I am proud of my most recent shot because it is a culmination of everything that I have learned in the past year. From the technical aspects to the style that I would like to have as a photographer. I hope to make every image in my portfolio as strong as this one, if not better.
For this image, I really focused on getting that stylized messiness in my image. Learning to let go of order and at the same time making something not look ugly was a learning curve. After I started getting what I wanted, I began to love the look. One of my favorite aspects of food photography is that I can really work on my styling skills which I love doing.
I found these pastries at Whole Foods, I chose them for their color and freshness. The set up was quite easy, I used window lighting and a few black cards to add shadows. The surface that I used was a dark gray with white texture, it is one of my favorites surfaces to shoot with.
I opened one of the treats to make it as though someone just left the scene. I also filled in the silvers so that their wouldn't be any reflections. In post, I desaturated the silver which overall made a huge difference. Adding crumbs and flakes to the image tied in the messiness without having to touch any of the other pastries. You really have to have a lot of control as a stylist, every crumb and spill on the utensils was placed exactly where I wanted it to be. I love the fact that it looks thrown together, but every part of this image was carefully thought out.
Things that I have learned and practice:
Always ask "how can I make this look better?" before finishing.
Know when to stop shooting.
Do what makes you happy because you are shaping your style as a photographer.
Don't be afraid to make a mess, but also balance it with knowing less is more.
