[Irma]

The other day I had breakfast with Regina, my neighbour, and I took some pictures of my basket with breads. I think it is not that bad, but it could be better. What would you recommend to photograph something like this; to isolate it from the rest of the table or leave it as it is. I think to take pictures of dishes or food is an art, my dishes never come out as in the recipe books.

[slejhamer]

Just my opinion, but I think you're too close to the subject - it's like you're shoving the basket of breads into the viewer's face, like my mother-in-law saying "eat! eat!" (They do smell REALLY GOOD, by the way. )

A little more room, a little less clutter (the napkins, for example), a little less DOF (have the coffee cups blurred, perhaps), and place the colors to your advantage.

Some examples:
http://www.foodportfolio.com/frames/base_frame.html

And an interesting read:
http://digitalmedia.oreilly.com/2004/09/...hotos.html

Hope that's helpful.

[Irma]

Thanks a lot! You really don't know how helpful is your post really.

I'll tell you that I am about to upload my new version of my Recipe book, it has been always very simple, but now getting into photography I thought I could make it more interesting... more captivating...

I took some pictures of that breakfast, and I am not too happy with them. The thing is that I upload everything this weekend (I hope) and I don't have time to make more pictures. However, I know now how to do it and I will try with regular dishes and things just to see and have ideas.

The sites you gave me will help me a lot. I have to say I have half of the way done, I like to cook and I love to eat

Thanks again.

[shuttertalk]

Good tips, Mitch. Do check your focus as well - the loaves in the back are a bit soft -- although it could be used as a good effect if your subject is clearly identified and in focus.

[Toad]

I dunno Irma - too frantic...I think Mitch said it all...

[Don Schaeffer]

This is a real situation photo. It's take it or leave it photography. I makes no sense to suggest a different position or arrangement. Maybe you could blur the cups. An even tighter crop would make it into a flat wall paper like photo, but very decorative.

--Don

This is what I mean:

[jericho]

Mitch has very nicely summed up the key points.

My only other suggestion, is that it seems to have a bit of a red/orange cast to the phtoto which takes away from the inidividuality of each bread type. Granted they are all breads with similar colors, but with some color correction, I think they would look a lot more tempting.

Jerry.

[Irma]

~~Don: Thanks a lot!! really. It is very nice, and you are right! with a crop I can use it very well. Great idea

~~Jericho: You are totally right. I will try to repair the color... I always get this red/orange cast as you said when I have the light on at home... It was in the dinning table and I had the light on... What I really don't know is if it is a good idea just to switch off the light or use flash?

Thanks again for your comments..

[Cailean]

Sounds like a white-balance problem... Most cameras have different white balance settings - and if you're lucky, your cam has a 'custom' white balance that you can set under any lighting condition...

Here's an excellent description of white balance:http://www.photoxels.com/tutorial_white-balance.html

[Irma]

Yes Cailean, that seems to be the problem I have seen the pictures in the tutorial and I have some of my pictures like those ones, so I will read it tomorrow and try it out.

Thanks a lot for the link

[DJ1234]

Irma,

First of call congrats on having your camera with you while you were out doing stuff with your friends. I think that's the biggest thing here. You're trying and that's bound to help you improve.

Second, in an example posted on Betterphotos.com Ansel Adams is said to have been shooting scenery with some conservation-minded friends when he stepped away from the camera, went up to the tree he was shooting and ripped a branch off. His friends were shocked and he simply explained that it did not belong in the picture.

My point? Unless you're shooting for journalistic reasons or you are die-hard a recording life "as is," you may consider interacting a bit with your subject. I would suggest at least moving the cups out of the background as they are a bit distracting.

I'm also including a link to another photoclubs newsletter. They recently had a guest product photographer visit and they tell a bit of what they learned. In there he explains why the bread looks so different in real life from that stuff on the box.

Hope it's helpful.

D.J.

http://eips.net/nl07_pdf/pg1jan07.pdf

[NT73]

White balance for indoors with the lights on .......use 'tungsten' unless you have fluorescent lights. or custom white balance...(see canon instruction book)
Tungsten being bulbs, and Fluorescent either long tubes or high energy power saving bulbs.

About the photo, everything seems to have been said.

[Irma]

So nice to see my picture. I took it three years ago, with my beloved olympus...

Thanks so much for your comments DJ and NT... At the moment I take my pictures in RAW so I can play my WB a bit freely, but it is always better to take them with the proper WB setting