There seems to be a thing with food porn, lately. Bobskoot appears to have been one of the original instigators. At first glance he seems to be merely a mild mannered scooter rider. It would appear there's a dark side hidden under that inscrutable grin. If we're honest, though, we can't say much. We've all been willing disciples. Some of us have even begged him for more.
One of the things I've noticed about a lot of the photos out there is a certain lack of creativity. I mean, there's a lot of variety in content but not much in approach. Real masters of the craft know that one of the keys to good boudoir food photography is seductive lighting. Show off your subject, certainly, but leave a little to the imagination, as well. In that spirit I've decided to share some of my own work. A person can't be on a motorcyle all the time, after all. Being balanced requires sometimes parking the bike and enjoying some of life's other pleasures. The setting for this post is a recent trip over the mountain range to Bend.
We begin with the light sources. You want seductive photos? Start with seductive lighting. This was located right over my head. Understated and pleasing to look at by itself.
The soft lighting is such a welcome contrast to the bright and garish world of the small bar. You can almost see the blur as sensory input comes rushing towards us. Shapes, colors, reflections, and glare threaten to overwhelm us. There's nothing sensuous about this setting. It's a very in-your-face experience best left to others.
Rest your soul by immersing yourself in the restful lighting and setting of our temporary studio. No need for defenses that shield us from the massive waves of sight and sound of the bar. Shields down, Scotty. Open yourself to the hint of delights to follow.
Notice the hint of reading glasses and a book in the lower left corner of the photo above. That sets the tone. Not everything is glaringly laid out for us in total blatant detail. No, one must open the book, to explore a bit at a time. See the glass of cold beer that is revealed to us under the soft lighting. This is obviously the reason the bike is parked safely at the hotel across the way.
There is enough information shown to clearly establish the enticing aspect of this lovely cold beverage. You see a hint of the richness of the brew as alluded to by the deep, dark, color. Yet, much is left to the imagination. How cold will it really be? What will it taste like? You see how properly done food porn entices you to want and to wonder?
Let your eyes move to the photo below. There is a hint of naughtiness without explicit detail.
Surely the presence of this exotic dish and two friends suggests a culinary threesome. Yet, there is no explicit detail. Will they, or won't they? Looking past the star will reveal the back of a blonde head. How does she fit in? Does she sense the tension building behind her? Will she politely ignore the goings on or become an observer? Will she even perhaps feel a longing to participate? Again, we are left to wonder and imagine the possibilities on our own. Rather than have the outcome dictated to us we are left to weave our own story as it suits us.
In the photo above we find the perspective has changed. Two of the players have closed the gap between them. They are so close but we don't know if they're actually touching or if the contact is simply implied. Now we're more up close and personal to the star. More is revealed to our eyes. Still, though, this view is far from showing us everything. We are now even more enticed and tempted. Our eyes tell us we yearn to experience the delight of consumption. Yet, we are still denied total knowledge. Perhaps we will even experience the frustration of unfulfilled desire.
If we are honest, though, we will agree that this is best. Always the image of "what might have been" will ultimately be more satisfying. Far better to ponder, imagine, and dream. How often has it been said that the wanting is often far better than the having? A true artist helps us to experience that.
Enough of that. Let us change subjects to a menu posted in the window of a steak house. Even observed through the glare of glass pounded by the late sunshine the prices of the steaks effectively deliver their shock. Perhaps the omission of the dollar signs before the prices was somehow meant to disguise the high price. I know little except that I won't be taking food porn pictures anytime soon.
As a parting note I wanted to share another window display.
There are many places to ride dirt bikes in Central Oregon. Apparently this is the latest offering from the Madonna line of chest protectors. I almost feel like I'm putting actual porn on the site but I somehow couldn't restrain myself. Worn on the street it would almost qualify as Hi-Viz!
Miles and smiles,
Dan
