The two Food photographers Sebastian and Mabel collaborated with us to launch the Lumen Studio 150 LED continuous light and des C5i macro aluminum tripod get the opportunity to subject the products to a practical test. Both products completely convinced the hobby chefs and made it easier for them Taking your photos and videos enormously. Aesthetic and artfully prepared food photos are essential, especially for Instagram!
The love of food photography
The love of photography itself has always been present among amateur chefs. With their many years of photographic experience, the two of them increasingly focused on the Food photography focused. Why the two of them chose food photography? In their eyes, what particularly appeals to them is the diverse colors and contrasts of the dishes created. In addition, they love playing with the different and constantly changing textures on the plate and taking on new challenges Dish at the perfect angle to photograph. The biggest special feature in the eyes of both photographers is that all motifs are not prepared with additives, but should still be edible afterwards.
For the perfect food shots Experienced food photographers recommend that you think about how to do this before cooking photo and the Image design should look like. A food photographer should therefore be aware of the answers to the following questions in advance:
- Which motif is used with which colors
- Which light is used and how should the light setup be positioned
- What will the exact composition and composition of the image look like?
- Which decorative elements should be seen in the picture
- What can be prepared in advance so that you have enough time for the actual pictures afterwards?
The resulting answers can then save important time. You will find out why this is so important later in this article. For these recordings, Sebastian and Mabel were next to him Macro aluminum tripod and the Lumen Studio 150 LED continuous light rather on Macro photography equipment set.
In detail they used the following equipment:
- A Nikon D600 full-frame DSLR camera with Nikon AF-S 50 millimeter f/1.8, Nikon AF-S 35 millimeter f/1.8 and Tamron 90 millimeter f/2.8 macro lenses
- The C5i macro aluminum tripod and that C5i carbon tripod
- Various speedlights
- In combination with that Lumen Studio 150 one Deep softbox with a diameter of 90 centimeters
- Different Reflectors
All of this was designed around this Flat lay from the Bird's eye view to illuminate it perfectly and take the hunger-inducing pictures.
Colorful dishes: perfectly depicted, despite difficult lighting conditions!
For amateur photographers, the rapidly changing daylight is a well-known problem, especially in the cold seasons. The few hours that offer perfect daylight fly by, what a additional light source essential for photography. Especially in the area of Food photography is a even and natural light of great importance. The colors of the food and the contrast of dishes and food must look natural and real. Artificial light often leads to this distorted colors, which are difficult to retouch even in post-production. The Lumen Studio 150 convinced the two of them neutral color rendering and allowed them to work without having to make major color corrections.
So that the pumpkin soup and the surrounding decorations match as best as possible Light setup is illuminated, the photographers positioned the light to the left of the camera. For one directional lighting They also had that Lumen Studio 150 the Deep softbox attached. There was one opposite white reflector. Together with the reflector and the light, which is at 100 percent performance The pair aimed for bright lighting as this is the style in which they primarily shoot.
| focal length | cover | ISO | exposure | Lumen settings Studio 150 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50mm | f/5 | 200 | 1/20 seconds | Brightness 100% Color temperature 5,500K |
Time – a crucial factor in food photography!
Another very important point Food photography is the temporal aspect. Often with food photographers Macro shots arise, which individual ones Highlights of the courts in the focus should move, the duration of the shoot is crucial. Especially with hot foods, it is difficult to catch them quickly before they cool down or individual ingredients wilt or melt due to the heat. The two photographers had through this LED continuous light a significant one Advantage, as time-consuming changing of speedlights was no longer necessary. You could see the light and shadows cast by the Lumen Studio 150 on the subject before you began shooting. The test shots that they would normally have to take when using studio flashes were therefore eliminated. That's how she could lighting set quickly and easily and directly using the connected computer be adjusted.
In order to save as much time as possible, they both rely on the same thing Light setup on their shoots. The setup was used as before for the cabbage rolls motif. The light source was to the left of the camera and the corresponding direction and reflection were provided by the softbox on the Lumen Studio 150 and the white reflector positioned opposite. For the „Dinner mood“ They also made sure that there was a reflection on the edge of the plate when taking the photos.
| focal length | cover | ISO | exposure | Lumen settings Studio 150 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35mm | f/5 | 200 | 1/13 seconds | Brightness 100% Color temperature 5,500K |
Can be used flexibly thanks to the Bowens bayonet
By the Bowens bayonet is the Lumen Studio 150 LED continuous light with different forms of light very flexible to use. The Food photographers We used the Lumen Studio 150 with a deep softbox measuring 90 centimeters in diameter to create a nice, soft light to obtain. They also have the combination of the softbox with an inner diffuser and the LED permanent light Test convinced.
Continuous light offers another major advantage when taking video recordings, as it provides a beautiful and uniform illumination the backdrop allows. The built-in fans Remains quiet even when used for long periods of time and does not cause loud humming during video recordings. In addition, the brightness of the light can be adjusted by convenient app control can be easily changed, thereby preventing image blur caused by manual operation.
Food photography from a bird's eye view
One is particularly popular with foodies Shot from above, since a dish is so in its all its splendor can be illuminated. The C5i Macro Aluminum enables one Folding the center column and such a photograph from the Bird's eye view. The heavy full-format DSLR camera (Nikon D600), which was used for the shots by the two food photographers along with the lenses, could also be held without any problems on the stable yet lightweight tripod. Thanks to the hook on the center column you can Counterweights be attached and also the Rubber feet of the C5i Makro secure the stand and thus additionally protect the equipment from damage caused by falls.
The two hobby chefs found a small disadvantage with the tripod in their work. The hook for the counterweights can be rotated so that attached counterweights could fall – Of course we're happy to take that on board to share it with the Product development to be noted.
However, none of this plays a decisive role in their conclusion. Mabel and Sebastian are very happy with the equipment and can add more “Foodies” the C5i Macro Aluminum and that Lumen Studio 150 LED continuous light just recommend. Recordings can be made as quickly as possible Bird's eye view be absorbed before the food is finally consumed.
If you have also taken a food photo with our tripods or LED permanent lights, please tag us Instagram and Facebook with the hashtag #rolleimoment.