Nadine Greeff is a professional food photographer and food stylist who is based in Cape Town South Africa. She has captured wonderful food photographs for local and international clients and is responsible for taking images for 12 cookbooks. Her work is influenced by the chiaroscuro style of the Dutch Masters as she uses the dramatic contrast between light and dark to guide the eye around her images leading them to a specific area. She uses natural indirect light and the dramatic contrast between light and shadow to create mood and atmosphere in her images. She combines this with her love of colours and natural textures as well as foliage which comes from her former experience as a floral designer, and in doing this creates dramatic engaging images of delicious food. Her collections include ‘NOIR’ and ‘Weekend’.
In this image from her ‘NOIR’ series Greeff has stacked the pancakes high to create compositional depth in the image and used a plain coloured background to not detract focus from the food. The berries add interesting shapes as well as the perception of their tangy flavours and the natural side lighting creates contrast between the shadowed and hi-lit areas. This adds mood to the image and focuses the eye around the image to rest on the syrup being dribbled onto the top pancake in the stack. This evokes memories of the sweet taste and the anticipation of eating the food. A small number of berries have been placed randomly around the plate as though they have fallen off and this creates further interest in the image and also emphasises the fruity taste as well as creating a more casual relaxed feel to the image so it is associated with previous happy experiences. When I look at these pancakes I can't wait for the syrup to stop being poured so that I can eat the whole lot, they look really delicious and I can almost feel the blueberries bursting in my mouth.
In this image, Greeff has lined up the cupcakes to create depth using perspective to draw the eye into the image. However, a narrow depth of field has been used and placed around the middle cupcake in the centre of the image. This is the only one in sharp focus so the eye is naturally drawn to it. The image is from her ‘NOIR’ series where she uses the contrast between light and shadow to lead the eye around the image and rest it where she wants it. In this image, the central cupcake has been placed in a small light coloured plate which acts as a high-lit frame for the cake and further draws attention to it. The unusual lilac colour of the cream cheese frosting on the cakes makes them very eye catching and highlights the texture of the swirling pattern of piping. The tiny flowers and foliage add an attractive aspect to the beautiful display and creating a visually pleasing image that is captivating and mouthwatering.
This is another of Greeff’s food images where she has styled a scene showing cups of frothy cappuccino coffees or hot chocolate, and a plate of biscuits, laid out on a table as if about to be drank. White plain coloured crockery and dark background have been chosen for the image to keep the focus of attention on the hot drink and the broken biscuit at the front of the frame. The depth of field has also been set to focus on this plate and keep in in sharp focus compared to the rest of the frame. The textures in the image create the anticipation of the taste and feel of the food, The crumbly texture of the biscuit is accentuated by it being broken in two and having a bit missing from it as though it has been eaten. Also, the texture of the bubbly froth floating on the hot drink evokes memories of how it will stick to your top lip as you drink it so that you have to lick it off. This image evokes the sensations of enjoying the taste and smell of a warm and delicious drink and a sweet crumbly biscuit. Even the handle of the cup has been placed towards the viewer as if inviting them to take the cup and sip from it.
In this image, Nadine has captured a bowl of hearty beef stew and vegetables. The perspective this image has been taken at is slightly more overhead looking down on the food, rather than at the level of the food like the previous images above. This can sometimes make the image very flat looking but the way the stew is piled up in the middle of the bowl adds the perception of height to the image. A plain coloured background has been chosen to focus attention on the meal and a napkin made of a hard wearing working man's material like denim has been added to create the perception of a meal that will fill a hungry person up. The chunks of beef and veg in the stew add texture to the image and create the anticipation of how it will feel to chew. The addition of a spoon placed into the stew also adds to the perception of it being eaten and encourages the viewer to feel they could just lift that spoon and taste the stew. The only thing I feel would have liked to have been added to enhance the anticipation of its taste would be the perception of heat, a little steam rising from it would have really added to the anticipation of tasting the warm flavours. This would have been easy to add in digitally afterwards and as the background is dark this would have made it easier.
I liked this image because it is a bit different from the others. It still focuses on something edible, a single glass jar of fruit jam which is sitting on a table. However, it is not particularly pleasing to look at as the jam is a bit messy and stuck in splodges and smears in various places to the glass jar. There is also a spoon stuck in the jar as though someone has been using it and has just left it carelessly on the table after dribbling some of the sticky substance onto the table. However I like this image as it looks and feels real, it is messy and not perfect like the other images, it's more like real life. This is how a jar of jam ends up looking after it has been used many times. From the amount of jam that has been used people must love its taste. I also like the way the table looks well worn with scores and scuffs on its surface as if many people have sat and ate at it over the years. The simplicity of the image, with no other food or plates to suggest where the jam is going to be used such as on scones or bread. This is left to the viewer's imagination and their preferences so they can picture spreading it with the spoon onto their choice of food surface, and in this way makes the experience it evokes more individually personal.
Influence and Summary
Greeff has used a number of techniques in her photography and has used her ability as a food stylist to present her food to make it look delicious and appealing. I have taken inspiration from her images and the techniques she uses to incorporate a number of them into my own images to firstly focus attention on the food, then add the perception of depth to the image, convey the texture of the food, and finally add interest to the image. I have summarised how the various techniques I have been inspired by Greeff's images to use have impacted my compositions.
Focus attention on the food
- narrow depth of field
- use plain colour backgrounds
- guide eye to a high-lit area
- use light coloured plates
- good quality lighting
- compositional depth by stacking up or arranging in a row
- include different textures eg. rough biscuits
- cut some of the fruit
- use contrasting colour
- use interesting shapes
In this image, I have used some of the techniques above to focus attention on the cup-cakes and make them look appealing and delicious so that viewers can more easily anticipate their taste. The cakes are arranged in rows to add the perception of depth to the image and make the food look more 3D and realistic. I have used a narrow depth of field to allow the viewer to focus on the detail on a couple of the cakes and not be overwhelmed by the multiple copies of them. I have added interest by using bright colours patterns and shapes such as those from the red fruit. I have chosen bright red strawberries which I have cut in half, and which add an interesting pattern as they are covered in tiny seeds. I have also chosen shiny spherical cherries which I have left the stalks on, in this way I am inviting the viewer to feel as though they can just pick one up by the stalk and put it in their mouth. The fruit also adds another flavour and texture to the image, that of the sweet moist fruit. Finally, I have used lighting to guide the viewer to the flavours. The white cream topping on the cakes draws the viewer's eye to these high-lit areas so focusing on the cakes. Then there eye will be directed to the sharply contrasting darker area of the fruit and the interesting shapes they are. In this way I guide them to the different flavours in turn. I have also used good quality lighting from a light box to reflect and surround the cake so that the food looks as realistic as possible.
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