Still Life Pasta: Food Art

In this still life photography class, Karl shows you how to create a striking piece of art using very simple ingredients.

After spending some time perfecting his composition, Karl moves on to lighting. To simulate sunlight and achieve a graphical, hard-light effect, he uses a very particular modifier: the Flooter Fresnel attachment.

The Fresnel results are excellent. But Karl also demonstrates how to achieve a very similar effect with a much simpler and more affordable bare-bulb studio light combined with a standard reflector.

You’ll also discover how to use flags to reduce exposure in specific areas, and learn about the properties of collimated light.

In this class:

  • Still life photography techniques
  • Lighting setups for still life photography
  • Flooter Fresnel photography
  • Simulating sunlight with a bare bulb
  • Advantages of collimated light
  • How to use flags in photography

Watch Karl edit and retouch this image in Still Life Pasta: Food Art |Post-Production.

If you enjoy this class, be sure top check out Still Life Pasta: Simple One-Light Shoot and Wall Art Shells: Psychedelic Vibes Photoshoot.

Questions? Please post them in the comments section below.

© Karl Taylor

Comments

  1. One of the most beautiful shots i ever seen, just fantastic !

    For an italian like me and with only One light, just Art !

    1. Hi Diane, thank you. I’m using small pieces of acrylic. These are little plastic blocks that I get made at my local plastic/sign service company.

  3. Stephan Jarvis

    Hi Karl. Nice class. You mentioned at the end that snoots eat up a lot of light compared to standard reflectors. What would happen if the snoot was lined with foil?

    1. Hi Stephan, thank you. You’d have more light bounce around inside so some of that would bounce out but it wouldn’t be a huge amount, my guess is you would only gain about 1/3 of a stop as all the internal angles point backwards and not forwards.

  4. Thanks again Karl for this walkthrough, it’s very interesting as always.. I could never think of pasta to be this good.. You made art from it..
    No matter how many times I thank you for sharing your ideas with us, it’s never enough..

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