NEW #BVS CAPTURE CHALLENGE! ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A £100 OR £25 VOUCHER FOR THE RUNNER-UP
THE CHALLENGE THEME IS SMOKE OR STEAM & WE'RE THRILLED TO HAVE OUR BRILLIANT AMBASSADOR CATH @CATHLOWEPHOTO COHOSTING WITH US OVER ON INSTAGRAM
Cath is a food and portrait photographer I have admired for a long time - her style leans into fine art and is always impactful; no matter what the subject Cath creates magic and drama in every shot.
Cath has won many awards for her food photography, three through the highly prestigious international Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year. She works for food and drink brands, restaurants, hotels and vineyards, while also shooting food & drink in her own fully equipped home studio.
'food and drink photography endlessly fascinates me… there is no end to the play of light, shadows and textures in this delicious medium'
Find out more about Cath's work here.
Smoking old fashioned cocktail shot by Cath using the Peanut backdrop behind
ABOUT THE CHALLENGE THEME – SMOKE & STEAM
What a wonderful thing to capture, swirling moments in time!
Smoke and steam evoke the senses, reminding us of occasions or meals and soothing moments of flavour and scent.
Its also beautiful to shoot, bringing an etherial magic to your scene and reminding us that even when everything else is still the air is dancing all around us.
We thought this would be a brilliant Autumn challenge as it suits this time of year so well - rich colours, darker nights, cosy food (or spooky treats!) all tie in so well and will help you embrace smoke or steam in your photography.
We hope you will join us and don't forget, everyone who enters has a chance of winning the £100 prize or runner up £25 prize.
This challenge is hosted on Instagram -
#BVSSMOKE
HOW TO ENTER
- Follow the hosts and judges on Instagram - @blackvelvetstyling @cathlowephoto
- Have fun bringing smoke or steam in to your styling and photography
- Post on Instagram between 17th – 31st October 2023 using the hashtag #BVSSMOKE and tagging @blackvelvetstyling
Full terms and how to enter below, but for now, here are some tips from our hosts to get your ideas flowing...
Smoking s'mores captured by Sophie with the Hide cut wood effect backdrop as the surface and Kyoto black backdrop behind
CATH'S TIPS FOR CAPTURING SMOKE & STEAM
Spiced pear and pumpkin bundt cake shot by Sophie using the Quay old wood backdrop as the table surface and Whitby black wood backdrop behind.
SOPHIE'S TIPS FOR CAPTURING SMOKE & STEAM
I always recommend using a tripod to elevate your styling (its the first and sometimes only bit of kit a content creator needs after their camera - so if you don't have one invest now and get the best you can afford!) but its even more important when capturing movement as, like Cath said, you will need to keep your shutter speed high and keep perfectly still so the smoke/steam doesn't all blur.
On the same note, a remote shutter device will be vey helpful if you want to blow a candle out or control your smoke/steam on the set and take the shot before it all changes again.
Cath mentioned using incense sticks for smoke - this is genius, I hadn't heard of this before! For steam I have used tampons or teabags soaked in just boiled water but it does disappear fast. Another trick is to have your drink/soup whatever boiling away and then place last minute, or microwave it with clingfilm on top and remove from the microwave last minute, then release the cling film the moment you take your shot. Or shots i should say - have your camera in fast multi-shot mode.
If you really want to blast steam across your set you can use a steam iron or clothes steamer - just be careful not to soak the rest of your set!
As always with action shots I would have a few 'safety' shots of your final shot in the bag before you go for the action bit, in case you need them to comp in later if it all goes T up!
We hope you enjoy playing with smoke and steam in your photography, we can't wait to see what you create!
#BVSSMOKE
HOW TO ENTER
- Follow the hosts and judges on Instagram - @blackvelvetstyling @cathlowephoto
- Have fun bringing smoke or steam in to your styling and photography
- Post on Instagram between 17th – 31st October 2023 using the hashtag #BVSSMOKE and tagging @blackvelvetstyling
Each entry will be judged on how you’ve used the technique and how you capture the essence of your subject with it.
We look forward to seeing your posts and announcing the four finalists on Instagram soon after the competition closes at midnight on the 31st October 2023. Then its over to the community to vote for the winner!
Competition Rules
Entries don’t have to include our backdrops, our community capture challenges are about exploring different techniques.
Entries must stay on your feed for the duration of the competition and judging period if you are a finalist.
Four finalists will be selected within a few days after close and announced via our Instagram stories.
The winner and runner up will be voted for by the public via our Instagram stories, this will be live for 24hrs.
The winner and runner up will be announced via our Instagram stories soon after close.
We only need your email address to deliver the prize. We never ask for personal or bank details via email or private messages.
No purchase necessary to enter.
No minimum order necessary on the voucher prizes. They will be valid for 12 months.
Open worldwide.
All decisions are final.
Not in conjunction or affiliated with Instagram in anyway.
GOOD LUCK, WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOUR CAPTURES!
Got a question for me or Cath? Pop it below and we'll be happy to answer!
1 comment
Not a question, I just wanted to say how much I love your features. Always such helpful advice and ideas, thank you!