Loftus Research.
Image 1.
In this image Loftus has created a very eye-catching photograph. The green of the rosemary and blue of the baking tray are harmonious – this creates a very striking look to the dish which catches the viewer’s eye. Furthermore, Loftus has used a deep depth of field and a narrow frame – this causes the attention to be drawn directly to the potatoes. This effect allows you to see the details, forming texture on the potatoes – creating a more appealing image because it makes the viewer of the photo imagine the food in their mouth, which is vital for advertisement. The random composition of the potatoes fills the frame and makes the plate look full which is natural and more pleasing than if they were scattered on an empty plate. I think that David Loftus intended to do this to symbolise that not everything in the culinary world is perfect, yet can still look appealing.
Click below for my shoot inspired by this image:
Image 2.
This image has a more elegant and delicate theme, contrasted against Loftus’ rustic and homely approach to the other dishes he has photographed. The use of line with the jug of cream, straight down the centre of the frame, draws to the natural focus point (the food). Loftus has used a simple, and plain white colour scheme for the background – this brings out the texture and colour in the dessert, creating an appetising look. Loftus has also used a shallow depth of field and the concept of simplification, to focus on the dessert and the cream - allowing for even more detail and texture. Loftus used natural and bright daylight by composing the plate of food next to a window, the light then hits the food from the left side and diffuses across – to create a “summary” look, according to Loftus. I think that Loftus intended to use this simple and delicate style because he his photographing a dessert dish. Loftus’ simple and delicate style compliments the delicate nature of a dessert, unlike a rough and rustic style of photography; which wouldn’t look as presentable or pleasing for this dish. For one of my shoots, I will use Loftus’ delicate style for a dessert because i would like to see the contrast in style, juxtaposed to the rustic theme that I will use fo another shoot.
Click below for my shoot inspired by this image:
Image 3.
This image is composed to create a ‘seaside’ theme. The light blue colour in the background with the dark blue, uneven stripes in the background looks as if it’s waves in the sea, which matched a ‘seaside’ theme perfectly. The circular place in the centre of the frame, interrupt the ‘waves’ which draws the natural eye towards the seafood dish. In addition to this, the spaghetti has been placed into the bowl in spiral shapes, uneven shapes - similarly to waves, like the background. The bright lighting allows the details of the food to vividly show all of the texture and colours of the food. Overall, the image is very pleasing and has a ‘seaside’ theme, which is happy and joyful to look at, and compliments the seafood dish. This technique is something I feel I could use as inspiration for my project because it portrays different styles and cultures of food – this example being ‘food from the sea’.
Click below for my shoot inspired by this image:
Image 4.
With this photograph, Loftus has composed many images of coffee and photoshopped them into a collage. Despite the erratic and messy backgrounds and the disproportionate mugs, the overhead shots of the individual circular mugs anchor the image; creating a pattern – although each photo is individually unique. Usually, coffee has a regular boring and brown colour, Loftus has used a range of different colours and erratic backgrounds to each mug, to give individuality and a refreshing look to the regular boring colour which I think is an interesting and original idea. Loftus has used a deep depth of field with each image, to capture the background as well as the focus point, I think that Loftus intended to do this to portray different scenarios. These different scenarios could be portraying a different location, time or environment – for example: the takeaway cup is positioned on a bland and boring background (possibly an office or workplace) contrasted with the black coffee in the bottom left of the collage (possibly a restaurant or café). I think that Loftus did this to symbolise how a specific time or location can affect someone’s choices. It could portray different lives, and symbolise how wage and money can also affect someone’s choice. For example: the takeaway cup is a cheaper alternative to the fancy mug of black coffee from a restaurant. Loftus could be suggesting that despite money affecting a choice, everyone is still the same (this could be why the images are laid out in a collage, to prove the point of equality because each individual image is the same size). I intend to use this concept in a future shoot for my “The World Around Us” project because it can show different locations and convey different people’s individual lives, compared to another’s - which I think would fit perfectly into my topic.
Click below for my shoot inspired by this image:
Image 5.
With this image, Loftus has used a range of techniques and elements to create a rustic atmosphere to the image. He has used a deep depth of field so all elements image are in focus, within this he places the plate of food at an off-centre angle in the frame. The circular plate, paired with the off-centre composition creates a natural and rustic looking image. He also uses a circular glass placed to the top left of the food, both circles create a simplistic look. The use of wood and pastel, light colours with the blue tea towel in the bottom-left corner looks as if the meal was ‘thrown together’ at home. This simplistic, rustic and homely theme is more appealing to customers (especially families) buying the cookbook, in which this image is used in, because it makes the food seem home cooked – compared to a luxurious and flashy cookbook from a Michelin star chef, which would feel ‘unrealistic’ to cook, from a regular person’s perspective. This way of photographing for a chef is original, and juxtaposes most chef’s way of documenting their dishes, this unique selling point allows the cookbook to sell better; which I believe was Loftus’ intention. My project is called ‘The World Around Us’ and I wanted to capture different aspects of food, and people who will cook this food. I like Loftus’ homely approach which I will use in one of my shoots because it portrays the lives of many families, compared to a richer and flashier shoot from another person’s life.
Image 6.
With this photograph, Loftus has used colour to create an eye-catching and pleasing photograph. Firstly, Loftus has used a shallow depth of field to focus on the plate, the plate of food and the chopsticks, creating a detailed and sharp texture on the surface of the chicken. The red chopsticks are positioned in a straight, leading line, which frames the photograph. The green spring onions are complementary to the red chopsticks and are harmonious to the blue plate – this brings all of elements of the food together, to create a neat and pleasing image. I think that Loftus has increased the saturation and vibrancy of the photos – to make the colours pop. The natural eye is drawn to loud and vibrant colours – which catches the viewer’s attention, causing them to focus on the plate of food. I think that Loftus has used this eye catching technique for advertisement (something that is very common with M&S’s food photography advertisement) because it grabs attention, standing out against any other food advertisements, making the viewer of the image want to buy or cook the food. I would like to use this technique in one of my food photography shoots because I would like to explore the natural colours in food – to edit images and make them look more vibrant (as if I were use them for advertisement).