After two camera shootings (a Polaroid 1000 and a Lomo LCA), today, a more seasonal subject: Christmas french cookies aka “sablés” !
First steps of this photo; the preparation of the dough and the cooking! But that’s not the subject of this article, you will find plenty of cookbooks to prepare your Christmas cookies.
So first step, the framing.
Framing
I chose a rustic support in warm colors to recall the trunk of the Christmas tree and the end of year celebrations in a country house. The bird’s-eye view allows the subject to be highlighted in a composition without any real background. To create a background I use a small depth of field thanks to a large aperture (f/2.8) and a long focal length (100mm).
A photo to control the frame, in ambient light.
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© Nicolas Beaumont – 2020
Gear
Besides the 100mm I work with two light sources: flashes in manual mode (Neewer NW-561) triggered by Pocketwizard Plus II and I apply the methods of Strobist movement. To put my modelers on my cobra flashes I use an S-R1 adapter and an accessory set the AK-R1 from Godox.
If you want to learn more about the Strobist movement, download the excellent Strobist 101 manual.
So in summary, a camera, two flashes with light modifiers, something to trigger them and accessories:
Setup
To create the light I proceeded in two steps.
Fill light
The main light is achieved through a classic white diffuser, directed towards the ceiling. Part of the light more specifically shines on the right of the stage.
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© Nicolas Beaumont – 2020
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© Nicolas Beaumont – 2020
Lumière secondaire
To fill the left part of the frame, I use a dense pink filter to bring a little fairy to the image.
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© Nicolas Beaumont – 2020
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© Nicolas Beaumont – 2020
Shooting
When taking the picture, I sprinkle icing sugar to create a light veil and evoke winter snowfall. No need to overdo it, it’s in the subtlety that lies the key.
Result
Here is the image output from the sensor:
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© Nicolas Beaumont – 2020
It lacks a bit of contrast. After a few tweaks on Lightroom, here’s what we get:
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© Nicolas Beaumont – 2020
And to finish the lighting setup:
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© Nicolas Beaumont – 2020