Just because I think it’s funny, today I’m showing you the evolution of one of my recent food photos. It’s for the eCookbook I’m writing and it’s delicious and healthy and it’s made in the crockpot and OH YEAH BABY.
Which reminds me, if you wanna know what’s the dealio with the eCookbook and see some behind the scenes…
join the Pinch of Yum VIP Team on Facebook! It’s really fun because, well, you guys have all been awesome. So newcomer, I’m welcoming you with a virtual side hug. And that was not awkward at all.
Okay, so back on track: today I wanted to just walk you through this recent photo shoot I had because when I really stopped and looked at this progression of photos in Lightroom, I was like, Lindsay. WHAT. What are you doing?! It’s such a funny and weird progression. But yet so normal for me. Is it normal for you? This is why I like to start conversations about workflow and behind the scenes stuffsies, because then I can figure out if I’m normal or not.
The captions under each photo reveal what I would have been (er, was) saying under my breath as I was taking these shots. In the end it all worked out. In the meantime, well, you’ll see.
So let’s dive right in with this mediocre first set up.
(For more specific information on the editing process, check out the eBook link at the end of this post! There are lots of video tutorials for editing in Photoshop and Lightroom included with my food photography eBook, Tasty Food Photography!)
So am I weird or … am I weird? Okay fine don’t tell me. But do tell me – do you say things like this in your head as you photograph your food? Do you rearrange and re-sprinkle cheese and get all worked up over bowl colors? Because these voices in my head are sometimes overwhelming. I MEAN FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY. Food photography voices.
At the end of the day, I do like to eat healthy soup made in the crockpot that tastes delicious with Parm on top, so I guess I am at least 20% normal.
Like food photography? —> I’ve got more stuff for ya.
Lastly: are you looking for a practical resource with simple tips and tricks? —-> Tasty Food Photography is right up your alley.
Thankz friends! I can feel my foggy head cold lifting just by talking about food photography on this happy Tuesday. Naturally.
Eat with the eyes first… yes, it takes sometimes many many shots, and sometimes over an hour to make it look right thru the lens…
Awesome BLOG here!!!
(But every time I visit, I have to go try)
Very fun, thanks for sharing.
Hey I love this post. True story as I do the same…Sometimes I got the perfect photo from the first shot, other times…Oh Boy… But hey this is food styling, you never know how your food will go 🙂
I love it that I’m not the only one doing that. Sometimes it feels like I spend 20 minutes cooking and an hour trying to get the final picture.
I’ve learned a lot from your blog. Thanks for sharing!
Chipabythedozen.blogspot.com
I joined your VIP group although this post was from a year ago so I am not sure if it is still a thing. I have thoroughly enjoyed your photography posts. I recently joined Food Blogger Pro after blogging for a few years (not very seriously at the beginning) anyway, I am always late to the party. 😉 Even when I think I have things figured out, I realize there is SO much to learn (and yes, this is what I am doing on a Friday night while my hubby and kids play monopoly. Ha!).
Love this post. For someone who has no idea how to edit photos of food… have any tutorials for lightroom?!
Yes! We have tons of tutorials on Food Blogger Pro (http://foodbloggerpro.com) and a few accessible with my ebook (https://pinchofyum.com/tasty-food-photography). Good luck!
I signed up! Loving it!
In the Army we had a saying 7P’s which means Prior Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.
Sitting down and spending 15 minutes thinking about what you are about to do will save you a lot of trial and error. And the first thing to worry about in any photo setup isn’t the propping etc. its the exposure. you nail down the proper exposure and white balance before you even bring the food onto the set.
haha! i love it! great idea to document all the changes… it’s fun what makes the final cut! love those geometric cheese slices, such a nice graphic element! ^__^ dang i want soup now.
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Yes, yes, yes. The internal monologue is just like me! Glad to know I’m not alone!
I’ve just read and taken notes from Tasty Food Photography – what an amazing book. And seeing this type of progression post really helps me to see more of your thinking – it’s like having a coach by my side. I truly appreciate your generosity is sharing what you know, Lindsay!
Any more photography on the horizon?
Thank you Suzanne! I certainly have some ideas up my sleeve – if only there were more hours in the day! 🙂 Glad to hear you liked the post!
Skipped a critical word in my post – photography BOOKS on the horizon was what I meant to ask.
Thank you for all your posts about photography. I just found your website and I read all your posts about taking pictures. I’m definitely going to implement your suggestions. I’m a new blogger and I will take all the advice I can get! Not only did I pin all your posts, I also bookmarked it for the future!
Thanks Anna!
Bahaha YES! Exactly! I always look back at my photo shoots and realize I’ve changed bowls, props, and backgrounds quite a few times before I’m happy! Love knowing I’m not the only one =) xo
Thanks so much to sharing al these tips. They are really helpful…. and i think that the suop was fantastic.
Saluti dell’Italia!
Maybe I’ll consider buying Lightroom . I’m using Picmonkey to edit my photos , hey , it’s free 😉 I’ll pin this post , okay ? Thanks !
I love these kinds of posts and would love to see more in the future! I don’t have a ton of props so it’s always great to hear what your favorites are. Thanks!
Thanks Katie! I recently bought some tiny little flat white dishes for garnishes, they’re like mini dipping bowls, like what you would get at a sushi restaurant for your soy sauce, but I’m using them in almost all my photos for the “extras” and toppings! A must have!
The biggest challenge in adding food blogging to our routine this month has been capturing images of the final dish WHILE getting a warm dinner out on time. Appetizers have proven to help, but it seems I just have to make some dishes twice. They don’t allow for a warm dinner plus “photo evolution.” Maybe with practice….
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Mark! I talk about this a little bit in my ebook, but one thing I’ve done is eat first and then shoot the remaining food after dinner. With hot melted cheese or certain foods, it’s not always possible. But with salads or other dishes, you can reliven them with a little water or oil spray and shoot it even when it’s cold without any consequence to how it looks in the photo. Something to think about! 🙂
I’m right there with you. My kiddo gets frustrated, “But I’m HUUUNGRRRYY””…. “BUT I DIDN’T GET THE SHOT RIGHT!!!!” Ugh…
Love this – thank you for sharing your process. I need to do more on the “trying more than once” thing. I sometimes move too quickly, and get nervous that people are ready to eat, and I’m still taking photos. Maybe I should just call dinner later, and take my time on the photography!
Thank you again 🙂
Thanks for sharing this post. Love seeing your thought process behind your fab photos.
Wow! Love seeing this process. Thanks for sharing!
It is comforting to see those last two images “Edit white balance, curves and color”.
Love the progression photos!!! It’s always fun to learn from other food bloggers!
Love your food photography tips Lindsey 🙂 Going through your Tasty Photography book this month too. Thank you for the practical tips that anyone can use. It’s helped a lot.
I love that you share these behind the scenes photos! Sometimes I think I’m crazy that I spend so much time in finding the right background or angle 🙂
I love the styling aspect of things and tend to go with what feels natural and stick with it … although I’m sure I’m probably deluded and need to play around with things a bit more! What I am more aware of struggling with though is the lighting (like almost everyone else!!) as I can’t buy lighting equipment right now as I”m travelling (and, well, it’s WINTER!) and also getting things sharp enough. I do have a tripod and know how to use it but I feel so much freer and easier without it. Do you use a tripod for all of your photos, Lindsay?? 🙂
Actually I hardly ever use one for the reasons you mentioned. I try to keep my shutter speed at 60 or higher so as not to get too much blur. I also do a lot of focusing by pressing halfway down, and then moving up a bit to reframe the picture while still keeping the focal point, and then shooting. I think that has a technical name but I can’t think of it at the moment…
Thanks for the tips, Lindsay … especially regarding shutter speed. I usually shoot in aperture priority so don’t check the shutter speed as often as I should, so when I’m struggling for light the sharpness is a bit hit and miss. I often do the focusing and moving thing but usually to control where the focus is rather than to help with sharpness, but good to know that it does help. Thanks again!