Tasty muffins - Help

[acsky]

Hi everyone

My wife is experimenting in the kitchen baking some muffins, which led me to experiment with the photography of these tasty subjects.

Usually when I take a picture of our dinner is under the light of lightbulb, but this time there was enough light outside to try taking the picture with natural light. So I placed the muffins by the window.

First picture. Shot in raw. I adjusted the color temperature to 8100 K.

Second shot. I used the flash to soften the shadows. Since I don't have a diffuser I used a white rag to reduce the strength of the flash. Shot in raw. Color temp adjusted to 9000 K.

I didn't make any further adjustments on the pictures. I want to know in which image the muffins look tastier, and what would you do to make them look even better.

Thanks for your help.

Toño

(1)


(2)

[Geoff F]

The first one for me, Tono. But I suspect the problem with the second shot is the brightness from the window area and plate.

If these were toned down a bit I suspect the image would look better.

[Bobobird]

Nice shots. I agree with Geoff on the 2nd.

As for tastier - cannot really say, maybe removing the cup may have helped ?

[Geoff F]

Possibly placing one without a cup on top of the others.

[Plumcrak]

The first shot looks better to me, second is too harsh.
As for tastier, well, you could send me a couple to sample and I would let you know...

[acsky]

Thanks Geoff and Bobo. I agree the second image is too bright. Here is a new version of the second image. I reduced the brightness, increased the contrast a bit and reduced the highlights.

[acsky]

Now a second version of the image shot with natural light. I increased the brightness, reduced the highlights, toned up the shadows and increased the contrast a bit.

Now I have to say that this one still looks better...

What my wife said was she is not going to buy purple cups again

[lillidiver]

sorry, I'm not fluent in English!
The second version is better for me, I believe you want me to eat your tasty muffin's wife, so this option (angle a little higher), shows better the muffins , they are really home made, and seem to delicious !!!

[acsky]

Thanks for your comments Jon and Lillian

[rpcrowe]

Tono,

The edge of the window behind the plate bothers me a bit!

[acsky]

Hi Richard

First I wanted to have the right lighting on the muffins, but I guess I know what you mean. What about this crop?

[FrankMi]

Toño, I am amazed that the muffins lasted long enough for you to get a reshoot! Wouldn't happen here!

[acsky]

Hahahahaha no Frank, they did not!

In fact I think those were gone right after I posted the first two images

[gilliebg]

Hi Toño. I think the fourth picture has it about right; I would have cropped in on the left to the edge of the plate, then blurred the window sill and curtain a little, added a nice cup of tea and enjoyed the muffins!