Zucchini Nachos Setup & After
Photo Title: Zucchini Nachos
Blog Name: goodLife {eats}
Equipment Used: Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5, Photoshop CS
Technical Details:
Macro setting
No Flash
Adjusted the exposure on the camera to +1 (thanks, Helen for this tip in your spotlight!)
Photo Editing:
In Photoshop CS:
1. Images>adjustments>brightness & contrast: adjust to +10 on contrast
2. Used the sponge tool on the edges of the white plate to desaturate. Sometimes white plates get kind of a light blue glow to them. This helps get rid of that.
3. Duplicate the original layer and set to 40% “screen”
4. Duplicate the original layer and set to 40% “soft light”
I liked the saturation levels and contrast, but it was just slightly too bright…
5. Duplicate the original layer and set to “normal” at 25%.
6. Filters>sharpen>sharpen edges
Setup Details: Set up on my kitchen island with a white foam board opposite the light source. We ate dinner a little later than usual, so the sun wasn’t quite as strong in the kitchen and that is why I set the exposure to +1.
Nachos were plated on small white square Food Network plates that I picked up at Kohls with a coupon. Woven fiber placemat underneath was on clearance at Cost Plus World Market for $1.
Props: White square plates, woven fibers placemat
Additional Tips: I loved Helen’s tip in her spotlight about adjusting the exposure levels on point and shoot cameras. This has introduced me to probably the last option my camera has that I hadn’t yet explored, but it’s one that I look forward to using in my pictures.
Also, Kristen had some great advice about taking different shots of your piece. My first couple of angles didn’t work at all for me, but I loved this one.
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Those turned out so great. I love that you get the amazing results that you do with a point and shoot. I just barely switched over to a DLSR a few months ago (and still don’t know how to use it that well!) but before that I shot with this same Panasonic. It’s such a great camera. Only I wish when I used that camera I knew how to use Photoshop like Katie does- her pics are waaay better than mine ever were! Great post, thanks!
Sara @ Our Best Bites´s last blog ..Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Awesome before and after!! I am always amazed when I see stunningly cropped photos. I always feel like I have to get up close. I can’t wait to experiment more with this technique!
Michelle {Brown Eyed Baker}´s last blog ..Fontina-Stuffed, Bacon-Wrapped Dates
I can’t believe what you can do with a point and shoot! The nachos just beckon to whomever looks at them.
Tiffany´s last blog ..Giggity Giggity Giggity!