
What characteristics make one photo better than another? Let's see what they are.
Such a great skill to have. Once you know what to do, you will start doing it automatically to all the photo's that you see.
You can absolutely do this course with ANY equipment that you have. This lecture just shows you some gear that will make your life easier when shooting.
If you're shooting with your mobile phone, these tips will help you to extend its capabilities, and ensure sharp clear photos.
Once you understand how exposure works, then you can create more complex set ups and really push the boundaries.
All the fun starts here. Create more dynamic images by understanding how shutter speed changes movement of the elements in your frame
White balance can be used to get a photo technically correct, and then from there you can use it artistically to create an atmosphere in the image, by making it warmer or cooler.
We will look at the main camera angles to use when shooting, to photograph your food showing off it's best aspects.
Weighing up the differences between RAW & JPG - I'm sure you will understand which is the clear winner.
Where the focus is in the scene, will be where the viewer will look. I show you how to determine where to set your focus.
Add depth and more impact to your images by applying some of these simple techniques.
Super simple tips that you can implement in your food photos from today.
Understanding the light coming from your window or door is important, so that you know when is the best time to take advantage of it.
We have a look at the tools we use to shape light when shooting with daylight. I show you the equipment that you can buy, or what you can use instead around the house.
Most photographers stick to side light because it's easy. But let's look at all 3 directions that we can use, and when to use each one.
These directions usually don't give the best results. I show you them, and why to avoid them.
A behind-the-scenes video talking about side light and how I created this scene.
A behind-the-scenes video talking about back light and how I created theses scenes.
A behind-the-scenes video talking about back side light and how I created this scene.
I will talk about the differences between these lights, and how and why we create them.
It's so fun to completely change the mood of your image, just by changing your props and lighting. Let's see how we do this.
If you've photographed your image close to what you've imagined in your mind, then you only need to tweak in post processing. Your raw image will not be what you get when you look at the back of your camera when shooting. In fact it will look quite disappointing when you get it on your computer. In post processing, you will add that all that umph back to your image.
In the following videos, I will demonstrate an edits in Lightroom and Photoshop. I'll show you how to make an easy composite. If you're only using Lightroom at the moment, don't be scared to try Photoshop, there are some great, easy features and presets in there to use.
Remember, less is more. You don't need to over-edit your images. The colour and saturation in your edits should look real, or enhance the food.
Enjoy
A composite is joining 2 photo's together (or more) to take the best aspects of both, and make one final image.
Sometimes you will get a blue colour cast on white props which is very annoying. But good news is that it's simple to get rid of it, and I'll show you how to do it.
This practical course will teach you what makes a great food photo and how to achieve it from beginning to end. I've got you covered from using your phone to your DSLR using actionable techniques to transform flat, lifeless images into captivating photos that impress.
Hello and welcome!
I hope that you're as eager as I am about learning new techniques and improving your food photography. Photography is definitely a journey, and I want you to be patient with yourself with wherever you are. I've tried to cover all areas so that no one is left behind, and the more seasoned photographers still have room to learn and grow.
There is a popular quote that is so true:
Knowledge is power but knowledge without action is useless
And that's so true of photography! You need to apply and practice what you learn here in this course. The more you practice, the easier it will become.
How to make the most of my course, in the fastest possible way. Beginners should start with Section 1, if you are intermediate, you can skip until Section 3.
Section1: We will talk about camera gear and accessories used in food photography. I will discuss camera bodies, give my recommendations on different lenses, tripods, and accessories. I will explain how to make the most of your mobile camera too. This course is designed for anyone with a camera, so it's important to start taking photo's with whatever camera you have!
Section 2: This is for absolute beginners, or photographers using automatic mode on their camera's up until now. I will go through the basics of how camera exposure works so that you understand it, but you do not need to know every technical aspect of photography. I will show you the essentials. We will cover -
Exposure
White balance
Camera Angles
Shutter speeds
RAW vs JPG
Where to focus in the scene
11 ways to create depth in your images
Section 3: We will look at all the aspects that make up a good food image. I'll also show you how to read food images. This is really an important skill to have. It will help you to understand what you like in an image, and how you can recreate it in your own work.
Section 4: In this section, we will look at how natural light behaves and it's characteristics. I include one of my biggest takeaways from this course - What to STOP doing and what to START doing to dramatically improve your images. We're going to cover the directions of light and how we determine which one to use, and why. We will talk about your light source - ie window/door/outdoors as we are working with natural daylight, and how to modify and shape the light with bought modifiers, or using things that you have at home. There are 3 behind the scenes videos showing the set up using the different directions of light.
Section 5: How are different moods created? We will look at what makes up a dark & moody image and a light & airy image. We will also look at the differences between hard and soft light, and how to create them.
Section 6: We will look at simple editing techniques in Lightroom & Photoshop. It's nothing advanced or too fancy, just enough to really bring out the best in your images. I've filmed an easy video of how to make a composite in Photoshop (Join 2 photos together) and included PDF's of the most commonly used shortcut keys in Photoshop to make editing quicker. I'll also show you how to get rid of colour casts in Lightroom.
Who is your instructor?
Jacqui Nightscales is a South African food photographer living in Dubai.
Being a professional photographer for almost 20 years, she has years of experience in both private and commercial photography.
Apart from a full-time photography business, it is her mission is to inspire people to create food images that they're proud of, and to transform their photography journey to an enriching and successful one.
The highlights of this course include:
All techniques are applicable whether shooting with your phone or DSLR
Nail Manual Mode so you can shoot confidently
Troubleshoot all reasons that you could be getting BLEH photos
Discover my top tips to STOP doing & START doing to change your photos TODAY
Understand how to recreate an image that you really like
Learn how to edit your images to make them POP
3 behind the scenes videos from real shoots
Start immediately and learn at your own pace
All course content is downloadable.
You're 100% protected by a 30 day money back guarantee.
Take the course for a test drive, put everything to work, and see how it works for YOU specifically. If at any time you feel that you didn't get the results that you expected, just let us know and you will be refunded, no questions asked. Sound fair?
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I've got A's for your Q's
Does it matter if I'm new to food photography?
Nope! If you're just getting started, I think this is the best way to start learning. You'll learn a ton about light, tips and tricks for styling your scene, and how to edit your images afterwards.
How do I know it's for me?
Do you love food photography? Then it's for you. I've seen absolute beginners get gorgeous images, and more seasoned photographers understand the difference it makes when you light a scene correctly.
What happens if I already know the basics? Will I still learn a lot?
If you are here, it means that you are still struggling with natural light. I will clear up any doubts and get you on your way to taking stellar images.
What gear will I need?
You only need a camera. Your phone camera or a DSLR. Everything else is optional. I recommend having a tripod but you can shoot free-hand. All light modifiers can be made using things around the home, or cheap alternatives will be suggested to help you to shape the light.
What if I don't use Lightroom/Photoshop?
I will tell you about other free software that you can install on your phone to edit your images from there.
How long will the course take to complete?
You can watch the entire course in one day, but you will need to practice to truly grasp what you've learnt. Knowledge is not power. Action is power. You must apply what you've learnt.
Ready to grow?
Register Now.