CANDY.
SWEETS FOR THE SWEET TOOTH.
Halloween’s reward. Remember the thrill of the pillowcase filled with chocolate goodness, and sweet flavors designed to give dentists heart palpitations.
(Must have been hard to be a dentist’s kid with all the other kids ingesting tons of sugar into their gullets and you being stuck with an apple. Or worse yet, a pear. Sheesh.)
Well, this is a celebration of those sweet, occasionally gooey, but always tasty forbidden fruit of our youth.
The idea of course is to make something wall-worthy of the tasty treats.
This isn’t an ad for candy (although almost anything can be used as an ad), this is more like making something for a poster, or a print, or something someone may want hanging in their kitchen or dining room.
Probably not in dentist’s homes, though.
What to think about:
- color
- texture
- shape
- design
- repeated shapes
- close-ups for the unexpected
- motion for fun
- contrast
- gooey… always think gooey.
Candy is something that is universal, and something everyone can identify with. Keep this in mind as you plan your image.
The video below will explain a few different ways to make the imagery timeless.
Assignment:
Two or Three Photographs:
Either Candy or Chocolate or both – Your call.
Think of the assignment as a chance to add 3-4 images to your portfolio.
- A closeup, almost abstract image of candy or chocolate.
- A scrumptious chocolate dessert
- Candy as a graphic design product (candy corn laid in perfect rows over a grid printed paper)
- Texture and Color of sweets
- Unusual candies or chocolate goodies
Do not shoot a “Product Shot”.
Nothing on plain white. Nothing like you would find in a product sheet or a catalog.
These images must extoll the absolutely delicious, and possibly decadent, nature of sweets.
Assignment Idea Briefs
Here are 5 assignment briefs:
- Candy Closeups
- Objective: Capture the intricate details and textures of individual candy pieces
- Props: White or colored backgrounds, macro lens, diffused lighting
- Surfaces: Matte, glass, mirrored
- Expectations: Highly detailed, focused shots highlighting the candy’s unique features
- Candy Compositions
- Objective: Create visually compelling arrangements of various candies
- Props: Assortment of candies, complementary props (dishes, fabrics, flowers)
- Surfaces: Marble, wood, paper
- Expectations: Balanced, harmonious compositions with thoughtful use of color, texture, and shape
- Candy in Motion
- Objective: Freeze motion and capture the dynamic movement of candies
- Props: High-speed camera, colored liquids, air blowers
- Surfaces: Acrylic, seamless paper
- Expectations: Dramatic, freeze-frame shots showcasing the candy in mid-action
- Candy Minimalism
- Objective: Highlight the simple beauty of individual candies
- Props: Solid-colored backdrops, natural lighting
- Surfaces: Matte, smooth
- Expectations: Elegant, pared-down images focusing on form, color, and negative space
- Candy Still Lifes
- Objective: Create classic, styled still life compositions with candies
- Props: Vintage tableware, textiles, flowers, lighting equipment
- Surfaces: Wood, marble, metal
- Expectations: Sophisticated, studio-quality images with attention to prop styling and lighting