Styling and Shooting Burger Photography

Hungry for tips that will help you take your food photography to the next level? Open wide!

In this class, recorded LIVE, Karl shows you how to tackle one of the most challenging food shots out there: the mighty burger.

You'll see a real-time demonstration of the creativity, experimentation and attention to detail that this kind of shoot demands.

Top styling tips shown during the shoot include a glaze to make the bun look more appealing, how to melt cheese just so, and how to get that lovely glossy look on the burger itself.

As he modifies and refines the lighting – answering live viewers’ questions as he works – Karl demonstrates a variety of lighting modifiers and basic studio kit.

The final result is a vivid, ad-style shot – good enough to eat, and simple enough to recreate in your own studio.

In this class:

  • Styling for food photography
  • Lighting techniques for food photography
  • Lighting modifiers for food photography
  • Compositional tips for food photography
  • Backgrounds for food photography

If you enjoy this class, check out Stir Fry Food Shoot and Fresh Fruit Food Photography.

Questions? Please post them in the comments section below.

© Karl Taylor

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Comments

    1. Yes they acheived a good result but with a food stylist as well as the photographer but it wasn’t done live, it is in an edited video and with an edited final photo that they may have had considerable time to process. If you look at some of our food photography courses where we are not shooting live and we have the time to complete the project according to its requirements then you will also see a big difference in the levels achievable. The reason we shoot live though is to show the viewers the problems that can occur as they happen. My forte is product photography and you will see in our live product shoots that I turn out final images in 2 hours that are to the highest standards of product photography.

    2. Again, I agree you are doing it live and it’s a big challenge. I agree most of the time with the choice of light modifiers and flags, but as far as the burger shot is concerned, I am not 100% satisfied with the result shot (I took into consideration the time you got to shoot it) ; The resulting image is good of course but not up to agency standard in my opinion; the burger is ok but not the star of the image. Whether it be made with a pro stylist within a 2 hours time or not, it should have been better considering the use of pico box, piccolo projection attachement or pico fresnel attachment, the bite shot used only grided sofbtox + honey comb spot and got a better result; again I admire your work but on this shot, it could have been waay better within a 2 hours work considering the tools you got

      1. Again I’d like to reiterate that I didn’t have a food stylist (like we have in our courses and in the YT video you mentioned). Less than 2 hours is not a long time to complete any shoot to agency standards especially when doing it live while trying to explain what you are doing. I know what agency standards are as I regularly work for them: https://karltaylor.com/objects – Of course you are entitled to your opinion and if it is only this one live shoot out of the hundreds of hours of courses and live shows that we produce (no other platform does this) that you are not 100% happy with then I think I will take that as a compliment but I will also gladly accept that we can’t get everything right live every time or meet everyones expectations. We do believe we offer excellent value for just $19 per month but of course we have an open door policy and an easy cancellation process for any member that doesn’t feel it meets expectations.

        1. again no issue with the value of the tutorial that are worth 1000 euros ; I do not regret or look down on it ; I am subscriber and 100% satisfied. I just made a remark on a session that could be improved in my opinion compared to other session published on YouTube. I am sorry remarks can not be taken as lights remark’s ; I did not make any comment on the value of the tutorial ; sorry you considered it as personal

          1. Thank you for your feedback and I’m glad you are happy with the platform. I haven’t taken it personally I only tried to explain how the results were arrived at and why. The good thing is that conversations like this always encourage me to do more. Every situation negative or positive is an opportunity; I will now schedule a new burger food shoot to be undertaken as a class and not a live show so that we can ensure we deliver something that exceeds the standards of others. This will be achievable in a non live environment with a food stylist as we will have plenty of time to prepare and execute it and I look forward to undertaking this project later in the year when we have some time in our schedule. Hopefully you will be able to see the resulting class and images.

  2. Hi Karl, the soft box you used for this shot, is new to me. It is an accessory for light? or is actually a light panel? would you point me to the brand name. Thanks

    1. Hi Luigi, this one was a special accessory for a particular type of light, it is a very small softbox called a picobox that is for Picolites. There are other small softboxes available but they may not be that small but it is relatively easy to mask them with black card if you need to make them smaller.

  3. If you don’t have a parabolic reflector, what size reflective umbrella would you say is best to achieve the same look? The Broncolor Focus 110 is about 104 cm diameter, so would you consider this the minimum or would a larger umbrella be better? Also, would white or silver interior be best? Thank you

    1. Hi, if you are trying to replicate true parabolic reflector such as the Para 133 or Para 88 then I’d say your best bet would be a 70cm beauty dish instead of the Para 88 and a Deep Focus 110 instead of the Para 133, they won’t be the same but they will give a sculpted contouring. A normal silver umbrella won’t do as well. Please see our ‘comparison app’ in your home page.

      1. Thanks Karl. Now you’ve got me looking at the Focus 110 … haha ,.. Already spoke to the only retailer here and he will check stock for me tomorrow.

  4. For the snoot light issue, could you have used one of the Godox V1 lights with its snoot (part of a kit) and grid? Or would the beam of light been too small?

    1. Hi I could have used one of my projection attachments which would have given me precise control (you’ll see me use it in many other classes) it’s just on this class we decided to show alternative options.

  6. BobShaw

    Hi Karl,
    Where can I find the tutorial on making the timber bases and backgrounds with Tim that you mention please?
    Bob

  7. Good refresher course. I might take some pictures in a few weeks of food or drink to practice with my camera.

  9. Hi Karl, I’m wondering what is the definition of a ‘key light’ ? Is it the brightest light, or the light that is key for the subject… And in this burger shot, would the key light be the para or the snooted light? Thanks

    1. Hi, the key light in my opinion is the light that is most significant to the image but this can be open to interpretation especially on a shot like this. Key light definition is more commonly used in portrait setups to dictate which is the main light on the front of your subject but in instance where your backlighting, rimlighting your model or subject but only putting a little shadow fill it would be hard to depict the front fill as the keylight. So I’d say which everlight you consider to be the most important in terms of mood, exposure and brightest intensity.

  13. SeanLucious

    Great lesson Karl and per normal another great image. My question is just a simple gear question. How come you do not use a DC cord for your camera since you shoot tethered and affixed to a monopod?

    2. Hi Sean, sorry I understand now that you meant a power cable. I’m not sure really just never thought about it, I get about a day out of a battery on the H6 and when shooting tethered with the H5 I think you could also have some of the power coming through the tethering cable.

  14. johnvanveen2020

    good day ,
    Will you be using your 100mil or for a bit of wide angle drama the 80.
    cheers
    john.

    1. Hi John, I only used the 100mm for this one which is equivalent to about 75mm in 35mm full frame.

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