We excitedly accepted an invitation from Maggie Holmes to premier a wonderfully informative photography guest post from Evelyn Pratiwi Yusuf. We're greatly honored for the chance to share Evelyn's exquisite photos as she talks coffee & Maggie Holmes' Confetti.
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Some of you already know that I'm a coffee person. I love coffee so much that I made it the quintessential subject for today's photography tip session.
I always bring my Canon 5DMK2 and 50mm f:1.4 when I want to enjoy a cup of joe. If you're without a camera of this sort, don't panic, the tips I'm about to share are easily transferrable to the iPhone or Android, which I know most are in the habit of using when out and about.
There are TWO types of coffee shops in my area; one rustic, one clean. In this post, I visited and photographed both locations while maintaining my aperture of f:2.8
1. STAY CLASSIC
When at a coffee shop, the easiest subject to capture is the 'coffee cup'. To make it a point of interest, we'll want the coffee cup to be in focus and the rest of the elements to be blurry. To do this, open your camera's aperture to the lowest number. Again, mine is set at 2.8. Pinpoint the location of the cup within your chosen composition, focus on it and then hit the shutter button.
Another alternative method for photographing the cup is to 'frame it' with relatable objects. Again, focus solely on the cup and make sure the aperture is open wide.
2. HAND IN FRAME
The easiest way to capture a cup of joe is while holding it in your hand. The hand and cup together give life to the image and tells a story about both. If you're not comfortable using your own hand, ask a friend to hold onto the cup for you. You can then use it as a point of interest, or incorporate it into the background.
3. PRETTY IN THE SHADOW
If while visiting a favorite coffee shop you spot an area where there is a minor amount of shade, steer towards it and use it as the photo's backdrop. In my photo, the darkness lends contrast and frames my coffee cup beautifully while generating direction and textural interest.
4. CREATING AMBIENCE
Staring at a cup of coffee can be a little boring. Consider increasing the ambiance of your image by zooming out and including some of the scenic surroundings. You'll want to give considerable thought to the relationship between the various subjects in the frame. They should work together to compliment the cup.
Before leaving you today, I want to quickly share three simple, clean layouts using my favorite coffee-friendly photos.
I hope you found my photography tips to be of help and that you'll give them a try the next time you're at your favorite coffee hang-out!
Very inspiring! Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Anya | April 28, 2015 at 05:01 AM
Nice. Thanks fir the tips! Did u use aperture priority? (Sorry, have the other guys model and I know Canon calls AP something else... ) I alway struggle w camera shake did u do these hand held or on tripod? Thanks and have a great day!
Posted by: Caralyn Karaitis | April 29, 2015 at 05:51 AM
fabulous! I love all of your work! (I love coffee too!)
Posted by: Karen Nuce | May 25, 2015 at 07:00 PM