Packshot Factory

Packshot Factory

I decided to look at Packshot Factory as they are one of the best collectives of high end food photographers/editors etc in the country. They also specialize in 'creating images to sell a product' (taken from the packshot factory website 2014). This high end photography is something that has always fascinated me. The images make the products look perfect, to the point where you question how much editing has been applied to the images. Packshot Factory are one of the only studios that handle the image process all the way from creation to production. They also handle not only the digital process but film processes as well. This versitality is what makes them one of the leading photographic studios in the country.

The main reason i wanted to look at packshot factory is because i love the way they use the high end photography. All of their images are beautifully crisp, clear and clean yet do not look like a high tech science experiment. I also wanted to look at the way they have produced cook books for their clients. 

   The above image is from Packshot Factory's website. It is a selection of images from a book that they have produced. All of their images are similar in the way that they are shot. All of the images are either shot from above showing an overview of the product or they are shot from a lower macro angle. I personally prefer the images that are shot in a macro format but that is just my personal preference. Overall however i feel that the mixture of the overhead shots and macro works very well.

There are two books that are featured on the website. The book above is much more focused around the rustic style that has now come back into fashion. The images are quite similar to those in Jack Monroe's however Packshot Factorys are much more processed and formatted. I feel that this sort of photography can make products look alluring and desirable but i do think it can be a bit too much when it comes to a cook book.

Then again it all depends on who the cook book is aimed at. If it is for someone who has a lot of time one their hands and could actually produce what is in the photograph then i feel that it is the perfect medium for it. For something like the cook book i'm producing this photography could work well as long as it is not too processed.

The overall feel of the book above makes me believe that it is meant for both men and women. The main reason for this is it contains both the feminine aspect and masculine. The images and format are clean and simple. The colours are not too over the top nor are they so basic that it could be black and white. As they have produced the imagery that is mainly what is shown. But the homely, rustic feel of some of the images appreals to the modern day cooks. On the other hand the more 'snacks and desserts/party food' are shot in a simple yet hig end manner. This appeals to those who want to try and create food that will impress others or just look good on the table!

The book above is very different in the way that the images have been produced. they are less about being fancy and more about delivering an example. As the book is about producing muscle through food a lot of the images are focused on being lean and clean. Even the more 'gourmet' dishes are produced in a simpler manner with a plain background upon plain plates. Again the images are all crisp and clean, in a way i prefer the actual photography in this book than i do the previous. This book is very much aimed at a male audience and this shows through the use of dark colours on some pages and the typically 'male' blue colour on others.

This limited use of colour works well for a book like this as it leaves more to be said about the food rather than concentrating on the image. For a male audience this is perfect as many do not want to have to cook a complex rustic meal full of fat. Although this is very stereotypical it is true in many cases. You only have to look at the difference in the mainly 'male' targeted cook books in comparison to those aimed at a 'female' audience.

The main reason i chose the above image is because i love the way it is composed. The pale, cold colours are understated  but do not clash greatly with the food. Instead they allow the food to stand out against the background. Even with the use of the board underneath the food this does not detract from the overall composition of the piece. I also love the simplicity of the entire piece, it makes it seem like the ideal way to serve the food so gives you one less aspect to worry about.

The only aspect that i don't like is the angle at which the one on the right has been shot from. There is something about it that makes me overlook the actual plate and towards the glass in which detracts from the piece. The other piece i feel is a little too 'squashed' with everything in the image. Other than that however i feel both are strong images and give me a starting point as to what i might do for the images in my own cookery book.

 The reason that i wanted to look at this image is purely because of its macro element. An image like this i feel works well if used at the beginning, end or as a chapter starter when being used in a book. The reason for this is because it is of a sole ingredient and adds interest when going through the book. Especially when the book uses high end photography an image like this would not look out of place, it would enhance the overall look of the book. I may use something like this in my own book but i do not think it would work if i used something as highly processed at this. The book is about quick cooking but with a homely feel, something like this is too studio based and would possibly detract from the book. 

The reason that i have included this image is because i love the way it has been shot from over head. I also love how the spoon has been placed with a selection of the food. This breaks up the mass of vegetable and adds interest. Sometimes when images are shot from above they can look flat and loose their dimensions. Again this image is from a studio that produces high tech, high end photography however this is a much more rustic feeling image. The simplicity of it is what i think makes it such a good image. In the book i am creating i may use some images like this, however i feel that these images work when in an object that can keep its dimensions. something like a bowl can be difficult as it looks more like a hole with something in it; this however could actually add interest and make the reader look closer at the book.