I have recently been working on updating my portfolio of food photography. My focus while shooting stock photography over the past several years has been people and lifestyle, but really enjoy shooting food (I enjoy food in general), and have included it in my stock photography. For over eight years, I was business partners with a very well respected food photographer in Chicago. We worked closely with many great clients including McDonald’s. My main job was working with him doing retouching and digital imaging. Food photography is a collaborative process from the styling to the post-production, I learned a lot from him and while observing some of the best food stylists in the business at work. I am very exited to be working in this area again both behind the camera and the computer. So here’s a pancake shot for you.

FYI: The food in this shot is edible– sort-of. The pancakes are sprayed with a substance that stops the syrup from soaking into them so I didn’t eat them. It is also true that motor oil has been used (yum) as syrup because it evidently does not soak into the pancakes, but I have never seen it used personally. Currently the trend is toward more “natural” styling so some techniques are not in favor anymore. The use of Freon to freeze ice cream nice and solid is now frowned upon– for obvious reasons (this I have seen done). For this shot the syrup is made from colored corn syrup, which is what most “pancake syrup” is made with anyway — It’s just a bit thicker so it flows slower… and it’s real butter too.

Philip Nealey is an Omaha Nebraska based commercial Photographer and Photoshop expert specializing in food, people and lifestyle.

Posted via email from Philip Nealey