Bert DeMars
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Upload & Sell: On
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davekatz wrote:
AuntiPode wrote:
Of course it's subjective. That's why I make suggestions. Appeal, to me, is simply what appeals more to me and makes me want to dig in. 
I'm glad it makes you want to dig in
Bert DeMars wrote:
davekatz
In a food shot everything should have defined detail and color. If shown in the shot, napkins, cutlery, and dinnerware are part of the eating experience, which adds to the ambiance of your entree. There should be even lighting from both sides of the subject dish. You’ve lost all detail in the fettuccine pan, left side - probably why you cropped it vertically. The bunched up napkin/towel in the foreground is a large distraction. Think you would have a better impact if the fettuccine were shown in the actual dish with no clipped sides. The coloration of the fettuccine and peas is spot on. There is no evidence of sauce, and placement of the peas is a bit contrived. Check out some “eats” magazines for ideas on lighting and setup. Sorry if I sound blunt, but that’s my two cents worth.
Bert, you don't sound blunt at all. I'd be very curious to know which eats magazines you're referring to/getting this aesthetic from, because what you're describing sounds like a commercial aesthetic, which isn't quite what I'm going for.
...If you don't mind indulging, I find this discussion on aesthetics fascinating- how do different types of photographer's see a subject matter like food in their mind's eye? Where does that image come from?
If, as you say you’re not going for a “commercial” look, then checking out work in cuisine mags wouldn’t be helpful.
You asked about “How do different types of photographers see a subject matter like food in their mind’s eye”. Can’t speak for others, but for me, any subject matter is all about presentation. We, as submitting photographers sometimes become so invested in a shot, that we don’t want to consider other’s ideas for presentation. At most, its only a couple of bucks of pasta and peas. And free film.
Firstly, you entered your posting in the “Photo Critique” forum, which one assumes you’d like constructive criticism. Some on the forum use effusive descriptions of subject matter so as not to discourage the photographer. And sometimes, beat it to death trying to save a single frame.
You labeled your entry “Fettuccine Alfredo”. My mind set gets ready to see Fettuccine Alfredo. The swirls of pasta are nicely arranged, and the peas are spaced well. I suppose you could add peas to the classic dish, or walnuts, or raisins, etc. When you sprinkle parsley over an entree, it usually means its a finished dish ready for serving. However, a frying pan of plain pasta with a small amount of peas, no evidence of the creamy Alfredo sauce, isn’t my idea of mouth-watering.
If you want to present it as aesthetic object d’art, perhaps eliminate the background and maybe throw a black vignette around it as seen below.
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), it might be something to note. Actually, I thought it was a counter tile for quite a while. It probably bothered me more once I realized it was a napkin, than it did at first visual perception.
