Name: Shaheen
Blog Name: The Purple Foodie
Twitter ID: PurpleFoodie
When & why did you start getting into food photography?
When I started my food blog, I went and bought myself a high end camera phone thinking that it’d be perfect because I wouldn’t miss a photo opportunity – bad decision. Soon enough (okay, it took a few months) I realized that the photos were quite shoddy and needed to capture the food just as beautifully as it really looked. That’s when I bought a Canon camera. I’ve been fiddling around with the manual functions ever since and working on bettering my photographs.
What equipment do you use?
I use a Canon Powershot A570IS. Yes, just a point and shoot! I feel very flattered when people tell me that my photos look like they’ve been taken using a dSLR. This reaffirms my belief in the fact that it’s not always about the equipment; for that will only take you to till a certain point.The only kind of processing I do is adjustment in brightness and contrast. I am not well acquainted with Photoshop or Lightroom because I’m a little terrified about using it.
Do you have any of your first food photographs? If so, would you share one with us?
This has been my favorite question from all the previous spotlights! Very inspirational to see the evolution of photography skills of other food bloggers.
So here is one of my first shots, taken with a Sony Cybershot camera phone
Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti by Purple Foodie
What has been your absolute favorite food photograph you have taken? Why is this photo your favorite?
I’m usually never satisfied with my photos and I keep thinking about how I can take a better picture. That said, I really like this photo of pop tarts. Love the drip of the strawberry syrup – totally accidental and I like it because I took just a few shots and this stood out from the rest.
DIY Strawberry Pop Tarts from Purple Foodie
This one got everyone swooning and even reached the top of all-time favourited food photos on foodgawker. Garlicky baked fries:
Garlicky Baked Fries from Purple Foodie
Please share with us a photograph of your typical setup for your food pictures. Describe, in short, your setup.
Another surprise here – I don’t use a tripod. I feel it restricts movement. I have this one spot in my house by the window where I typically shoot all my photos. It’s a west facing room so I have ample brightness and yet not the jarring sun in the mornings. A white foam board is good for reflecting light and avoiding shadows that might occur because of the crockery
I have a bunch of textured papers, place mats, and a few plates, bowls and spatulas in different colors that I adore. I find that colourful paper liners for cupcakes, silicone bakeware, cake stands and pretty measuring cups are a good investment for those who are more into baking.
Share one or two tips that you think might be helpful to food bloggers when photographing food.
Take lots and lots of photos – it doesn’t cost anything beside power. The more photos you take, the more you will learn.
It’s imperative to know your camera very well. Don’t be afraid to play around with the manual settings.
One of the things I’m doing off late is using the “foliage” setting – this makes the photos look warmer. If you don’t have that, then turn on the “cloudy” setting.
Another thing I almost always do is keep a low ISO setting – never more than 200. The higher the ISO, the more grainy the image (of course, this is assuming you’re shooting in a naturally lit room).
Move around a lot when taking the photos. You might just discover some interesting angles.
It’s a good idea to keep the raw fruit/ingredient in the background – like in an apple pie (but definitely not for a banana bread!)
I take a lot of photographs as I’m baking to show in process work – this takes a little time but it not only helps maintain the flow of the blog post but also makes the reader think “Hey, the steps look simple, I should make that!”
And finally, always keep your batteries charged – there is nothing more annoying than having a sigh “change the batteries” in your face.
Who or what inspires you?
Tastespotting and Foodgawker are my places of inspiration. I like them so much because it’s not just about one person’s style – you will find so many different perspectives here. It helps develop your own unique style and is a storehouse of wonderful photo ideas.
Remember – any comment or any submission for the month of April means that you are entered into a drawing for a $50 CB2 gift certificate!
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What a great interview and questions. I, too, am surprised you have a point-n-shoot!! Wow!! I like the tips you provided. I think foodgawker and tastespotting were my best teachers. When I would get the rejections at the beginning, they told me what was wrong, and I would improve on those problems. Now, I get all my photos accepted and also like my photos much more. I also like the different styles on those sites. I love your blog, btw!!
The Garlicky Baked Fries shot is truly inspiring! Terrific insights, Shaheen
Kathy – Panini Happy´s last blog ..Spicy Grilled Cheese Sliders
Gorgeous photos, loving the fries! I’m glad to see that you use a point & shoot. The photographer makes the photos, not the camera. And you have some awesome pics!
Jenn´s last blog ..Buckeyes – Two Versions
Thanks for this post. I’ve been beating myself up about the fact that I haven’t upgraded my camera and I’m heartened to see all things are possible. I will definitely employ some of these tips and visit The Purple Foodie.
Joan Nova´s last blog ..Peas in a Pod + Heirloom Tomato Pasta
Great interview! It’s nice to see someone else with a P&S…although I’m squirreling away a little money at a time for a DSLR!
Thanks for sharing your tips. I love the different backgrounds, which is something I’ve been struggling to work on. Where would you recommend textured papers? I bought some construction paper early on but never liked it, so I’ve avoided them since and stuck to cloth.
That’s a great interview, Shaheen!
Loved the picture of the Garlicky Baked fries! I am still a novice and have learnt quite a bit from your comments. Will keep checking your blog for more updates about all that you are into. Great work!
Memoria: Thank you so much! Yep, the early rejections hurt!
Kathy: Coming from YOU, I take that as a huge compliment
Jenn: I’d firmly like to believe so!
Joan: Let me know if you need any help.
Rachel: thank you! i think I should start saving up as well.
Caitlin: I use textured papers as a backdrop for added colour. In the buckwheat cookies the yellow handmade paper looks lovely against the blue plate.. That said, I do prefer cloth to paper as well.
Thanks, Arjun and Vibha.
I am so proud of you Shaheen!! Great stuff!
Great photos. Very inspiring to know that you don’t use a SLR. Your photographs always look like they have come out of a high end glossy mag. Must learn from you
Kalyan´s last blog ..Do try this at home: Chicken Hakka Noodles made in India
Congratulations. I would never have guessed that you were using a A570IS (though it is an excellent model). Your pictures look incredibly professional. Your tips are also very useful. Keep rocking.
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Nice shots! It really showed how good you are in that craft with the way how those photos were taken. You absolutely have the passion on Food Photography.