Work Record 1: Normal Taste and Smell

Plans for shoot 

In my first shoot I will be focusing on creating images of sensory experiences involving the senses of taste and smell, as these two sensations are closely tied together it is difficult to evoke one without also affecting the other to some extent. A lot of our experiences associated with taste are those involving food so I intend to start with that. It is said that ‘you eat first with your eyes’ so food that looks good to eat will create the sense of anticipation and evoke images of how wonderful it will taste or smells. After taking these images I will go on to capture ones that focus on evoking sensory experiences that primarily involve the sense of smell. I plan on using perfume and flowers in the images to evoke memories of the fragrances associated with these.

I have researched the most effective ways to make food look attractive in an image so that it creates the anticipation of its taste. This has been through researching and analysing the work of many photographers who primarily capture images of food. I have also planned the foods I will use and the way I will compose the images. In this I have made sure that the foods I have selected includes a variety of textures, complementary colours and interesting shapes. There are a considerable number of props that I have had to arrange in advance that I will use in this shoot. I have bought the ingredients, cakes and fresh fruit that when arranged will look appealing and delicious. I also have arranged other props such as flowers and perfume and planned for my models to be available on the day of the shoot.  

If the natural lighting is not that good on the day of the shoot I have a small light box with good diffuse lighting that I can use to take images of my smaller props.

Research influence

This shoot will involve capturing images of food that create a sensory experience. In order to do this I will have to make the food in the images look as visually appealing and delicious as possible so that they evoke images of the enjoyable way they taste and smell.

I have therefore researched information about the best way to capture images of delicious looking food. I have summarised the information I have gained below and will use much of this knowledge to take my images.

Use natural light for softer more natural highlights and shadow

Shoot down low at the level of the food

Create compositional depth and perspective (stack or line up items)

Emphasise texture- use a wide open aperture and focus sharply on one area

Use coloured or blurred background to draw your eye to the food

Add detail as they add emphasis and identify flavours in the food

Select prop colours that complement the food

Do not over saturate colours as this makes it look unnatural and unappealing

Use plain coloured dishes to not distract from the food

Use light fill to brighten up shadows away from the light source

Food on a plate does not have to be pristine a steak can be cut into or biscuits broken   

Vary the camera angle to get the most flattering angle

Use rule of thirds and the golden spiral to focus attention and lead the viewer around the image

I have also studied and analysed the work of a number of well know photographers who have extensive experience taking images of food to get inspiration for my project. They include:

Stuart Ovenden http://www.stuartovenden.com/portfolio

Keiko Oikawa http://www.keikooikawa.com/

Rick Fulsham http://rickfoulsham.co.uk/food-photography/

Anna Williams https://annawilliams.com/PORTFOLIO-LINK/FOOD/1

Miki Duisterhof https://www.mikiduisterhof.com/Portfolios/Food/1

Nadine Greeff http://www.nadinegreeff.com

 

Here are two examples of the way a professional food photographer Nick Fulsham has captured images of food to make them deliciously appealing. In both images he has focused closely on the food to convey its texture, and has used plain coloured backgrounds and surfaces as well as a narrow depth of field to blur the background. This keeps the viewers focus on the food. In the image on the left he has included interesting colour, and shapes and has placed some of the ingredients outside the plate to add interest. In the image on the right Fulsham has included more than one croissant so that this enhances the perception of depth in the frame. He has also used great lighting so that the food looks natural and appealing and this evokes the sensory experience of anticipating how it will taste.

There were also a number of fine art photographers whose work involves photographing food but while their work can be spectacular to look at it is not relevant for my aim with this study. Their images are not designed to evoke in the viewer the anticipation of delicious tasting and smelling food. Such photographers include: 

Carl Warner http://www.carlwarner.com/photographer/

Marcus Nilsson http://www.marcusnilsson.com/

However through my research I discovered a South African photographer, Nadine Greeff , who does both fine art images involving food as well as commercial work such as taking images of food for cookbooks and advertising. Her work has given me inspiration to try and aspire to achieving such fantastic compositions as hers are.

Nadine Greeff http://www.nadinegreeff.com   

Contact sheet

 

Image bank 

I started by photographing individual delicious looking cup-cakes. I used a light box to ensure the best quality image was achieved and to make the food look realistic so that it evokes thoughts of how the cake may taste. 

 

I then experimented with adding more cakes to enhance the sensory experience and create more depth in the images. As well as changing the cake decorations, adding fruit, cream, chocolate and cinnamon sticks. These will evoke different flavours and smells, as well as adding different textures, colours and interesting shapes to make the image look more appealing and so evoke the anticipation of the tastes and smells.

 

I then moved on to taking images of a mug of hot chocolate to associate the taste with positive memories of having it as a treat before bedtime on a cold night. I used a selection of sweet additions, marshmallows, whipped cream, maltesers and a flake, to make the drink look really luxurious. I also used cookies to add the anticipation of biting into a crunchy texture. I also tried slight variations in the camera angle and chose what looked best.

 

To evoke sensory experiences involving smell I used flowers and perfume as props for viewers to associate their scents with. I used a model and a garden location. I used close cropping and focusing on the models nose smelling the scent of the flowers and the act of spraying perfume on her wrist.  

I also took images of lit scented candles and the smoke coming from them to suggest the fragrance coming from them.

I then composed a more realistic set up for a meal, at a dining table with a mat and knife and fork to see if this would enhance the sensory experience compared to the more composed set up of the still life portraits of food I had previously taken.

My Best images

 

Images that require improvement

Scented candles are very popular at the moment so I thought I would create images around sensory experiences of the fragrance they give off when lit. In addition I also thought the image of a candle burning and the bright flame on top would create a visual attractive captivating image. The image I captured with the lit candle I believe is visually attractive as the stark difference between the dark background and the light flame creates a rather dramatic contrast. Then the red melting wax adds interesting texture to the image, however I do not think it evokes much sense of smell. I would have needed to include some other prop such as vanilla pods or some fruit to associate it with the smell in the air. Or include someone in the frame who is sniffing the air and so direct the viewer’s attention to the associated scent the candle could be giving off.  I then tried to create an image with the candle that viewers would more readily associate with a scent. By blowing out the candle but just leaving the wick smouldering this created a trail of smoke that wafted around in the air and created a more visual sense of something traveling through the air. However, when capturing this on my camera it does not look as visually captivating as it did in real life. I should perhaps have focused in more on the wick and the smoke to enhance the intensity of the experience it evokes. Alternatively I could have chosen a prop that has a more dramatic smell such as an ashtray with a burning cigarette in it and the smoke rising from that. That would have been a more powerful experience to use even if it was a rather unpleasant one. However none of my family or friends smokes cigarettes so I did not have the props available. So if I wanted to capture this I would need to purchase these for a later shoot. 

AO3: Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions, reflecting critically on work and progress.

While photography is primarily a visual art this does not mean that the other senses are unimportant, rather they can contribute greatly to the richness of the experience. In this project I want to create images that when viewers look at them with their eyes they will not only capture the visual information but it will also stimulate sensory experiences associated with what they see.  In this way their imagination will enable them to feel as if they can smell, taste, touch and hear things in the image. As sight is only one aspect of perception by involving the other senses in the experience this will make the images richer and more personally individual to each viewer. There are various ways in which this sensory experience can be intensified in an image so that it engages all of our physical senses and I will illustrate this throughout the project.

My personal project will specifically focus on exploring the diversity and intensity of sensory experiences. I will firstly concentrate on normal everyday sensory encounters creating images that evoke a range of physical sensations which are transferred to us through our five senses, sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch.

I will then explore examples from the extremes of this range of experiences. Starting with situations where sensory experiences have been diminished through a reduction in a particular sense function such as being visually impaired or hard of hearing. I will also highlight the aids we use to attempt to restore or compensate for the loss of sensation and so allow us to explore the many sensory experiences the world offers us.

At the other end of the scale I will also create images that highlight sensory experiences that have been intensified. This is seen in animals where a particular sense has been adapted and specialised through evolution to provide it with sensory experiences specifically adapted to its way of life and help it survive.

In this shoot I will firstly focus on creating images that evoke a sense of taste, and as smell is closely tied to taste the images are also likely to convey any associated smells. Through my research I discovered that memories with nostalgic associations are most easy to be recalled if they involved the sense of smell rather than other channels. So this will be a powerful tool to use to try to recreate sensory associations with the image. A lot of our experiences associated with taste are those involving food so I will start with that. It is said that ‘you eat first with your eyes’ so food that looks good to eat will create the sense of anticipation and stimulate memories of how wonderful it tastes. To create effective images I will therefore focus on visual representation and choose combinations of colours, textures and interesting shapes that make the food look appealing and delicious.  

 

Reference to my best selected images 

I started simply by focusing on a close up still life image of a single cup-cake which had been decorated with jam and butter icing. I initially used a small light box which had a dark floor insert, then I changed to using the granite work top in my kitchen and using the light box next to it to provide lighting. I initially wanted the contrast of the dark background against the light coloured cake to add drama, and then I wanted to see if I could make the composition more natural looking by using the granite of the kitchen’s worktop. I think both images are good in that the subject dominates a large part of the frame and so focuses attention onto it. I have also used a narrow depth of field in the image. 

This was in order to blur the background and keep the viewer’s attention completely on the cake. The diffused lighting in the light box helps to create an image with soft shadows and highlights and makes the cup-cake look quite natural as well as three dimensional and realistic. The peaks of butter icing and the circle of sponge on the top of the cake add an interesting shape as well as texture to the image, making it more visually captivating.  By focusing so intently on an appealing looking cake I hope to evoke the sensory experience of biting into and savouring its sweet taste.

 

 

While I was happy with these images of a single cake I then wanted to see if I could increase the sensory experience by making the image of the food more visually impactful. I therefore chose to increase the number of cakes and also add pieces of brightly coloured fruit. The bright red colour of the fruit adds energy to the image as well as interesting shapes, the spheres of the cherries and the heart shaped strawberries. They also add different textures and patterns with the cherries being shiny and smooth and the strawberries having a patterned surface covered in tiny seeds. I used white cream to create a dramatic colour contrast with the red fruit and so heighten the visual perception. This also focuses attention onto the fruit and enhances the sense of anticipation of their mouth-watering taste and texture.

However there are a couple of improvements I would make if I retook these images. Firstly the heat of the lights in the light box quickly melted the swirls of cream on the cakes making the textured pattern less distinct and causing the fruit to sink into or fall off the cakes. I therefore had to work quickly and did not have time to perfect the arrangement of cakes as I would like to have done, I did however in the time I had, manage to take images of single cakes and three or four arrangements. Next time I will freeze the cakes first to give me a longer time to arrange them. Also I would also like to try different background colours as I feel the background is too light and similar to the cream and a slightly darker colour background would make a more effective contrast to focus attention on the cakes. However I would not use too dark a background as I would lose the contrast with the dark coloured fruit.

In addition to evoking a sense of taste I also wanted to add elements that evoke a sense of smell. So I added cinnamon sticks and milk chocolate chips next to the cake. These are ingredients that are commonly used in baking so their scents should be easily recollected and associated with pleasurable experiences such as baking cakes at home in the kitchen or eating cakes containing their distinctive fragrance. In later shoots if I have time I would like to expand upon this idea of evoking a sense of smell by capturing more of the background in the image. For example by associating images with their smells such as the experience of taking newly baked cakes out of the oven.

In this image I am using a bottle of perfume as a prop to evoke memories of the smell of the fragrance of woman’s perfume and have choreographed my sister spraying perfume onto her wrist. I have used close cropping in this image to remove all unnecessary visual information from the image so that it is focused only on the act of spraying perfume; it is the central part of the image. The models painted nails and young elegant hands convey that she is relatively young and cares about her appearance and this fits with the ritual of wearing perfume. I took the image in the garden to associate it with the smell of flowers and fresh air however it may have been more effective to have taken it inside the house such as in the bedroom or bathroom. As this is where most people would associate with spraying perfume on themselves. So would better evoke memories of the scent they remember. I also think it could be improved by capturing the action in freeze frame as the perfume is sprayed onto her wrist. By including the perception of motion into the image this will help to arouse the sensory system into action as it anticipates smelling a particular fragrance in the air as it diffuses towards you.

 

AO2: Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops.

The camera I used is my Nikon D5300 DSLR, and I have set it up on my tripod to take the shots in as many images as was possible. For the camera settings I set the ISO as low as possible in order to prevent noise and in order to capture specific details in sharp focus I chose a smaller f stop.

I also used a small light box that I had bought to allow me to better control the lighting, and the setup of this is illustrated in the diagram below. I used both a white and a dark floor covering for the box depending upon the particular object I was photographing.

The light source in the box will throw light at both the subject and the background at the same time and the white walls that surround the subject act as a panel to bounce the light off back towards the subject. The fill light created can then wrap around the subject and create a more even gradual transition from light to shadow creating a more natural flattering image. The lighting was important to get right as it controls the transition of light to shadow and it is this that creates the depth and interest in an image and influences the mood it evokes. It was therefore important that I set the lighting up well as I wanted to create images that looked realistic.

I made use of a variety of props and materials in this shoot which I had ready and available to use, such as the food items including the cakes, fruit, cream, flakes, maltesers, marshmallows, cookies, cinnamon sticks and chocolate chips. Other prop items included the mug, flowers, candle, lighter and perfume bottle.

I made particular use of the textures, patterns, shapes, and colours of my props especially the food props to create appealing and interesting images that would look attractive to the eye and encourage anticipation of what they would taste like.

 
I used two different models and two different locations which were my back garden and my kitchen. However in this shoot many of the images were taken using my light box.  

The camera techniques I made use of were close-ups, a narrow depth of field as well as close cropping. Many of the images were still life images so these techniques added to the focus I placed on the subjects. By focusing attention onto the subject of the image I am highlighting the message of what the image conveys, as well as intensifying memories of how the subject connects to the physical experiences being shown.

 

I have refined work and experimented with it by starting off with photographing one cupcake then going on to use many to increase the perception of depth in the image and fill the frame. I have also made the decorations more elaborate and dramatic by using colour contrasts and by including fresh fruit with bright colours and interesting shapes. The fruit also adds another variety of flavours to complement those already present. With the hot chocolate images I have refined their look by trying a variety of different combinations of props next to the cup as well as on top of it such as the cookies, the marshmallows, maltesers, and chocolate flakes. This was in order to see if a particular combination was more effective at evoking memories of tastes and smells.
AO1: Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding.

For the images involving the sensory experience of taste I had researched the methods used by professional photographers who work extensively with photographing food and drink. Their work is used in various situations including advertising, packaging and cookery books; therefore the images must evoke the sensory experience of the food being enjoyable to eat. I therefore studied their images to better understand how I could make food look as appealing as possible in my images. Through my investigations I found lots of useful techniques and have put many of these into practice when taking my images. I have summarised the understanding I have gained and the techniques involved above (see Research Influence) and illustrate my ability to put my understanding into practice with the image I have taken of the hot chocolate below.  

 
One of my favourite tastes is that of hot chocolate and I particularly like it with all the added extras, mini marshmallows, whipped cream, maltesers and a flake added to it. Not only does this taste really good but I think it also looks really appealing and wonderful, so I decided to use this in a photo to evoke the sensory experience of tasting it. I took a close up image of the mug of hot chocolate piled high with whipped cream, and the extra elements placed onto it. I chose a plain coloured mug to ensure focus is not taken away from the food and to not add any distracting bright colours. To exaggerate the taste of these additional ingredients I arranged some of them around the mug so increasing their prominence and making the image more appealing by focusing on the varied textures and shapes present. In the image the smooth surface of the shiny cup reflects the round spheres of the maltesers at its base highlighting the shapes and paralleling the silky smooth texture of hot chocolate as it flows over your tongue. Also the texture of the squishy soft marshmallows and the soft cream add to this sensation. The crumbly flake and the crunchy maltesers help to add variety in the textures shown and add to the memories of the various taste sensations evoked. The image was taken in a light box to ensure that the objects looked realistic as the diffused light would illuminate all around the mug by being reflected on the white walls of the box. This will soften the image by create a gradual change  from light to shadow, and so make the image more natural looking and so realistic to better evoke the sensation of taste.

I then varied the image to create associations with nostalgic memories of having hot chocolate together with cookies as a treat on a cold winter’s night. The contrast of the rough texture of the biscuits with the soft texture of the cream and marshmallows also adds visual interest as well as stimulating memories of the associated textures on your tongue as you taste them. However, I feel I could have made this image more effective by enhancing the texture of the cookies by having one of them snapped in two and have some of the crumbs present around it. Similarly I could have halves a maltesers sphere too so that the honeycomb texture at its centre could be seen. This would have really focused attention on the various crunchy and crumbly textures present and would evoke the sensation of biting into and feeling these textures on your tongue. I would also like in later shoots to add the dimension of temperature by having the drink really hot so that steam rises from it, but would need to leave out the cream in these images. In this way I will be evoking comforting memories of the taste of hot chocolate when you sip it from a mug and the warming sensation it gives you.

 

When trying to create a sensory experience associated with smell I felt the most powerful images would incorporate flowers as they are by far the first thing most people will associate with smell. I therefore chose these as my first subject then highlighted the experience by having my model smelling the flowers fragrance.  While I wanted a natural setting for this image to capture the sense of being outside with the smells of nature all around you, I did not want the background to detract focus from the sensory experience so I therefore used a shallow depth of field to blur it.

My research into incorporating the sensory experience of smell into an image led me to the understanding that I should include more of the surroundings into my images to help enhance the perception of smell. This will bring forward memories of the smells associated with the environment shown. This was why I took the images outdoors however I think I could find a slightly better background that is more obviously a garden as the trees I have included had no leaves on them so next time I will look for a more greener spot to use.

 

I used my sister as my model as I think she is attractive looking and this enhanced the beauty of the image making it more appealing. The image was taken in close up as this makes it more intimate and intensifies the power of the flowers’ perceived smell. I also took the image at a perspective where the flowers filled a large percentage of the frame. In order to focus the viewer’s attention onto the sensory experience of the model smelling the flowers and to aid them in sharing in this experience I arranged my models hair so that it fell forward and covered most of her face apart from her nose. In this way I focused viewer’s attention onto the sensory part that I want them to share in. This should encourage their associations and stimulate memories of the fragrance of flowers.  The image was also taken on a bright day with the sun shining, even though it was February. This will help form connections with memories of warm spring or summer days where flowers are in bloom and their scent fills the air.  

 

AO4: Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and, where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements. 

In my first shoot my intention was to create visual images that evoke sensory experiences strongly associated with a sense of taste and also of smell. These two physical experiences often go hand in hand as they are closely tied together and if one is stimulated often the other will be too. My research has revealed to me that memories are most easy to be recalled if they involved the sense of smell rather than other channels. This makes it easier to create the perception of smell through visual images that stimulate viewers past experiences.

I have chosen to focus the ‘taste’ images around food as a lot of our experiences associated with taste are those involving food. As we ‘eat first with our eyes’, food that looks attractive and appealing to eat will create the sense of anticipation and stimulate memories of how wonderful it tastes. This will happen long before the food reaches our mouth. Therefore in order to achieve this effectively I have composed my images to be visually attractive. After researching and analysing many photographers work which focus on capturing images of delicious looking food I have gone on to plan my images so that they include a combination of colours, textures, patterns and interesting shapes in the images to make the food look interesting and captivating. The shapes include the spherical cherries and maltesers, the heart shaped strawberries, the cylindrical shaped cinnamon sticks and the chips of chocolate. I have also included a variety of different textures such as the rough scored surface of the chocolate flake, the peaks of the soft cream and butter icing, the smooth shiny surface of the cherries as well as the interesting pattern of the tiny seeds on the surface of the strawberries. I have also ensured that the images I have taken are of food that most viewers will likely enjoy such as that involving cakes, fruit and chocolate. Not all of these food types are healthy rather most are considered treats which is why they will likely appeal to people. Viewers are also more likely to have positive memory associations with these foods which will add to the sensory experience.

For the images evoking the sense of smell I have again selected items that most people will have a strong association with smell, these are flowers and perfume. For these images I have included a model in some of the images in order to enhance the perception of smell. In the food images based on my research I felt having close up still life images that focused on the food and filled the frame would be effective in stimulating the experience of tasting and smelling it. So there was no necessity for a model, however with the flowers and perfume I wanted to direct the viewers towards the sensory experience and so focused closely on the experience the model was portraying. In the image with the flowers I obscured most of the models face with her hair so that only her nose was visible. Then I choreographed her smelling the fragrance of the flowers to further direct the viewer’s eye towards the experience. By taking the image outside on a bright day I hoped to evoke memories of spring/summer days where the scent of flowers filled the air. However by using a narrow depth of field I prevented the viewer attention being distracted too much by the background landscape so keeping their focus on the sensory experience of the smell of the fragrance from the flowers.  

These images are of a vegetarian pasta based meal my sister prepared. I wanted to see if having a more real life like image of food that is ready to be eaten would be more effective in evoking sensations, rather than the still life composed images taken in the light box. I also wanted to vary and experiment with the angle of perspective. The second image above I took with the camera in a more overhead position looking down on the plate, as compared with the first image where the camera is in a more acute angle position relative to the table. I then compared the images and it is clearly obvious to me that there is a greater perception of depth in the first image compared with the second. The second image looks rather flat in comparison. This therefore confirms to me that the angle I have been using is the best one to achieve as realistic and 3 dimensional looking images as possible.  I therefore will endeavour to use camera positions similar to that used in the first image.   


Progression

While many of the images in this shoot were still life ones I would like in later shoots if there is time to further develop the theme of the experience of ‘taste and smell’ by setting up scenes so that the environment can contribute more to the impact. I would also like to develop the experience created by including the perception of warmth or cold in some images using steam rising from warm food or using colder food such as drinks with chunks of ice in it causing condensation to form on the glass. This could help evoke memories of taste and make the experience more real by adding the dimension of anticipation of experiencing a temperature change. 

There are a number of changes which I have mentioned above where I can make changes to improve the images I have taken these include:

Using a broken cookie in the hot chocolate drink image to enhance the perception of texture

Freezing food beforehand to prevent it melting and losing shape and texture so quickly. Or using a different less easily melted topping

Changing background locations to include more greenery in the flower image.

Moving to a more appropriate location for the perfume image such as a bedroom or bathroom.

In my next shoot I will be continuing with the theme of normal everyday sensory experiences but will explore those involving the sensations of touch and of temperature differences. I have researched various photographers work for this but will also take some inspiration from Ashvini Ray's images in her 'Untitled series 2010'. In this series she has taken close up images of structural elements of the human form and by using unusual perspectives to disguise her objects she allows viewers to focus on the tactile elements of her images. In this way the viewers can better feel the soft round textures and the taut sculptured forms and this enhances the sensory experience she provides in her images.

Update


My first shoot focused on sensory experiences relating to taste and smell and I wanted to develop it further by connecting the experience of visually seeing food not only with the anticipation of its taste but also with the enjoyable social experience of eating it at a restaurant with family or friends. This should better evoke memories of happy experiences with family and friends coming together to share some food. I recently had the opportunity to do this as I was eating out with my family at a restaurant, and so captured some images there.

In the first image, I have arranged various items on our wooden table. There is a plate of nachos covered in salsa and cheese with side dips of sour cream and guacamole. Beside it is a mojito cocktail in a clear glass with ice, mint and a straw.  The fact that it is a restaurant can be observed from the presence of other chairs and table in the background, although I have blurred this slightly using a narrow depth of field to focus attention on the food. The restaurant location can also be inferred from the cutlery placed on napkins and the small candle decoration on the table. 

Although the food is less dominant in this image compared to my previous ones it should connect more with the viewers and induce memories of their own visits to restaurants with family and friends and so add enjoyment to the sensory experience. I also think the image is more realistic and less composed than my others and this creates the impression of authenticity and allows the viewer to connect personally with it more. However, I think that by including more of the surroundings in the images I feel they have lost some of the focus on the experience of feeling like you could taste and smell the food. As this was the main point of the image I think it is, therefore, less effective in this respect. 

 

The second image shows two cocktail drinks arranged so that they create compositional depth and perspective in the image, with one behind the other. This arrangement naturally leads the eye into the restaurant setting after they have observed the cocktail drinks.  This image also has the added aspect of a temperature change as the cocktails have lots of ice in them and a straw sticking out temptingly towards the viewer could help enhance memories of sipping a refreshing ice cold drink and how this feels as it runs down your throat. The lighting was not great in the restaurant, and what there was, was directly over our table. This overhead light does detract from the perception of form that I was able to capture.