Tricks Food Photographers Use to Make Food Look Delicious

Food photographers have an arsenal of tricks up their sleeves to make food look delicious on camera. And more often than not, these hacks make use of non-edible products that aren’t appetizing. Blossom has created an eye-opening video that reveals the dirty (sometimes literally) little tricks of food photographers.

Watch the 2.5-minute video here:

Here’s a rundown of the tricks shown in the video (watch the video to see how each one looks on camera):

• Cardboard spacers add height to food
• Motor oil is a syrup substitute that doesn’t absorb into pancakes
• Toothpicks hold ingredients in place
• Makeup sponge can add height to a burger
• Vegetable oil adds a juicy look to meat
• Glue is a milk substitute that doesn’t make cereal soggy
• Dish soap creates longer lasting foam in fizzy drinks
• Corn syrup and food coloring can create ice cream that doesn’t melt
• Super glue repairs tears in bird skin
• Browning liquid can be made to shoot raw birds without roasting
• Shaving cream is used as whipped cream that doesn’t melt
• Ramekins can be used to keep garnishes on the surfaces of soup
• Tampons are soaked and microwaved to create steam

You can find more food photography hacks here, here, here, and here. You can also find more of Blossom’s videos on its YouTube channel and Facebook page.

from PetaPixel https://petapixel.com/2018/11/30/tricks-food-photographers-use-to-make-food-look-delicious/

Keeping Colors Consistent in Photography in 3 Easy Steps

The post Keeping Colors Consistent in Photography in 3 Easy Steps appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

In this video by Gavin Hoey from Adorama, he discusses ways of keeping colors consistent throughout your photography process.

Keeping Colors Consistent in 3 Easy Steps

Using these 3 quick steps in your photography workflow will make your process much easier and save you time.

1. Begin with the Right Computer Monitor

Begin with a great monitor, because a bad monitor makes editing your photos difficult. A monitor with at least 100% of the sRGB color space will work. Even better, is a monitor that displays 99% of AdobeRGB color space, such as the BEN Q SW2700.

You will need to color-calibrate the monitor. Get the best out of your monitor using a color calibration tool. Using something like an X-Rite i1 Display Pro Display and Monitor Calibrator. See more on using it here.

2. Getting Colors Right In-Camera

Set a custom white balance using a color checker passport. Open up to the grey side. Get the model to hold it in front of them. Fill the frame with the white card, use the custom white balance mode in camera (varies from camera to camera) and take a photo. Your white balance should now be correct.

Setting in-camera means you can show your subjects the photos in-camera.

Also saves you time in post-processing. The image may then look a bit wrong when looking through the view-finder. Just check the image when you take it – it should look correct.

Next, take a picture of the color checker passport fully-open to the color side, and under the same lighting conditions. We will use this to make the profile. This color setting will be used for the entire shoot.

3. Set-up Your Custom Profile in Photoshop

With the shoot done, it is time to make the Photoshop custom profile for post-process editing.

Bring the RAW file of the model holding the color checker passport into Photoshop. Open it as a DNG (Digital Negative) and save it somewhere that is easily accessible. Close the file.

Find your DNG file and drag and drop it onto the Colour Checker Passport application. The application will do all the work for you. All you need to do is click ‘create profile’ and save it with a unique name for that particular shoot/set-up. It is saved as a new color profile.

Next, open your RAW file into photoshop. Go to the ‘Profile’ Tab and select ‘Browse.’ Go to your saved profile and select it.

How do you use this profile for all the images across your shoot?

Go back to Camera RAW. Choose the icon in the top corner of the panel, and select ‘set as new camera RAW default.’ All of the photos you open will now apply the new color profile, keeping your entire shoot consistent.

 

You may also find the following articles helpful:

How to Choose the Right Monitor for Photo Editing

Setting Your White Balance with a Gray Card – a Tip from Phil Steele

Setting The Mood By Adjusting Your White Balance

How to Use the X-Rite ColorChecker Passport to Obtain Perfect Color

How to Make Custom Camera Raw Profiles for Lightroom & Photoshop

The post Keeping Colors Consistent in Photography in 3 Easy Steps appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

from Digital Photography School https://digital-photography-school.com/keeping-colors-consistent-photography/

Can Hasselblad Compete Against Fujifilm in Medium Format?

7 Ways To Take Your Photography To The Next Level

The post 7 Ways To Take Your Photography To The Next Level appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kav Dadfar.

It easy to stagnate as a photographer. It’s a lonely hobby where you often work alone spending hours in pursuit of one photo which may not materialize. You can begin to lose interest and become lazy. This loss of interest can manifest itself in your photos which, in turn, demoralizes you further. As with many hobbies, the great thing about photography is you can reignite your passion. So here are 7 ways to take your photography to the next level.

1. Photograph Something Different

One of the things many photographers are guilty of doing is photographing the same things over and over again. If you did the same thing again and again, eventually you’d get fed up with it. So, a great way to boost your passion for photography is to photograph something completely different. For example, if you are a travel photographer, spend some time photographing wildlife. If you take portraits, start photographing food.

Not only will this help reignite your passion, but it can also add more skills to your repertoire. You never know, you may find a new passion you never knew you had.

2. Work On a Brief

Remember when you were at school and had to work on projects set by the teacher? It required you to learn about the subject, think about it and create a piece of work to present to your teacher. The concept of working on a brief is the same. You are given a topic or subject to photograph, and you take photos that answer the brief.

The project could be anything from a simple task of documenting a local event, to photographing a remote tribe in another country. Many people who take up photography as a hobby take photos of things that they come across rather than a specific brief. Working on a brief can help focus your photography and make you think about things differently.

Ask a friend or family member to set you a brief. It could be on anything. After you receive the brief, go about creating a set of images that respond to it.

3. Set Yourself a Challenge

Another way to improve your photography is to set yourself challenges. These can help diversify your portfolio. For example, you may have lots of photos but are missing some nice close-ups. So, set yourself a challenge to capture one close-up image every day. Perhaps you have a weakness in a specific area of photography? Set yourself a challenge to improve that one element.

If you are a shy person and struggle to approach people to take their photo, set yourself a challenge to photograph ten people in one day. You’ll be surprised how much more confident you feel after doing so.

4. Read, Watch, Follow

One of the best ways to improve your photography is to be inspired by photographers whose work you admire. Follow photographers on social media whose work inspires you. Look at the work of the masters like Ansel Adams, Steve McCurry, and Robert Capa. Read books such as the ‘Bang Bang Club‘ and watch documentaries and movies about photography. Even flicking through photography books or magazines can help inspire you. However, remember the objective should be to be inspired, not copy someone else’s work.

5. Get a Photo Buddy

Photography is usually an isolated hobby and can be difficult to judge how well you are doing. Having someone who shares your passion can help motivate you while also giving you someone to bounce ideas off. You can learn from one another and push each other to capture better images. If you don’t know anyone who has a passion for photography, join your local camera club where you can meet likeminded individuals.

6. Rent or Buy a Film Camera

There is no doubt that cameras are better and more powerful than they have ever been. You’ll find it hard finding many photographers who still shoot in film.

Still, one negative of digital photography is that it makes the decision of taking photos easy. Back in the days of film, every single photo you took cost money. Meaning, you had to be sure of what you were photographing to avoid wasting money. So you didn’t waste money, you had to think a lot harder about a scene. You had to think about your settings and if it was an interesting subject. You didn’t have the luxury of looking at the picture on the back of your camera.

Try it out. Rent film camera for a day, or buy a second-hand one, and see if it makes you think differently about photography.

7. Go On a Photo Tour

Photo tours are quite common these days. Tours usually entail going to a country and touring it with the purpose of capturing photos. Ranging from a few days to weeks, tours are one of the best ways to boost your photography. You are away with likeminded individuals who share your passion, and you are joined by a professional photographer who can help you with your photographic weaknesses.

Nevertheless, arguably the most significant benefit of a photo tour is you are immersed in photography every day for weeks. If you keep practicing and doing something for hours every day, it’s natural for you to become better at it. So, if you haven’t tried a photo tour or workshop, give it go. It could be the best way to boost your photography skills and passion.

Like any other hobby or profession, you need to continually challenge yourself, set goals and have the motivation to create great photos. Sometimes that comes naturally, like when you are heading to a fantastic destination. At other times you have to make an effort to push yourself to be able to take your photography to the next level. The above tips should help you on your way, but ultimately it is down to you to push yourself.

What do you do to improve your photography? Tell us below.

The post 7 Ways To Take Your Photography To The Next Level appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kav Dadfar.

from Digital Photography School https://digital-photography-school.com/take-your-photography-to-the-next-level/

Capture One 12 Brings a Redesigned UI, New Masking Tools, and More

Phase One just launched Capture One 12, the latest major version of the popular RAW conversion, photo editing, and asset management software.

“This release takes a top-down approach to streamline, modernizing, and improving the user interface to continue the program’s tradition of providing powerful features in a customizable, uniquely-configurable interface,” Phase One says.

“With this update, we focused on creative control — updating and improving the user interface, adding powerful new masking tools, and extending the Capture One ecosystem through plug-in support,” says VP Jan Hyldebrandt-Larsen. “These updates further our commitment to ensuring that Capture One continues to be the industry’s recognized leader in accuracy, performance, and customizability.”

Here’s a rundown of new features found in Capture One 12 in Phase One’s words:

Powerful, Refined Interface

“Capture One 12 introduces a newly re-designed, contemporary interface, designed to make Capture One easier to use during long editing sessions and to make discovery, experimentation, and customizability easier than ever. New iconography better conveys tool functionality, and the new slider design, the spacing of the tools, and font size increase improve both the look and the usability of the program.”

Revamped Menu System

“Every menu item in Capture One 12 has been evaluated, categorized, and organized according to its logical function and grouped along with associated tasks, which makes it easier to find the desired controls and settings, and brings the Mac and Windows menu options into alignment.”

Luminosity Masking

“One of a trio of new masking tools, Luma Range allows users to quickly create masks based on the brightness of pixels in an image and is the most powerful luminance masking tool of its kind. […] The masks created with the Luma Range tool are dynamic and can easily be tweaked and modified at any point in the workflow. Unlike a hand-drawn mask, Luma Range adjustments can be applied from one image to another, and the effect will be based on the luminance of each image. This functionality is a huge time-saver as it eliminates the need to create precision masks for each frame in a shoot.”

Linear Gradient Mask

“Capture One 12 takes gradient masks to the next level, allowing for editable, moveable, rotatable—and best of all—asymmetric gradient masks. Using a brand-new Parametric Masking Engine, Capture One allows for adjustments in the size, shape, and symmetry of the masks with simple mouse clicks and key presses, truly redefining the possibilities of linear gradients in Capture One.”

Radial Gradient Mask

“The new Radial Gradient mask tool enables quick, flexible radial masks, useful for vignette and other adjustments with a desired falloff effect. Using the same Parametric Masking Engine as the Linear Gradient mask tool, radial masks can be adjusted, rotated and moved after creation for extreme control over desired effects.”

Redesigned Keyboard Shortcut Manager

“Capture One is known for its ability to custom-assign and custom-configure virtually every task to a keyboard shortcut. With more than 500 individually-assignable and customizable commands, it’s essential to be able to find the exact shortcut, without having to hunt through hundreds of choices. Users can now search by the specific menu command, or by the assigned keyboard shortcut, making it easy to find and manage shortcuts. To unify the interface between the Mac and Windows versions the new menu system has been moved to the same location on both platforms, making it easier for workgroups to stay in sync.”

New Plug-in Ecosystem

“To address the needs of photographers and creatives looking to share, edit and collaborate on their images, the new Capture One plug-in ecosystem will allow for powerful third-party extensions. The new Capture One SDK will allow any developer to create custom solutions to expand Capture One, and to transform Capture One into an open ecosystem. Users of Capture One will be able to extend the platform with the upcoming addition of plug-ins that allow for sharing, editing, and that can connect Capture One to a variety of specialized editing tools.”

Copy and Apply

“When copying adjustments between images, Capture One will automatically detect changes for a quick workflow. Image specific adjustments like composition or spot removal are ignored by default, but can be manually included if needed.”

Fujifilm Film Simulation Support

“Thanks to the collaboration between Capture One and Fujifilm, photographer’s using Fujifilm’s renowned X-Series and GFX-series cameras will be able to edit photos complete with Fujifilm Film Simulations. These in-camera settings have been faithfully reproduced in Capture One, to provide an identical experience when working with files, resulting in images that appear the same as if the Film Simulation picture profiles were applied in-camera.”

Extended AppleScript Support

Users of Capture One on Mac OS can take advantage of extended AppleScript support for automation and workflow streamlining. More than a dozen of Capture One 12’s areas and properties can now be directly modified with AppleScript, adding to the existing, robust AppleScript support in previous versions of Capture One.”

New Camera and Lens Support

“In addition to the RAW support for more than 500 cameras, Capture One also provides profiling and image correction support for more than 500 lenses. Like with the RAW file interpretation, Phase One carefully measures the optical characteristics of each supported lens and builds correction algorithms that compensate for the various optical imperfections of various designs. New camera support: Nikon Z7, Nikon Z6, Fujifilm GFX 50R, Canon EOS R, Canon EOS M50.”

Learn More

Phase One has released a large number of tutorials that introduce how the new features work on its YouTube channel:

Max Bridge of Square Mountain also made this helpful 18-minute video looking at the new features:

Availability and Pricing

Capture One 12 is available now with a perpetual license for $299 (upgrading costs $149). There’s also a subscription model that costs $15 per month and up.

from PetaPixel https://petapixel.com/2018/11/29/capture-one-12-brings-a-redesigned-ui-new-masking-tools-and-more/

5 Things Photographers Can Learn From the Old Masters of Painting

Instagram Launches AI Descriptions of Photos for the Visually Impaired

Instagram is taking a step toward being more accessible by adding auto and manual descriptions of photos for visually impaired users.

“We are introducing two new improvements to make it easier for people with visual impairments to use Instagram,” Instagram writes. “With more than 285 million people in the world who have visual impairments, we know there are many people who could benefit from a more accessible Instagram.”

First, there’s a new AI system that will automatically generate descriptions of photos through screen readers when visually impaired users are browsing the Feed, Explore, and Profile sections of the app. The feature uses object recognition technology that studies each photo and comes up with a list of recognized items in the image.

If you’d like more control over what the descriptions of your photos are, the Instagram all now lets you add custom alternative text as well. In Advanced Settings when posting a new photo, there’s a new option called Write Alt Text.

This lets you provide a richer description than what the AI is currently capable of creating.

“These are just first steps toward creating a more accessible Instagram,” the Facebook-owned company says.

from PetaPixel https://petapixel.com/2018/11/29/instagram-launches-ai-descriptions-of-photos-for-the-visually-impaired/