Lenses for Ice Cream Photography

[sandymandy]

100mm macro L/non-L both work fine. I think 50mm 1.x isnt a bad choice either since customers also like to see the product like they get it and not always only super enhanced close up. Well at least that counts for me So tired of all this "show off" food stuff and then ur so disappointed when u get the real deal cuz it looks 70% worse...

 

[Dylan777]

A "L" Macro lens would be a good choice.

Two pictures below were shot inside a pre-school class room, with no flash nor studio light(5D III + 24-70 f2.8 II combo). Not the best, but it could be the lens you looking for.

 

[symmar22]

+1

On the other hand, good pictures are very important for the success of your business, especially in the food department. You can try on your own, but food styling requires experience, do not underestimate the task. It seems you have some time to make up your own mind, but IMO you should consider the possibility of hiring a good professional food photographer. That could be a real plus for the success of your advertising.

 

[RobertG.]

If you have the budget, one could think as well about the 90mm f2.8 TS-E that will offer even more possibilities for food pictures on a tripod. It's the lens I use the most (by far) for studio pictures of small items.

The TS-E 90mm is definitely the better lens for food and product photography. To fill the frame with some icecream scoops and keep everything in focus is hardly possible with a macro lens, if you want to avoid difraction. A tilt-shift lens is the way to go on a DSLR. A used TS-E 90mm should cost about as much as a new EF 100mm f2.8 L IS. Of course a tripod and some kind of light setup is also needed.

I would hire a food photography nonetheless for the first pictures. You can learn quite a lot, especially about the lighting. To set up the camera and lens is rather easy compared to the light and food preparation.

 

[dr croubie]

A lot of people are suggesting "good lighting", which is a good idea, of course.
But there're many different types of lighting, big strobes, hot monolights, flashes/speedlites.
Seeing as you're going to be photographing Ice Cream, you'll want to steer away from monolights, you want photo of Ice Cream, not Puddle of Cream.
So I'd be going for flashes. 2 or 3 430EX should be sufficient for good lighting, search ebay for 'softbox' and you'll get a cheap plastic thing for $5 that sits over the flash head. Best $5 I ever spent.
But as you've gone for a 5D3, you'll need a way to trigger them, so you'll need an ST or 580EX (i'd suggest a 580EX on-camera or on a cord as master, and the 2-3 430EX on wireless slave). That's certainly a bit of overkill if that's all you're ever going to photograph, so maybe consider renting 1 or 2 for the weekend.
Or someone previous mentioned YongNuo and off/brand triggers, i'll presume they're as good but i've never used them.

After that, the lens is secondary. The 100LIS macro is good, very good, especially with the IS. But the 100 USM non-L macro is just as sharp, half the price, and you won't miss the IS on a tripod. If you're going to use it for other things afterwards then maybe the 100L makes more sense. Also consider the 100 f/2.0, I've taken great macros with that on Kenko Extension Tubes (there's a Lens Gallery around here somewhere).

Also consider that for Ice Cream you won't need 1x macro anyway, including the cone or bowl you can get away with 0.25x macro which most lenses will do. The 24-105L you got with the camera does 0.23x macro anyway, so if I were you I'd just experiment with that and maybe cropping 5% off the edges will be enough. Later on, if you want to print billboard-sized photos for the side of your Ice Cream Van or shop, then consider a dedicated macro lens.

 

[verysimplejason]

A lot of people are suggesting "good lighting", which is a good idea, of course.
But there're many different types of lighting, big strobes, hot monolights, flashes/speedlites.
Seeing as you're going to be photographing Ice Cream, you'll want to steer away from monolights, you want photo of Ice Cream, not Puddle of Cream.
So I'd be going for flashes. 2 or 3 430EX should be sufficient for good lighting, search ebay for 'softbox' and you'll get a cheap plastic thing for $5 that sits over the flash head. Best $5 I ever spent.
But as you've gone for a 5D3, you'll need a way to trigger them, so you'll need an ST or 580EX (i'd suggest a 580EX on-camera or on a cord as master, and the 2-3 430EX on wireless slave). That's certainly a bit of overkill if that's all you're ever going to photograph, so maybe consider renting 1 or 2 for the weekend.
Or someone previous mentioned YongNuo and off/brand triggers, i'll presume they're as good but i've never used them.

After that, the lens is secondary. The 100LIS macro is good, very good, especially with the IS. But the 100 USM non-L macro is just as sharp, half the price, and you won't miss the IS on a tripod. If you're going to use it for other things afterwards then maybe the 100L makes more sense. Also consider the 100 f/2.0, I've taken great macros with that on Kenko Extension Tubes (there's a Lens Gallery around here somewhere).

Also consider that for Ice Cream you won't need 1x macro anyway, including the cone or bowl you can get away with 0.25x macro which most lenses will do. The 24-105L you got with the camera does 0.23x macro anyway, so if I were you I'd just experiment with that and maybe cropping 5% off the edges will be enough. Later on, if you want to print billboard-sized photos for the side of your Ice Cream Van or shop, then consider a dedicated macro lens.

I've been using the cheap Yongnuo 603C remote flash triggers for quite sometime. It's cheap but fully manual but it works.

http://makingitasapro.blogspot.com/2011/06/yongnuo-rf-603c-radio-flash-trigger.html

 

[bycostello]

Love the thread title.

I'd recommend the 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS.

+1

 

[dafrank]

Others here have suggested that lenses are not the issue, but maybe lighting is more important. They are closer to the truth about this subject. Of course you need the proper lens, proper lighting, proper styling, but, most of all, you need a talented and experienced shooter, if, as you said, the results are critical to your family business' success. Perhaps you could eventually be that person, that photographer, but, if you need to get your pictures sooner than about a year from now, and if you cannot afford to spend hours and hours, weeks and weeks, practicing, learning and improving yourself, perhaps hiring a professional is truly your best option.

I am not suggesting that you hire me, but take a look at both my food portfolio and my people with food portfolios - only two of the 15 portfolios on my website - to see some good examples of food oriented images shot mostly for high-end editorial use, plus some for advertising type use. This will give you an idea of the road you'll have to travel in order to "get" where you'll have to be to do it yourself. I think you'll quickly understand that your best bet is to hire out this job. You can see my website information at the end of this post. Meanwhile, you can work on your skills and, hopefully, some day do the job properly yourself. By the way, there is no best lens, but the TS 90 is probably the most likely overall candidate, depending on multiple factors too numerous to get into in this forum post. Good luck to you.

Regards,
David

 

[distant.star]

.
I agree 100%.

Food photography isn't as easy as it looks, and equipment is only one side of the equation -- especially with a temperature sensitive product.

i use the same lens i use for potato photography....

if you really want great shoots of good looking food... hire a food stylist and a pro photographer.
or a pro photographer who knows food styling... otherwise you will end up with a photo like in this thread (sorry dave).

there is a reason why people make money with food photography.

 

[sandymandy]

My favorite kebab seller has such horrible photos of his products in the store. They are one some kind of overhead hanging thing so u can take a look what u wanna order. Theres even something in tinfoil that looks like it has been cut out in a reaaaally bad way with the magic wand. You can see the background color (mustard yellow) shine through.
Nevertheless his business runs very well 8)

 

[verysimplejason]

My favorite kebab seller has such horrible photos of his products in the store. They are one some kind of overhead hanging thing so u can take a look what u wanna order. Theres even something in tinfoil that looks like it has been cut out in a reaaaally bad way with the magic wand. You can see the background color (mustard yellow) shine through.
Nevertheless his business runs very well 8)

How about offering him to upgrade his food photos in exchange of some free kebabs and discount? It will be a good practice for you aside from that, you get discounts and freebies. If I know him, I'll certainly get into that opportunity.