Researching food/fruit photographers.

I am going to do a fruit photo-shoot so the research will be relevant. I will be looking at things like:

-Fruit Photography/ers

-Looking at how to make fruit look extra shiny/fresh

-Looking at how to prepare the fruit for the shoot

-Looking using Photoshop to brighten fruit on photos just that little bit more

And I will be doing my own research like:

-Testing out different heights to see which is the best to spray the fruits at the achieve the nest looking droplets

-What angles look best

-Practice shots, preparing fruit

-The rule of thirds

One photographer I looked at was Steve Payne.

"Creative design along with mouthwatering high impact photography is vital to establish the brand message to the consumer for your fruit produce.

Steve Payne Photography specialise in food & drink photography, studio facilities include an extensive range of photographic props, on-site kitchen to create high quality digital photographs of fruit produce including apples, oranges, bananas and much more.

Working closely with design agencies for clients as diverse as Kraft, Green Isle, Martel, B.H.S, Barclaycard. Along with an established relationship with Tesco."

He doesn't just photograph fruit.

"Steve Payne Photography specialise in food & drink photography. Studio facilities include an extensive range of photographic props and on-site kitchen to create high quality digital photographs of all meal and food types including ready meals, cereals, meat, poultry, fish, pies, pasta, salads, desserts and drinks of all kinds from beer to soft drinks to fruit juices."

I love the lighting of this photo, it is perfect. I like how the blue is highlighted and the little black holes at the top are left dark. The leaves at the bottom are fully light and you can see all of the veins that run through them. 

This is the kind of thing that I am planning on doing but with limes.

Taken from his website: http://www.stevepaynephotography.co.uk/gallery_fruit.html

"The food photography techniques in this post are ones that I use in photos I take for both a local food magazine and my wife’s cupcake blog. I’ve broken these techniques down into a few areas that give some ideas and suggestions to help you photograph and showcase your food.

Styling Your Food for Photography

I’ve never had the luxury of working with a food stylist; if you aren’t well-known, you will most likely take on this role yourself. While I lack the massive collection of props that a professional stylist would own, I do have at my disposal some place settings, backgrounds, and typically some degree of control over how food is presented. I don’t tend to use stand-ins or other tricks to get the results that I want, but remember that those are available if you need them. Whether I am at home or out shooting at restaurants, I am always challenged to use my on-hand supplies and creativity to create the right mood and draw the viewer in without distracting them. Getting started in styling food is not as difficult as you might think:

• Place solid or simple patterned papers (available at a scrapbooking store) as a background. Figure out what works and does not work in terms of contrast and similarity. Also, make sure that you have enough paper to completely cover the entire field of view.
• Experiment with incorporating serving pieces, whole place settings, napkins, placemats, and tablecloths. Set the table with silverware, drinks, and even candles to convey the right mood. If you’re budget-conscious, you can always find these items at thrift and resale stores, flea markets, and garage sales.
• If you have multiple food subjects available to you (like two dozen cupcakes from which to choose), use only the best examples. A blemish can easily ruin an entire photoshoot.
• Mist fruit, vegetables, and glassware with water to create condensation and make them look more appetizing. Shiny food appeals more than dull food, and anything you can do to make your food shine will make a more interesting photo.
• Incorporate elements from the food you’re shooting or place appropriate condiments in the frame. Slice cucumbers thinly and place them on top of yogurt soup to lend it some freshness. Accompany Thai food with small bowls of sugar, chili, fish sauce, and fresh limes. Some ideas will work, and some won’t.

Food Photography Composition

My natural inclination when I started photographing food was to anchor myself somewhere, pick one zoom length for the entire shoot, center the food in the frame, and look down on it at a 45-degree angle – after all, this is how food appeared when I sat down to eat dinner. What I realized is that it didn’t make for interesting photos. Better shots play with angles and perspective:

• Zoom – with both your lens and your feet – to put the food in its place. Whether you are using a prime lens or a zoom lens, you can always get in close to magnify a detail of the food or loosen the shot up to show the food as a component of a larger meal.
• Rotate along all three axes. Some food looks best when looking directly down on it, while other food has an interesting side profile that can only be seen when shooting across the food at its level. Slightly tilting the camera clockwise or counterclockwise can add some interest to an otherwise dull photo. Take advantage of the low cost of experimentation since you’re shooting digitally.
• Use the rule of thirds. In general, the rule of thirds helps to easily give you compositionally strong photos, and this holds true not only for landscapes and action shots but for food as well. Practice following it to learn when you should treat it as a suggestion rather than a rule.
• Take advantage of the fact that your subjects won’t walk away. While a lot of food stylists say that you only have a short time to work with food after it’s served, that hasn’t been my experience (ice cream being the exception). I always feel that I can walk around, zoom, hover, and poke and prod to get the shots I need.

Remember Established Photography Techniques

You should apply to food photography all of the other general photographic principles that you read about or already know. Aim for soft shadows, good exposure, and good color rendering. Experiment with your focal point and available apertures. Pay close attention to white balance and color casts or consider shooting RAW. Use a tripod if you aren’t going to be stable enough to keep your food from shaking. Finally, don’t be afraid to add some artistic flair to your images through creative post-processing."

Taken from: http://www.digital-photography-school.com/food-photography-techniques-and-tips#

Another photographer I found was Jane Sharp.

They are based in London, and they photograph: Still Life, Food, Products, Portraits, Jewellery and Fashion.
Sharp Photography is run by Jane Sharp. She origianly wanted to be a pilot but then realized that her true passion was photography and she became the assistant to some very well known photographer. She has over 15 years of experience and has clients all over the world. Some of these include: Axa Insurance, Binary Vision, Bite Magazine, Easy Jet Airlines, Martine Wester Jewellery, Miss Lily White and many more..

These kind of shots are perfect. They are well lite and very minimal with what is there other then what is needed, in this case the product. 

This looks like it is an x-ray of a gun but it is really a water gun placed on a bright background to make the plugs stand out.

This dogs back is covered in glitter. I think it is a very strange and beautiful way of photographing such a majestic animal.

I love this shoot because everything about it screams 'FRESH'. The advert is for cheese that has herbs and leaves in it and the photographer has thought about it really hard and come up with this, having a loaf of natural seedy sliced bread on a chopping board and a butter knife outside on a bush with the cheese next to it.

This is my favourite jewellery shot, mainly because everything that is in the picture is relevant. The jewellery is very oriental and the Lilly, the rock and the paper it is sat on is all in keeping with the theme.

They also work with a range of stylists that include: Fashion, Hair and Make-up Artists, Prop stylists, Food stylists and Home economists.