Food + Interior Photography @ SS15

Introduction to Photography

"One time, just this one time I get to lavish on good food on a total of RM35+ with my friends. Other time? Economy rice at as low as RM3.50 ."

- The Saving Student

Assignment 4: Food + Interior Photography

@Morningwood Café

Aperture: f/4.0

Shutter Speed: 1/100

ISO: 400

I love trying out new styles and for this one, a western style. Though it is preferably to shoot food photos with natural light, a yellow light in a dark room works well in capturing a vignette effect, giving the photo a retro look.

Aperture: f/3.5

Shutter Speed: 1/100

ISO: 1600

I really love how the vignette effect turns out on low light!

@OW:L Espresso

Aperture: f/4.5

Shutter Speed: 1/100

ISO: 400

Love how the ice cream is situated at the left bottom corner of the frame, with the circle black tray acting as a second frame for the delicious ice cream, making the composition more interesting.

Aperture: f/5.6

Shutter Speed: 100

ISO:1600

Aperture: f/5.6

Shutter Speed: 1/100

ISO: 400

Really love the minimalist touch of this interior, making me feel calm and clean. This cafe's interiors concept is matching and neat, however, I'm not quite into this style of monotonous tone.

Aperture: f/5.6

Shutter Speed: 1/100

ISO: 100

Geometric edges of the table impressed me. The lighting is interesting with white natural lighting and orange artificial lighting mixed together to form a contrast.

@Good Friends Restaurant & Café

Aperture: f/5.0

Shutter Speed: 1/80

ISO: 1600

Time to get minimalistic eh? Saw some metal railings and thought it will be a good flat lay, as if the coffee cup is speeding towards the left.

Aperture: f/5.0

Shutter Speed: 1/100

ISO: 1600

I love how the picture is split into two. This photo challenged me as the room inside is dark while the outside is super bright. Still, I love the exposure at the window as it gives a Japanese style.

Aperture: f/5.0

Shutter Speed: 1/80

ISO: 800

Love the Japanese environment.

Aperture: f/5.0

Shutter Speed: 1/80

ISO: 1600

I felt such composition is quite interesting as there is an illusion movement from the top left corner to the bottom right corner of this photo.

I'd really take this assignment as killing two birds in one stone to learn photography and enjoy the process of tasting awesome food. Compared to street photography, the creative process of taking interior and food shots are quite less exciting as the objects are mostly mobile. In street photography, my brain will be more alert in observing moments in order not to lose any. I realized that when taking interior photos, I easily slipped back into my comfort zone and being less observant than before. Still, it is fun capturing tasty food and guess what? Helping someone to promote their food as well!

Basically, Husna, Justyna and me are snapping photos around OW:L Espresso Café. I still remember a stranger sitting in the next table gazed straight into my eyes and it kinda freaked me out. Little did we know that the stranger, the Korean owner of OW:L Espresso Café is sitting just beside us. After we finished eating our ice cream and are ready to go, the strange stranger approached us and asked our favour: to help him shoot a nice photo of his store's newest recipe. Personally, I felt a huge responsibility to help a store owner and it is no doubt that it is my first time helping to take a professional food photography for OW:L Espresso Café menu! Not just that, OW:L Espresso Café is popular in SS15 for it's exotic ice cream! Of course, such opportunities must not be ignored (Just as Mr. Martin said earlier to us in another café) and I just braved myself and said 'Yes.' And guess what he gave in return? The same ice cream we took of! I didn't expect it and never in my life have I been given a free expensive food by an owner of a famous shop. In fact, I'm embarrassed and felt not worthy to be rewarded handsomely just for a photograph. I really thank God for His favor and blessings over me and my friends. Sadly, Mr. Martin went home earlier and missed the tasty ice cream, but I am sure he will be proud of his students.

Thanks Mr. Martin for your reminder and advice.

Aperture: f/5.0

Shutter Speed: 1/80

ISO: 1600

Photo by Justyna

Me arranging the props on the ice cream with the owner of OW:L Espresso Café as Husna and a staff looked on

It isn't just about Food + Interior @ SS15, it is the experience in it, the opportunities, the moments when we laughed and critic on the food, the countless times when the café staffs smiled at us, the after moments when my bowels moved due to too much ice cream...