Welcome to Food Photography

Okay,
In this blog I plan on choosing different food shots I have done and explaining how they were created. Some people feel that food photography is more difficult than other types of commercial photography. I disagree. Those who know me well know that I feel that photography is all about controlling light and focus. That I feel, is the food photographer's job as well. We control light and focus so that we can manipulate a consumer's eyes to a certain point in an image, usually the product who is paying for the job.
The TEAM:
In addition to the photographer (me), this shot had a photo assistant who did everything photographic except light the shot and shoot the final image. There was a food stylist who made the Oreos®, poured the milk and made the bubbles.
The FOOD STYLIST:
Alyssa is my favorite food stylist. She and an assistant went through many cases of Oreo® base cakes, looking for perfect unbroken ones. After they found enough for the actual shot plus extras, they made a batch of the white filling which they then piped out of a pastry bag in a long, white "rope". They next took the icing rope, laid it around the outside edge of the bottom base cake and then popped the top Oreo® on. Let's see, Alyssa had to create the 10 Oreos® for the shot itself and at least 10 more just in case. Then she arranged the food, poured the milk and placed the bubbles. Food styling is a tough job and Alyssa does it very well!
The LIGHTING:
Oreos® need a broad light bouncing off their tops at a severe angle so this shot had a large light bank off to the left to light the face of the upright Oreo®, the other Oreos® and the milk. There was also an optical spot-light off to the right to carefully light the back Oreo® pile without affecting the milk. That's it. That's how we did this shot. It was made into a poster, and hangs in some very nice offices (including my own).