An effort on my part to assist a friend in getting a catering business off the ground. Any advice on how to improve the lighting and/or layout would be appreciated GREATLY. I'm working on a TIGHT budget... so keep that in mind as well. Thanks!
Since the food is the main subject here I would try to isolate one or two pieces on a small plate, with the drizzled chocolate and red sauces. There is too much to look at here, and since the food is all the same I think you can get away with just showing one or two, and it will clean up the appearance. That way, you can focus your lighting a bit better to bring out the texture of the food. Is this shot with natural light? If not, what was your setup? I find that light with a slight orange-ish hue will make for great food shots, as it warms up the scene and gives a nice glow to the food. This can be done with orange cellophane (dollar stores have this) over the lights or by using a desk lamp with the normal bulb. In this shot your presentation looks a bit sloppy, as the tablecloth has some major creases in it and the plate that the food is on has some big reflections. Maybe instead of a plate to put these on, if you like the reflected food, try a plate of glass from a picture frame. Place some dark fabric under the glass and play with the lighting until you get a crisp, clear reflection of the food. Food shots can be hard to achieve, but once you find the right combo, they can be fun and look stunning. All the best!
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