On the screen I (Capture and workflow)
This project is based on the Waitrose food magazine that creates every seven images for its March edition cover article. The article's topic that I must make fresh food and recipes for the spring season in the centred which comes with the images required such as each frame in the layout using InDesign and will have to work around the layout and colour scheme that matches the spring season.
What is the role of a digital operator?
Digital operators are an important role at studio shoot. They are charge of computers, monitors and cameras, to task such as linking and next to the photographer on a computer checking to see if the images are sharp, in focus and looking out for wrong flash heads.
What are skills required?
Digital ops skills required to do basic retouchings such as colour balance and knowledge of Capture One and Photoshop software are important. Also, professional knowledge of macs and software.
Waitrose food magazine-
Waitrose Food is a monthly magazine celebrated for award-winning design with features such as food writers, original recipes, kitchen skills, restaurant news and reviews.
Food photographers-
Mowie Kay-
He is a Food photographer who shoots contemporary images that capture his natural light and passion for food foods. He collaborates with the range of UK’s food brands such as Waitrose, John Lewis, Mark & Spencer and more.
His food photoshoots inspired me to capture photoshoots of fresh food that look creative, such as detailed foods and attractive colours that got me drawn to his works. This has also supported the idea of creating food images for the middle spread page inside the magazine, and I would like to use a similar style of foods that position in the set.
Simone Van Den Berg-
She is a Netherland freelance food photographer and a food blogger which she shares her blog “Simone’s Kitchen”.
She created many spring recipes for food photoshoots that supported my idea, and it inspired me how she played it out with the colour, contrast and tone of brightness with foods that come out with spring season I am looking to create. I find many of her images that show good examples of food position.
INSPIRATION MOOD-BOARD
This inspiration mood-board, I found some images that have helped me develop an idea of layout the foods and use for position set and colour background. So, I decided to create some food recipe that I will make and play out with the food set to see which ones I like.
Test shoots-
These are test shoots I took using Nikon camera. I used a coffee table as the background behind the sliding door where the lighting went into the food, which made it look bright, even it was in the daytime. I am impressed with how I captured two images of oats, mixed summer fruits and yoghurt onto a spoon which looks purely natural and simple. However, on the right image, I love how the food looks on a plate, but I don't think it is bright and good quality, yet I forget to plan to take a pic of this set during the daytime instead of night-time which affected the lighting in the living room.
I have placed an image into the spread middle magazine using InDesign. I am pleased with how they came out simple and calm, which I wanted it to be. I learnt how to do the process on InDesign, and I find it easy than before. Next time, I should make an effect to edit more colour on the summer fruits making it bright and contrast the background using CaptureOne.
I decided to edit colours on summer fruits into the image using CaptureOne and improve the better quality so I again placed other image on InDesign.
IDEAS / PLANNING-
SIMPLE RECIPE-
CHOCOLATE PANCAKE
SUMMER MIXED FRUITS
LEMON
APPLE
Drawing diagram-
I am planning to place these foods onto the coffee table, next to the doors where sun goes in that support the tone of brightness using digital camera on the daytime.
PHOTOSHOOTS-
I am pleased with these photoshoots I took that they came out of good quality. Using CaptureOne, I edited these images that the fruits popped out with bright colours such as red, purple and yellow that contrast everything, even the grey background. I learnt how to use the right amount of speed shutter and aperture to capture these photoshoots, which shows the full detailed of fruits in these images.
InDesign layout-
I placed my favourite image into the layout, and it came out successful with the text. I love how the fruits show precise lines, tone and colours, making it look good with the layout.
I am disappointed with how these images look that the quality came out blurred and low, unprofessional. My camera lens turned out bad, and it didn't go well, as I have tried a different way to take test shoots, but it didn't work out, so I had no choice but to take these images food series into the layout magazine. I tried my best to edit these colours to make it look better, but it's still the same.
Using InDesign layout, I had to crop out these images to zoom up and place them into four layouts.
Below here-
Front cover layout-
Since my lens didn't work, I had to find one of the food images I took from a few weeks ago, and I think this image is the only good one I have got so far. I am pleased with how it looks with healthy foods on the plate, which contrast simple colours; however, I feel that the colour is not bold enough as it should be.
The final outcomes-
The outcomes-
These are the outcomes of these images using magazine layouts.
What went well?-
I have done seven photoshoots and know how to place these images using InDesign layouts. It gave me the confidence to know how to edit these images using CaptureOne, which I find easy to process. I also am pleased with how they look in the magazine, and it is related to the spring food season even I find it enjoyable to do food photoshoots.
What didn't went well?-
I didn't organise when / prepare the shoots before the outcome, and the Len turned out bad, so it didn't give me more chance to do better photoshoots. I need to improve on some areas such as the tools of colours, brightness, and tones using CaptureOne and brush up these images' quality.
What can I do better next time?-
I need to prepare the plan to do photoshoots and edit these images on time to see what I should improve on in the areas I need to work on.
