Put away your cameras, and get into the kitchen...

[carregwen]

I would love to know how you plan the light for shots like "A Cut Above" "Tea Time" the Melon shot and your eggistentialism (sp) shots. Also what kind of lights do you have, and a general idea of how the lights were set up for these shots. Sorry, I know that's a lot to ask. No rush, but enquiring minds want to know

Wendy

OK, but probably best to start another thread, I'll do it later.

[Wirefox]

They are pretty pretty (twice) good. This is the kind of picture I like.

Thanks Antonio. I will post my lunch and dinner shots later

I know you are very busy right now, but if you have time later, and if you don't mind, I'd love to know your setup for these. In particular backgrounds and lighting and whether or not you are using flash setup or studio lights

Hi Wendy. I have no studio lights I get confused enough with one light source. All these shots were taken on a work surface directly adjacent to a window so there was plenty of bright indirect natural lighting. I then used my speedlight, on the camera hot shoe as fill. Again this was made indirect and subtle by dialing in -2 FEC and bouncing off the ceiling on the side away from the natural light source. This provides just enough light for the subject but intentionally throws incidental and background detail into the shadows. Do not worry too much if the image looks too dark to start with. It is much easier to bring out the detail where I want it in PP than trying to hide well exposed incidental backgrounds.

The background, apart from the last image, is a old shelf with a high gloss coating. The last image is a flat load cell type kitchen scale with a black glass surface. For the shots that have a vertical background I used the black kitchen wall tiles (sounds odd but works a treat with stainless steel and light woods). Of course black art card is always an option where gothic decor is absent.

All images are shot in raw so that the white balance and general exposure can be tweaked. Once in photoshop (or GIMP in my case). Open levels take the black eyedropper and click on the darkest part of the image. Keep clicking until the desired effect is obtained. You may notice that this action clips the L/H side of the histogram. Do not worry provided you are seeing the effect you want. If not drag the black slider back to the left and start again. Next take a look at the right side of the levels histogram. Provided you have shot slightly underexposed you will have a gap between the axis of the histogram at the far right and the point at which the R/H end of curve actually starts to rise. Drag the white slider to the left. This bit needs judgement since if you drag too far you will start to blow highlights and brighten the main subject so that it looks artificial. When you are happy with that you save and close levels. If however there seems to be too much contrast in the image select the grey eyedropper and click on an area of the picture that is nearest to 18% grey. This can have a dramatic effect so be prepared to tweak the result by moving the grey slider to right or left a little. I rarely need to do this since I am looking for impact rather than a technically correct exposure



If your image lacks vibrancy (an to be honest I do this anyway) open curves. At a point on the diagonal plot which is about a quarter way in from the L/H axis drag the plot line down below the diagonal reference plot. Only a fraction though. Repeat at the R/H side of the plot but drag the line upwards slightly to form a very shallow S curve. Again the amount you manipulate this curve is down to your own judgement.



Finally I apply unsharp mask to taste

These are the fundamental PP steps I apply to ALL my images. It takes seconds and mkes all the difference

Hope this helps

Steve

[ScoutR]

Thank you Steve for taking the time for such a detailed and helpful reply. I have started a new document on Lighting and this is the first entry.

The PP info is also very helpful, lots to learn there too.

Rob said he is going to open a thread on Lighting, so I guess I will leave any further comments for that thread. It was fun doing these kitchen shots, but I need to invest in some kind of lighting set up.

Thanks again, hope to see the rest of you kitchen shoot soon

Wendy

[ScoutR]

OK, but probably best to start another thread, I'll do it later.

Sounds like a plan, thanks

Wendy

[Wirefox]

I will carry on on my lonesome. Remember the song "You Will Always Find Me In the Kitchen At Parties" Well this one is the Cooker Hood Blues

[Wirefox]

And finally......

Dinner (Lunch to people with block paving)


Tea (Dinner to people with block paving and a patio heater)

[carregwen]

This is just what I mean... some professional t****** of a photographer would get a few hundred quid to rattle this off for some swanky upper-middle class arty house-design rag, which would be read by the Chardonay-swilling Audi-driving Chealsea-ites in their loft conversions. You shoot it and you get nowt. Hard life. No justice.


Good shots.

Sorry. I just read your other post. I forgot the patio heaters.

[ScoutR]

I really like the simple repeating lines in this one.

In this one I like the geometry and the processing treatment. Looks like the same shot as #1 but I like the looks of this one.

Are you sure you don't do this for a living.

[ScoutR]

And finally......

Dinner (Lunch to people with block paving)


Tea (Dinner to people with block paving and a patio heater)

These look very appetizing, and now I'm hungry Very nice. Are you sure you don't do this for a living.
I like the frames too. I must look up the tutorial you posted for these.

[Klickit]

@ wirefox - a great set of kitchen images - all have their merit.

[Radu Dinu Cordeanu]

Hi Rob,
Very good!!!!
Radu Dinu

[Wirefox]

This is just what I mean... some professional t****** of a photographer would get a few hundred quid to rattle this off for some swanky upper-middle class arty house-design rag, which would be read by the Chardonay-swilling Audi-driving Chealsea-ites in their loft conversions. You shoot it and you get nowt. Hard life. No justice.

I think we may have visited the same 'Chip' Shop on life's weary way. I prefer to think I do it for the passion and love I have for photographing kitchen appliances. The buzz you get from a stainless hob is enough.....wait that sounds like a weird beard who spends their life in a shed at the bottom of the garden tinkering with his gadgets (I am astounded at my politeness here) and collecting bus tickets....how about (in the words of the great Ed Hillary) "I photograph it because it's there"

Are you sure you don't do this for a living.

Why thank you, but alas no photography just helps me relax. I have a job that involves engineering, probabilistic risk assessment, design base accident assessment and talking B*****ks The photography gets me completely away from that (apart from the talking B*****ks. That is why I try to avoid the high tech side of the hobby where at all possible.

[carregwen]

The buzz you get from a stainless hob is enough....

Wait until we get onto my induction hob.... and then the silicon oven gloves in bright orange.

It's a man thing.

[Crovean]

my turn

[carregwen]

Ah! A late entrant. Very good Chriss - good enough for Country Living magazine!

[Crovean]

Thanks Rob! I should have wipe clean the area before I took this shoot.

[carregwen]

I've just joined OneExposure (paid for a bronze membership). I thought I'd put my kitchen shots on there - if you want to take a look. Just click on 'gallery' http://carregwen.1x.com/ You can run a slide-show once a gallery is selected.

[carregwen]

Bad news, guys it's kitchen time again... shot with the Panasonic Pink G1 with matching red pinny.


Eggistential crisis - a death in the family

[Antonio Correia]

Bad news, guys it's kitchen time again... shot with the Panasonic Pink G1 with matching red pinny.

Excellent Rob
You are not going to eat the egg you have written on are you ?
I read somewhere that quimical enter the egg itself and that may be hazardous to Health.
You do master very well the CS5 don't you ? I am afraid I don't that much...

[carregwen]

Excellent Rob
You are not going to eat the egg you have written on are you ?
I read somewhere that quimical enter the egg itself and that may be hazardous to Health.
You do master very well the CS5 don't you ? I am afraid I don't that much...

Certainly not. I gave that one to my wife...