter speeds). It can be extremely helpful when shooting in natural light, in situations where very little actual light is available. You’ll definitely want to use a tripod in this case to keep your camera as steady as possible.

  As you can see, there is not one right way to shoot … or even a best way to get the shot you need. The right setting for your specific circumstance is the one that produces a picture that make people say, “Wow” … and not “Ewww.” Practice, practice, practice.

  Shutter speed of 1/25 second: water and splashes are sharp and well-defined.

  f/2.8, ISO 320, 24-70mm, L

  Shutter speed of 1/13 second: water and splashes begin to lose definition.

  f/4, ISO 320, 24-70mm, L

  Shutter Speed of 1.3 seconds: the water becomes soft and cloud-like.

  f/18, ISO 320, 24-70mm, L

  Shutter speed of 5.0 seconds: the water is very soft. There’s almost no defined streaks of liquid or splashes.

  f/32, ISO 320, 24-70mm, L

  Chapter Three: Natural Light Photography

  When I first started taking pictures for my food blog, I thought that all light—in whatever shape or form it came—was good light. It was light, wasn’t it? How could it not be good for my purpose?

  Well, if you’ve been photographing for a while, I can nearly see that little smile on the corners of your mouth. And if you’re self-taught like me, I can also bet that it took you a lot of setups and experimenting with light before you understood how to manage light to get the shots you wanted. I’m hoping this section will explain the different aspects of natural light and help make your photography work more enjoyable.

  Yes, I am primarily a natural-light photographer. I don’t have anything against artificial lighting, but there are several reasons I prefer to shoot in natural light … and make the most of existing conditions whenever possible.

  I had very little photo equipment when I began photographing food. I started much like most other novice food photographers. That is, I was taking pictures in the kitchen and quickly realizing that the yellow light in that space was not ideal. And even with white balance manipulations—See Chapter 2 (Camera Settings and Modes) for more on setting your white balance—my photographs moved up to okay.

  So I moved to the coffee table that was positioned right in the middle of the living room, between two windows. It’s here where I learned about the effects of natural light and practiced … and practiced a lot … to grow my understanding of various lighting conditions and make them work for my images.

  In the southeast region of the United States, where I currently reside, good weather and lots of sunshine prevail over rain and dark days. So I take full advantage of this good photo lighting throughout the year. Bright, clean and crisp skies are perfect for capturing soft-lit frames and setups for food—with the proper preparation, of course, which is described later in this chapter.

  But I’ve come to love all light situations and take advantage of dark and rainy days as well. These days allow me to exercise my creativity in different ways. The lack of natural light during bad weather produces dramatic shadows and strong silver highlights, which impose a different set of challenges and decisions from the photographer, as we will explore in this chapter.

  Of course, now that food photography is my full-time job, I work on other people’s schedule and dime. This means I don’t always get to choose my time and place for shots. So I now carry an artificial light kit in case I find myself on a job at a time when the weather and bright skies are not cooperating. It happens … like when shooting a cookbook in the middle of a rainy week in February, it wouldn’t be acceptable to call the artistic director to say you can’t do the job because the light isn’t right. No, you need to get it done—correctly and on time … even if it means resorting to a light kit.

  I’m not going to hide that this would be my last resort, as I really prefer natural light photography whenever possible. So I suggest that you try using the settings on your camera (e.g., exposure compensation, long shutter speed, etc) to address low-light situations before using artificial light. A
rtificial light produces fantastic results, too, but it’s another learning curve altogether … as we’ll cover in Chapter 4.

  Hard Light vs. Soft Light

  Both hard light and soft light refer to the quality of the luminescence of your scene, and each has its purpose in photography. Direct sunlight is an example of hard light, and it’ s known to produce harsh shadows and high contrast. Conversely, indirect or diffused (scattered) light is an example of soft light. One is not universally better than the other; yet one will be more appropriate than the other for a given image, based solely on the artistic effect you wish to achieve. What is the story or mood you wish to convey with your photograph?

  Hard Light

  Hard light is stronger than soft light, and it illuminates your subject in a direct way that accentuates shadows and contrasts. Hard light can help you create dramatic effects, such as sharp highlights in the background or glossy casts on liquid surfaces.

  In the picture of carrots, I did not diffuse or bounce the light coming from the back of the setup. This allowed a lot of contrast in the scene, which accentuated the colors and shapes of the carrots against the dark surface on which they sat. The hard light also added highlights to the tiny water beads, which would have been lost in a softer light situation. Keeping the water visible conveys that the carrots were fresh from the field!