Brief Challenge – Strawberry
For this brief our fictionary client is an art director employing you the photographer on behalf of a new nutrition article in a popular health and lifestyle magazine. The article will be over six pages with some stock images but the commissioned image will form a full vertical page alongside the article or may even be the cover of the magazine.
The article is regarding the health benefits of Vitamin C and Anthocyanins for which Strawberries are well known. As such, the art director on behalf of the publishing company requires the following image:
Subject and Styling
- Use one whole, high-quality strawberry with its green leafy top intact.
- The strawberry should look fresh, pristine and delicious.
- Use a shiny chrome or polished metal spoon.
- Both the strawberry and the spoon are hero elements, but the strawberry should remain the main focus.
- The size and scale of the strawberry in relation to the spoon should closely match the supplied sketch
Composition and Camera Angle
- Create a vertical image using approximately the same proportions as the supplied sketch.
- Balance the strawberry and spoon carefully, considering their size, position and angle.
- Position the camera level with the spoon so that some of the curved underside is visible.
- You may need to experiment with different spoon and strawberry sizes, and may even need to carefully bend the spoon to achieve the correct relationship.
Lighting and Sharpness
- Light both the strawberry and spoon cleanly and precisely.
- Keep the entire strawberry sharp: avoid a shallow depth of field.
- Make sure the strawberry has rich but accurate colour, including natural-looking greens in the leaves.
- Control reflections on the spoon so that its shape remains clear.
- Avoid highlights that disappear into the background or become distracting
Background
Choose one of the following:
- A completely white background.
- A consistent off-white background of approximately RGB 240, 240, 240.
- A horizontal gradient beginning with pure white at the bottom up to around the main subject and then gradually transitioning horizontally (no radial graduations) into a light grey of approximately RGB 230, 230, 230 at the top.
Comments
I think I know what you want, in terms of the reflection in the chrome of the spoon, but I thought I should ask this question to put it on the table. Do you have a desire for a certain type of reflection that will appear in the surface of the spoon? I have photographed chrome items before and I know they are a challenge.. as they reflect the room or space around them. And the spoon will have both convex and concave reflections. In my mind, I am assuming you desire just a gradient and the surface, ideally, will live within the monotone greys and preferably a smooth gradient that communicates the shape. If there is something that comes to mind that you might want to add..
Hi Gary, there’s nothing more I’m going to add I’m afraid on this one as I’m going to leave it to you guys to solve the problems. I’m probably going to have a bash at this Brief myself in advance of the deadline.
In Australia we have strawberries all year round, and we are heading into the spring growing season.
Hi Karl, can the final image be a composite, or does it have to be one-and-done? (Not including the focus stacking, of course.)
Hi, it can be a composite. A real client wouldn’t be concerned if it was a composite they would only be concerned that the image delivered. However I can’t see the need for shooting 2 items totally separately I would personally still shoot them together but I might take 2 shots to maximise the lighting for the strawberry and then for the spoon.
In Switzerland the strawberry season is over. Unfortunately it will be very difficult to find good quality strawberries.
Same in Denmark. Supermarkets are not longer selling them 🙁