Equipment and Props

As my final photoshoot is approaching, I am currently brainstorming the equipment and props I will need during pre-production, post-production, and actual production to make my vision come to life. Taking into account what I have access to and what I will need to find, I am also considering a backup plan for any issues I may run into. As a result, I will be able to be fully prepared for my final photoshoot, which will hopefully run as smoothly as possible!

Equipment

Investing in the proper photography equipment can undoubtedly improve the quality of photos, especially camera equipment, which can help aid in capturing unique scenes. Below is the equipment I will need:

1. iPhone camera and/or digital camera (ACTUAL PRODUCTION)

iPhone 13 Digital Camera

2. Tripod (ACTUAL PRODUCTION)

3. Artificial or natural lighting depending on weather (ACTUAL PRODUCTION)

• NATURAL: At my house, I would use the lighting that shines from my kitchen balcony doors and windows. At the restaurant, I would photograph my dishes near a possible light source to achieve the best lighting conditions.

• ARTIFICIAL: At my house, I would use a light box to get professional-quality lighting with no background disruptions or shadows. If the restaurant's lighting conditions are poor (e.g. too dim or too bright), I could use the flash setting on my phone.

Natural Artificial (House) Artificial

(Restaurant)

4. Graphic Drawing Tablet (POST-PRODUCTION)

• I would use this to retouch images in Photoshop if needed.

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Props

Props are essential physical elements of photography: they help set a scene, add meaning to the main subject of the photo, make photos more unique, and visually complement the overall photo. Below are the props I will need:

1. Decorative tableware

   1. Plates, bowls, and other dishes

   2. Asian-inspired cutlery

Asian-inspired chopsticks and chopstick rests

Thankfully, these props will already be provided at the restaurant!

2. Additional food for plating (e.g. edible garnishes and decorations)

Similar to above, this prop will also already be provided at the restaurant as the dishes will already be plated.

What I Have Access to Now v.s. What I Need to Find

Below is a table representing the equipment and props I currently have versus what I will need to find.

Have Access to Now	​Do Not Have Access to Now (Will Need to Find)
• iPhone and digital camera • Tripod • Graphic Drawing Tablet • Lightbox • Decorative tableware • Additional food for plating	• Ingredients for the dish

After analyzing what I have and what I don't have, I noticed that I have almost everything I need for my final photoshoot!

1. INSUFFICIENT LIGHTING As previously stated, if the natural lighting is not as bright as I want it to be at my house on the day of the final photoshoot, I can use a photography light box. This tool is very simple and doesn't require extensive procedures. All I would have to do to use this tool is place the dish inside the box! Hopefully, it would allow my photos to have professional lighting without having to worry about any shadows or distracting backgrounds. At the restaurant, I can simply use flash.

2. BLURRY PHOTOS If my iPhone camera produces low-quality, blurry photos, I can use a digital camera. Even though I am more familiar with a phone's camera settings, I would like to challenge myself.

3. PLATING STRUGGLES, If I discover that I made any plating mistakes or

BACKGROUND DISRUPTIONS, there are any unnecessary subjects in the

ETC. background after already finishing the photoshoot (see images two and three in my 1st genre photoshoot), I can use my new knowledge about photoshop! Therefore, I would be able to edit the flaws out of the image with my graphic drawing tablet.