About Me

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Sydney, NSW, Australia
Craft/ food story Developer, Writer & Photographer for Newspapers & Magazines. first Book on Quilts out March 2015 with @Interweave All images and content belong to Siobhan Rogers, if you would like to use my images please email me.

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

tricks of the trade


I get a few questions in my classes, trade shows and book signings about my photography.

Way back when I left school I studied photography and worked as a cadet photographer - honestly at the time I didn't have what it took, I don't think I had the maturity or patience. I regret (slightly) not seeing my 4 year course through... I dropped out at the end of 2nd year and transferred across to another degree that I did finish...... much to my parents relief 

Live and learn !

Whats that saying - No such thing as mistakes only lessons learnt?

Flash forward a few years later (a few more than I am willing to admit) and I am back to it - I'm loving it. Images take time and patients and I get a kick out of it.

Today I was photographing a blood orange tart that I made. I was photographing it with the intent of blogging the recipe - hopefully in the next few days I'll get around to it.

Picture A


What I actually wanted to write about today was how I took the photo.

I like to use natural muted light, that way I don't need to mess around too much with my exposure. 

I used my fixed 50mm lens and set my camera to F/1.4* (*F stop or focal ratio).

Its worth having a read of your camera manual if all of that sounds like another language.


The next important thing is where to take your picture - as in whats in the picture.


To give you an example I have used an old door and painted it with a few different paints and techniques (picture 1)

Picture 1 - Old door painted
The top two panels I painted with a green paint. Letting the paint dry and then lightly sanding it back. I then painted white over the top of the top panel heavily and the second panel only lightly. 

I painted the bottom panel in the white, letting the white layer dry I sanded it back lightly and then added a blue layer on the bottom panel.

I chose sections of the door to photograph the tart (Pic A blue section, Pic B green section) 

Picture A

Picture B


and then used another part of the door for a nice flat textured surface shoot(picture C blue section) 

Picture C


I then used the top part of the door to picture one of my quilts hanging off it (picture D)




Picture D

I tend to be drawn to rough old surfaces, I think they are easy backgrounds to photograph? Maybe..... 

I'd love to see what you guys do and what types of areas or surfaces you use in your photos!

paste a link in the comments and I can have a stickybeak 

Xx Siobhan Rogers




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