I’m kidding. This post doesn’t have much to do with food photography as such. I have to revive that series, I know I know.
But meanwhile, I am going to answer the question many of you have asked me through comments and emails.
“What’s that white background that you use in most of your pictures?”
And today, I present to you.. TADAAA..
OOPS! Oh wait! That’s my extremely cluttered, not-white-at-all coffee table.
Here’s my white table I use for food pics.
He may look a bit confused but that’s because he is not used to being photographed without food on him, you see.
Its very convenient to have a hard, white base that easily cleanable and portable. The table weighs less than 
See what I mean? A white base reflects light well and enhances the picture when you later edit using Picasa or any other software. I love using a plain white base most times partly because I am too lazy to do an elaborate set up but mostly because I love the simplicity. Try it!
The table is from Ikea. Its a Lack Table that I bought for 20 SGD. I tried searching the Ikea website for the link but looks like they have stopped this product, maybe temporarily.
Moral of the story: grab the white table the moment you see it because by the time you consider it and decide, it may be too late.
Happy clicking on white!
** Coming up: a post dedicated to my oven which is another topic I get the most emails on. Looks like nobody is really reading my recipes eh? Ok, kidding 😀
Thanks for sharing the tip .reading all u r post on photography , like u r style of writing.
Hmm I bought a glass top side table from Ikea,If I was introduced to food blogging then atleast I would have bought white table.Now I m back to India need to search white table here…:(
Thanks for sharing the tricks..Wish to see many more posts under this section dear.
I use white paper placed on a chair near the window and it works fine…so get rid of the sad face Prathibha!;)
Hey thanks for the post , I really wanted to see the table….Its simple and elegant I say! Yes white suits best for all but sometimes I like other colors too depends on the food we click 🙂
Thanks Nags, for letting us into your home and paying a visit through your post. A big Hello to your white table. It being the most important part of your photographs 🙂
Nice place Nags, beautiful light coming in…Please revive this series…Its a huge insight !
"He may look a bit confused but that's because he is not used to being photographed without food on him, you see." LOL, kept me giggling for two whle minutes! 😛
If not for food, I'd have to get a white background for any kind of photography. Simple and elegant!
To the horro of my daughter i go to her room to take pics as that is the room with more space and i can put a small table there and remove when i finish taking pic.
In summer I go to the balcony and then take the pic 🙂
I've no idea from which blog I landed here, but totally thanks to it I've been going through your food photography sessions through out the day !
Beautifully clicked and aptly written ! Will logon more for more details 🙂
wow – hmmm I have to go hunting for 1 here…
Most of the stuff I use is a 'he' and I have a "relationship" with them Raks. Now, aren't you glad I am not stalking you to meet up in SG? 😀
Open Book, you can use some stuff in Photoshop to get rid of shadows in your photographs but I haven't tried it myself. The "highlight" feature in Picasa takes care of some small ones but nothing major.
Hi..just stumbled upon ur blog…just a quick one..i noticed there are shadows on the pics and what can you do about that? I seem to face the same prob. Im thinking about getting a diffuser..any other suggestions?
Hi..just stumbled upon ur blog…just a quick one..i noticed there are shadows on the pics and what can you do about that? I seem to face the same prob. Im thinking about getting a diffuser..any other suggestions?
Open Book, you can use some stuff in Photoshop to get rid of shadows in your photographs but I haven't tried it myself. The "highlight" feature in Picasa takes care of some small ones but nothing major.
AHHHH you got this from ikea???if only i knew abt this before I set for dufaaii :(..
in fact I dont have a table for food fotography…I use my chair..a cutting brd on top..and some napkin above..hmm below the food :)…
how much does this table cost ? 😉 ;)..
P.S- you never asked me what you want akka when amma and gang get back from singapore 😉 😉
hehe. this was 20 SGD, about 650 rs 🙂 err.. i can send this thru them if you want 😀 but BUT, it may be a tad too heavy..
Thanks Nags for connecting with me at this point of time , it meant a lot !!
i enjoy reading all your posts and this one is no exception….reading all this beautiful stuff will surely bring me back to blogging..
😀 Nags lovely post, had to comment here, hv the similar black table (5 Kwd ) n both my kids use it for studying, painting, sometimes it is full of cars frm my 4yr boy, sometimes dolls frm 5 yr old etc etc 🙂 Tks for food photography idea 🙂 And yes..I love love IKEA things, hv been collecting many over past 6 years! 😀 Ur apt is marvellous, so is the couch, so is the view , french windows n all! 🙂 Tks for sharing, just went on wt a loooong comment 😀 Hope u dont mind it! Coming to food, the click looks great!
I have a small ikea white table, too small unless I do a straight top view. Good idea. I got some foam board and white poster paper. If there is a reflection from the shiny surface does it interfere with the picture? or does it act like a reflector? I never can figure out these things.
White surface make wonderful backgrounds. I agree that white table would do the same.
Caution:
There is one thing to remember though, while white surface makes a wonderful background for food photography, it can also confuse your camera sensor.
Solution
The solution to that is to adjust your settings to compensate the "whiteness". If adjustments are not made, food make look darker than it should because, camera senses that things are brighter than they really are.
This is a tricky subject and frankly everything cannot be included in comments.
If any of you have questions about adjusting for white background, I will be happy to help.
Thanks,
Neel
Great post! Do you do custom white balance? I dont have a white table, so most the time I use a piece of white foam board.
how come i did not see the white table during my visit? nice and useful post.
Mahimaa, I usually keep it in the guest room under the study table so probably you didn't notice it 🙂
love your coffee table..even i like white background. Gives a neat pic.
wow – hmmm I have to go hunting for 1 here…
Most of the stuff I use is a 'he' and I have a "relationship" with them Raks. Now, aren't you glad I am not stalking you to meet up in SG? 😀
Kanchan – thanks! So glad you like the food photography basics series 🙂
Sakshi – Hehehe.. you can definitely try! 😀
I noticed that Buddha Mirror on your cleverly sneaked in coffee table ;). From your FB pic i had thought it was a huge mirror.
Ahaa white table was the reason behind all your fab pics? Do you think I can use it to take my kind of pics? like making my son sit on it so that he looks all glowy?
I've no idea from which blog I landed here, but totally thanks to it I've been going through your food photography sessions through out the day !
Beautifully clicked and aptly written ! Will logon more for more details 🙂
Wow Same pinch.. I have a pink one though!! 😉
my white background is a part of my tv+bookshelf!! 😉
Good one! I love those table's!
Lovely,hey wait a minute…. how do you claim "'he'…"???
Hah..the cat's out of the bag! All this goodness from a 10 buck Ikea table?? Thank God for Picasa too! I can't do anything without Picasa! Are you feeling lucky??
Love this Ikea Lack tables.. I have the dark chocolate brown one..
So IKEA LACK TABLE is the secret of your white background… hmm…you are tempting me to buy another one now…;-)
Nice tip. But no white table. And besides, most of the cooking featured in my blog gets done at night and have to make do with artificial light. But useful information just like your posts on food photography.
You should start a separate blog on food photography :p Love your work, though. And your recipes! 🙂
To the horro of my daughter i go to her room to take pics as that is the room with more space and i can put a small table there and remove when i finish taking pic.
In summer I go to the balcony and then take the pic 🙂
thANKS …I THOUGHT SO this must be from ikea while readin ur post,..;-)
nice tip…simple and easy. i generally have so much clutter that i have to struggle to take a good pic
Love your coffee table Nags, large and great to place all the remotes. We have about 6 remotes too! 😀
Nice place Nags, beautiful light coming in…Please revive this series…Its a huge insight !
nice post
Those windows!! You get SO much light! My windows are not so low and its blocked by some diwan type crap. I saw this table in Ikea might buy and use to put my cactus ha 2 in1. Oven story want want!!
Thanks Nags, for letting us into your home and paying a visit through your post. A big Hello to your white table. It being the most important part of your photographs 🙂
I have a similar table – in birch effect (that's the colour specified on the IKEA website). Here is the IKEA U.S link for the table – http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40104270
Yes, I bought this LACK Ikea white table few months ago. 🙂 Very convenient, have a white and glossy texture and easy to move around. btw, I like ur apartment..seems like you live in highrise bldg. 🙂
Hmm I bought a glass top side table from Ikea,If I was introduced to food blogging then atleast I would have bought white table.Now I m back to India need to search white table here…:(
Thanks for sharing the tricks..Wish to see many more posts under this section dear.
Hmm,so thats how you get the *Perfect White background* huh:):)
Waiting for the Oven post:)
"He may look a bit confused but that's because he is not used to being photographed without food on him, you see." LOL, kept me giggling for two whle minutes! 😛
If not for food, I'd have to get a white background for any kind of photography. Simple and elegant!
Yes Sonia, we are on the 6th floor 🙂
Hey thanks for the post , I really wanted to see the table….Its simple and elegant I say! Yes white suits best for all but sometimes I like other colors too depends on the food we click 🙂