Taking Great Pictures of Great Cakes
Your photos should look as good as your cakes!
You've just spent hours creating an edible masterpiece, and you can't wait to share your creation with the world! Sometimes in our haste we forget to think about little details like wiping the counter, or sweeping the floor before taking a few snap shots to up load to CakesWeBake, but wait... Photographs are the medium we use to share our art with most of the world and our peers- the folks who don't get to see our actual cakes attractively displayed in all of their glory. After all the time you've spent mastering your skills as a cake decorator, it will pay to take some time to make sure your photos are presenting your work in its best possible light.
The first thing to keep in mind is to keep the cake the subject of the picture. Eliminate distractions like people, tools, icing bags, and general clutter from the backgroud to keep the focus on your cake. Make sure that anything that CAN be seen in the photo is clean and presentable. Wipe your counter, sweep and mop your floor, and clean any other surfaces that will be visible in your final compostition. Don't take pictures of cakes in the refrigerator!
Here are a few tips compiled from professional photographers who specialize in product photography:
Get some Background-
The first thing you’re going to need is a background to shoot the product against, you’ll notice that the majority of products are shot against solid colored backgrounds as this takes any distractions away, so the only thing to look at is the product! Shooting against a solid colored background also means the product is easier to ‘cut out’ in Photoshop if needed. Select a color that will provide contrast against the main color of your product to help the image to "pop". Try using a sheet, tablecloth, or cardboard to create a mini studio.
Lighting-
Lighting is pretty important in shooting products, the idea most of the time is to get the product fairly evenly lit, avoiding harsh shadows, so make sure you set up in a room with bright lights, or one that has bright ambient light coming through the windows.
Framing-
Simple compositions tend to work better with products. Zoom in to get as much in as possible, while leaving some space around your subject to "frame" it in the final composition. Avoid shooting from strange angles as well.
Product Position-
When shooting against a background, you don’t actually want it to be in focus. Place the product a bit in front of the background. If your camera is equipped with an adjustable aperture try it on a wide setting. The goal is to have your product in sharp focus, with an out of focus background.
Play around with product placement and focus, and take as many images as you think is necessary; It's always best to get a good selection and choose the one you want.
Processing-
Image editing software such as Picasa can be downloaded for free and can make the difference between a good picture and a great picture. Take the time to straighten and crop your images before posting or displaying them.
Good Luck, and Have Fun!
-JJ
You've just spent hours creating an edible masterpiece, and you can't wait to share your creation with the world! Sometimes in our haste we forget to think about little details like wiping the counter, or sweeping the floor before taking a few snap shots to up load to CakesWeBake, but wait... Photographs are the medium we use to share our art with most of the world and our peers- the folks who don't get to see our actual cakes attractively displayed in all of their glory. After all the time you've spent mastering your skills as a cake decorator, it will pay to take some time to make sure your photos are presenting your work in its best possible light.
The first thing to keep in mind is to keep the cake the subject of the picture. Eliminate distractions like people, tools, icing bags, and general clutter from the backgroud to keep the focus on your cake. Make sure that anything that CAN be seen in the photo is clean and presentable. Wipe your counter, sweep and mop your floor, and clean any other surfaces that will be visible in your final compostition. Don't take pictures of cakes in the refrigerator!
Here are a few tips compiled from professional photographers who specialize in product photography:
Get some Background-
The first thing you’re going to need is a background to shoot the product against, you’ll notice that the majority of products are shot against solid colored backgrounds as this takes any distractions away, so the only thing to look at is the product! Shooting against a solid colored background also means the product is easier to ‘cut out’ in Photoshop if needed. Select a color that will provide contrast against the main color of your product to help the image to "pop". Try using a sheet, tablecloth, or cardboard to create a mini studio.
Lighting-
Lighting is pretty important in shooting products, the idea most of the time is to get the product fairly evenly lit, avoiding harsh shadows, so make sure you set up in a room with bright lights, or one that has bright ambient light coming through the windows.
Framing-
Simple compositions tend to work better with products. Zoom in to get as much in as possible, while leaving some space around your subject to "frame" it in the final composition. Avoid shooting from strange angles as well.
Product Position-
When shooting against a background, you don’t actually want it to be in focus. Place the product a bit in front of the background. If your camera is equipped with an adjustable aperture try it on a wide setting. The goal is to have your product in sharp focus, with an out of focus background.
Play around with product placement and focus, and take as many images as you think is necessary; It's always best to get a good selection and choose the one you want.
Processing-
Image editing software such as Picasa can be downloaded for free and can make the difference between a good picture and a great picture. Take the time to straighten and crop your images before posting or displaying them.
Good Luck, and Have Fun!
-JJ
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Gretchen Belsome on
-
Thanks!!!!!!!!!
-
Permalink Reply by Suzy Zimmermann on
-
Thanks. Great info
-
-
Thanks. Great info
-
Permalink Reply by Leah Carpenter on
-
I'm dowloading Picasa!! Didn't know if was free... I think a great tool is to sit the cake at on end of a plain coloured bed sheet and get someone to hold the other end up behind the cake, leaving a gentle arch as the sheet is lifted up so all you see is that one colour behind the cake. Hope that makes sense.
-
Permalink Reply by JJ Becker on
-
Yeah that's not a bad way to go. If you don't have someone to hold the sheet you can use a couple of clothes pins and a small piece of rope to make a mini "clothesline" between two chairs or whatever.
Leah Carpenter said:
I'm dowloading Picasa!! Didn't know if was free... I think a great tool is to sit the cake at on end of a plain coloured bed sheet and get someone to hold the other end up behind the cake, leaving a gentle arch as the sheet is lifted up so all you see is that one colour behind the cake. Hope that makes sense.
-
Permalink Reply by Theresa Happe on
-
Thanks for posting this, JJ. You're such a good egg.
-
-
Thanks... that's what they said about humpty dumpty... I'm stayin' away from walls... lol...
Theresa Happe said:Thanks for posting this, JJ. You're such a good egg.
-
Permalink Reply by Heather Barbery on
-
Thank you so much for taking the time to help us all out :) I appreciate it!
-
Permalink Reply by Debbie Cattivera on
-
Great tips! Here's how I photograph my cakes. First, I went to the fabric store and bought a piece of black satin from a discontinued bin. I sit two 12x18 cake boards side by side as the backdrop, leaning one end against the wall, then drape the fabric wrong side out behind and in front of the boards, so the cake is sitting on the fabric and there's fabric all over where the camera sees (dull side showing, shiny side not showing), Then I snap a boatload of pictures from different angles and distances and try to choose the best one. I could sure use some tips for photographing food though, my cakes look a lot better than my photographs!
-
Permalink Reply by Dawn Becker on
-
I went out and bought one of those folded presentation boards - like kids use for science fairs. I drape my fabric over it. It's super tall for most cakes and you don't need an extra set of hands. I drape my fabric over the table and then over the board. If needed, I use clothes pins or even chip bag clips to secure it to the board on all three sides.
Leah Carpenter said:
I think a great tool is to sit the cake at on end of a plain coloured bed sheet and get someone to hold the other end up behind the cake,
-
-
That's a great idea! I think I'll pick one up next time I'm out! Then I can use my cake boards for cakes :)
Dawn Becker said:I went out and bought one of those folded presentation boards - like kids use for science fairs. I drape my fabric over it. It's super tall for most cakes and you don't need an extra set of hands. I drape my fabric over the table and then over the board. If needed, I use clothes pins or even chip bag clips to secure it to the board on all three sides.
-
Permalink Reply by monica murphy on
-
GREAT info, thanks much!!!
Popular Cake Searches
© 2024 Created by Theresa Happe.
Powered by
