Macro Focus Stacking

We were recently tasked with shooting a sunflower seed for an ad agency that specializes in agriculture. Their client needed the image for a billboard and print ad campaign. For comparison, sunflower seeds are about 3/8 inches tall by 1/4 inches wide. Billboards, on average, are 14 feet tall by 48 feet wide. So...in order to get images of the teeny, tiny seed as large as possible, we needed specialized equipment. We rented a Canon MP-E 65mm Macro Lens that is capable of 5x magnification and a focusing rail. 

Because of the extreme magnification, we had very little depth of field – say, about the thickness of a sheet of paper. Therefore, we ended up employing a process called "focus stacking." We shot in increments of 1/4 centimeter to capture 15 images of the seed at various focal depths. While none of these 15 images had the seed entirely in focus, collectively, they contained the data needed to generate one focused image of a sunflower seed. 

We used Photoshop to blend the 15 shots together and generate the final seed image. Photoshop masks out the unfocused areas and keeps the areas of the image that are in focus. The end result is a crystal clear image in focus from top to bottom. Stand alone programs such as HeliconSoft and Zerene Stacker also offer this feature. If you plan to do a good deal of macro focus stacking, I'd suggest investing in a stand alone program.

Photography is about problem solving and visually communicating what your client wants to say. This project employed one of the smallest subjects we've ever photographed, and we had a blast figuring out how to show every detail of a sunflower seed!

Wide view of our teeny, tiny set.

Closer view of the set and seed being photographed.

We shot the seed on its side as it was easier to light it horizontally. It was rotated vertically in post-production.

Focusing rail we rented, which allowed us to seamlessly move the camera 1/4 centimeter at a time. 

David concentrating on focusing and shooting every 1/4 centimeter.

The final image with the "stacked" sunflower seed for the billboard campaign.

David's stylized version, with a more dramatic sky.

Photographing in Studio with Natural Light

Although you can come close to imitating natural light, that imitation simply isn't the same. The combination of natural light and a long exposure time adds a quality to images you just can't achieve any other way. 

When we designed our studio, we knew we wanted to be able to shoot with natural light. As part of the studio design, we added softening silks and blackout curtains to the windows so we could control the amount of sunlight that comes through to naturally light a set.

We recently shot a new line of holiday candles for Trapp Candles, one of our amazing, long time clients. On this particular project, we were challenged to illustrate how consumers can use Trapp's products in and around their homes. We were also challenged to show retailers how they can best display Trapp's products and achieve greater sales results.  

We wanted the light in each shot to look natural, like you'd see in your own home or in a retail store window. So we used the softening silks to diffuse the natural sunlight while still highlighting the products and set.

You may look at these behind the scenes images and ask yourself, "Why in the world are the table and chairs on apple boxes?" In order to achieve the right perspective between the table, product and background, we had to raise the table and chairs. If we hadn't done this, we wouldn't have been able to see enough of the fireplace mantel to frame the shot. Just another trick of the trade!

Apple boxes were used to lift the table and chairs.

So many silverware options for our dining room table!

Adjusting the window silks to control the light on the front of the table.

Putting the finishing touches on the set before we shoot the final image.

After David completed the main shot, he moved in and captured a few detail shots.

Wax and wax melter shot.

Putting the final touches on the display image for retailers. This shot will be
composed with another image we shot to create the final display image.

Stacks and stacks of Trapp product!

Retailer display shot.

Some of the most difficult items to photograph are made of foil or chrome.
Here, David works to get the lighting just right on the foil product box.

Final dining room shot.

Final fireside pumpkin candle shot.

It's turkey time!

We had some fun recently shooting for the Turkey division of a long time client. As always, behind the scenes and out of sight of the camera, everything tends to look a little different.

An interesting challenge with this project was we needed to find a way to photograph four farmers once and have the ability at a later date to change out the food they were holding. We decided the best solution was to choose one plate and one platter that we would use over and over again. We made a support device that would hold the empty plate and platter in a fixed position that allowed the models to hold them differently expressions and body positions. 

Whenever there's a chance we will shoot additional images that require the same look and feel (lighting, spacial relations, perspective, etc.), we craft drawings and take measurements of everything on set. This allows us to recreate the exact set-up and shoot more food that can be photoshopped onto the plate and platter we originally shot with the farmers. And an added bonus – by keeping the plate/platter supporting device thin, we have minimal retouching! 

Model and food set all in one.

Our hero turkey shot that will be placed on an empty platter our farmer is holding.

Stylist Sarah Thompson Lift getting our GQ farmer ready for his close-up.

Always fun to photobomb the food stylist.

It never looks the same from the back of the set.

I always have to have my hands involved in something, to the chagrin of the stylist.

How about a little left? No right. No left! It looks perfect just where you had it. (:-)

Putting the final paint stripper touches on the bird.

Wardrobe, please!

Farmer gear.

Any time there is a chance we will be shooting additional shots that need to have the same look and feel,
our assistant takes tons of measurements and photos so we can recreate the same look again. Thanks Ben!

Visual Branding Part 2

At David Morris Photography we continue to shoot for awesome clients who see the value in the consistent look and feel we provide them.

In 2011 I blogged about Visual Branding and the importance of continuity in your images. Whether it's stills or video, many clients want a consistent look in their marketing materials. Here's why – it makes them instantly recognizable and conveys quality and reliability.

To provide this consistency, we document every detail of our shoots. We also oversee all preparation, styling and lighting.

After post-production, we compare all imagery to ensure it has a harmonious look and feel.

Tiffany gives us the thumbs up that everything is looking good!

In the end, everyone is pleased. Even our equipment!

Lights, Camera, Action!

The storyboards are approved. The set is prepped and lit. The food is ready for its close-up. LIGHTS. CAMERA. ACTION! 

Easy, right? Well, what you may not know is it took two days, seven crew members, tons of video lighting and equipment, special effects rigging, specialty food equipment and then some to shoot two nine-second videos.

Oh, and I didn't mention all the footage editing and post production time.

We love shooting stills and video, but there's a lot of work that goes into it. If you're considering getting into shooting beautiful food and still life videos, remember, it can be way more complicated than you think!

Here is a link to the final video:  https://vimeo.com/102786415

Storyboards for our two-day video shoot.

Video set.

The food is smiling and ready for its close-up!

Getting the lighting just right.

The crew protecting the camera from flying fruit and water.

Dumping tray after tray of fruit to get just the right look.

Capturing fruit being blended.

Shooting pour after pour to get just the right look.

Inspecting our handy work.

Looking good. Let's try one more take to get it perfect!

Backing Up Your Images

This is a short but important post. Part of a photographer's "behind the scenes job" is to back-up, archive and catalog every image he shoots for his clients.

This is a great article (and video) describing how one photographer handles backing up his work. This process may seem a bit excessive, but it's a good, safe approach. At our shop, we charge between $75 – $350 per job.

Remember, none of your equipment, software or time is free, so charge for it!

https://fstoppers.com/business/bulletproof-backup-strategies-digital-photographers-23906

The rhubarb lady that lives in a rhubarb colored house who's never tried rhubarb pie

Recently our friend, food stylist, Sarah Hunt invited me up to her home to shoot some editorial shots. She lives in a marvelous old fire station in Omaha Nebraska.  We had no preconceived plan, just knew it was going to feature rhubarb.  I left KC around 5:00am so I could get to Omaha and shoot in some morning light.

Being primarily a studio photographer I work in very controlled environments with all kinds of lighting and equipment at arms length. The fun thing about editorial food photography is you never know what your environment will be and most of the time you travel light.  This time I traveled with my camera bag, my location computer, a light stand, and a fill card .  The other fun part about editorial food photography is, if something cool catches your eye you shoot it.  You are not trying to shoot images to fit within a packaging window or a specific layout, you are visually telling a story about someone or something.    

So where do you begin?  Well the obvious place to start was picking some fresh rhubarb out in the rhubarb patch.  Beautiful morning light allowed me to get some great shots under the rhubarb leaves and some nice shots of Sarah holding the picked rhubarb.  Neither of us were in any hurry so Sarah suggested she could make some fresh homemade biscuits for breakfast and shoot some shots of them with rhubarb preserves.  Who am I to argue!  After eating and shooting some biscuits it was time for lunch.  Sarah, Mark and I went to a great little burger place called Drinkers.  If you're in Omaha, check them out.

After lunch, Sarah made a rhubarb and strawberry pie.  While it was in the oven baking she decided to make a hipster drink called the "The Cracker Queen".  The ingredients included moonshine, Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, rhubarb juice, and who know what else.  Not my cup of tea but visually fun to shoot.  As the title of the post indicates, Sarah had never had rhubarb pie before.  Hot out of the oven I shot some of it's precious juices spilling out of the pan.  After shooting some fun shots of the pie we couldn't wait to cut a slice, put some vanilla ice cream on it and head to the back porch for a little slice of heaven.

Sarah, thanks for the invite, great food styling, fun hospitality, and awesome shoot.