Author Topic: Guess what it is? (Read 3375 times)

Francois · « **on:** October 26, 2009, 09:30:02 PM »

About a month ago, I met a guy named Stuart at a church rummage sale. I got talking with him when I overheard that he had just bought some instant film for his Hasselblad. I learned he used to be a professional photographer before retiring. This guy had so many stories to tell... not surprising since he was under contract for Life Magazine to cover Northeastern America. He covered the 1976 Olympic games, had a chance to try his hand at Fashion photography (which he didn't like, he says that a refrigerator doesn't complain and whine all the time

) and finally specialized in product and food photography. He gave me along the way a few tricks of the trade to make food even more yummy looking than it is in reality.

Hence I offer this challenge to you: I photographed something very common and it's up to you to guess what it really is that I photographed!

To give you a few hints, it isn't beer or lager... what do you think the mystery recipe is?

[Sorry, image deleted during forum software upgrade. Please re-upload if so inclined.]

choppert · « **Reply #1 on:** October 26, 2009, 09:38:18 PM »

Is it Vimto? With some nifty PS work?

Pete_R · « **Reply #2 on:** October 26, 2009, 10:18:02 PM »

Well put it like this, last time mine looked like that, I went to the doctor.

And is that egg white on the top?

moominsean · « **Reply #3 on:** October 26, 2009, 11:16:28 PM »

looks like you might have a UTI for sure.

gothamtomato · « **Reply #4 on:** October 27, 2009, 12:15:28 AM »

Is it apple juice & Mr. Bubble?

gregor · « **Reply #5 on:** October 27, 2009, 03:19:34 AM »

Martinelli's sparking cider..

cpierce · « **Reply #6 on:** October 27, 2009, 03:55:06 AM »

Whipped Cream or Elmers Glue and Honey

LT · « **Reply #7 on:** October 27, 2009, 09:24:28 AM »

Quote from: moominsean on October 26, 2009, 11:16:28 PM

looks like you might have a UTI for sure.

I haven't laughed so much in ages!

I reckon it's Vosene medicated shampoo and shaving foam. Certainly doesn't look very drinkable.

Francois · « **Reply #8 on:** October 27, 2009, 04:14:04 PM »

Well, it isn't very drinkable I must admit.
And I must say Leon's so close it's burning

(yes, shaving foam is in the recipe)

As for the UTI, I doubt it would give you one though your stomach might not tolerate it very well... it probably leaves a very sour taste in your mouth.

As for the uneven top, I'm very bad at pouring a perfect pint

One thing's for sure, it isn't egg whites which would dissolve in the liquid (they're both water based).

And if I had taken a close-up shot and used a glass instead of a thick mug, you could have seen the rising bubbles

Oh, yeah, I forgot to say it isn't pee

Francois · « **Reply #9 on:** October 28, 2009, 02:36:28 PM »

I guess it's now time to reveal what the secret mixture was.
You start by putting some shaving foam at the bottom of the glass.
Then, you pour over the peaks some Ginger Ale (soda). Since the shaving foam is oily, it instantly floats to the surface creating a perfect top...

Since I didn't have perfect instructions, I had to experiment and almost used up an entire 2 liter bottle of pop in the process...

OK, mine looks a bit weird as I can guess from the comments... But at first I tried either mixing the foam in a separate bowl and adding it to the top... and it didn't work. Probably would have been better as a replacement to the foamy cream on top of coffee.

Stuart also gave me some other tips for creating yummier looking steaks using mercurochrome... but I'm not rich enough to waste good meat for a single picture.

By the way, does the beer look that yucky? I'm not a beer drinker, let alone a connoisseur. I still wonder what I should have done to fool even the best $:-\$

moominsean · « **Reply #10 on:** October 28, 2009, 07:20:32 PM »

yeah doesn't really look like beer. too thick. an the foam looks like ice cream foam on a root beer float. or soap suds.

i guess you could go wild and actually take a photo of a mug of beer.

Francois · « **Reply #11 on:** October 28, 2009, 09:54:18 PM »

I know but the real foam top looses its foam... this one is good for a very long time...

moominsean · « **Reply #12 on:** October 28, 2009, 10:02:47 PM »

you could take some tips from the japanese...

[Sorry, image deleted during forum software upgrade. Please re-upload if so inclined.]

Francois · « **Reply #13 on:** October 29, 2009, 02:43:26 PM »

They do make some nifty looking fake food... they're very agile with acrylic.
A bit like the guys at Trengrove Studios

I must say their site is pretty unreal... and expensive.

chricela · « **Reply #14 on:** October 29, 2009, 03:06:53 PM »

I was going to say "tang with whip cream"
lol

Francois · « **Reply #15 on:** October 29, 2009, 09:09:48 PM »

Quote from: chricel on October 29, 2009, 03:06:53 PM

I was going to say "tang with whip cream"
lol

Tang is another one of those miracle products. It happens to be one of the best toilet bowl cleaners out there. You sprinkle the powder, let it sit for 45 minutes and you have a very shiny bowl with minimal brush work... Now just imagine how clean the toilet on the Space Shuttle must be

Sadly, I don't think it does anything other than orange juice in photography...

Maybe Tang would work fine as a stop bath... If anyone has the guts to try it out, let me know if it works

db · « **Reply #16 on:** October 30, 2009, 01:20:10 AM »

Quote from: Francois on October 28, 2009, 09:54:18 PM

I know but the real foam top looses its foam... this one is good for a very long time...

Pour your beer then set up the shot and lighting.
Use a a spray bottle with a glycerin/ water mix to give the glass that beaded 'iced' look..
At the last minute drop a pinch of caster sugar into the beer and the head froths up on cue. (Use fine sugar
so you don't see any sugar grains in the beer)

Ed Wenn · « **Reply #17 on:** October 30, 2009, 09:20:39 AM »

"Next week on 'Hanging With the Pro' , Don will be explaining why it's not a good idea to use slow film in public restrooms, outlining opportunities for using fast film backwards and musing on why no-one outside of the psychic community ever talks about medium film."

db · « **Reply #18 on:** October 30, 2009, 11:09:51 AM »

Quote from: ed.wenn on October 30, 2009, 09:20:39 AM

"Next week on 'Hanging With the Pro' , Don will be explaining why it's not a good idea to use slow film in public restrooms, outlining opportunities for using fast film backwards and musing on why no-one outside of the psychic community ever talks about medium film."

Hmm good questions. But more relevant to a pro are ones like...

You are in a pub with the guys from the advertising agency- Who do you buy free drinks for?
A/ The account manager
B/ The creative director
C/ The art director
D/ All of the above..

Answer= D.

well duh!

Francois · « **Reply #19 on:** October 30, 2009, 03:00:59 PM »

Quote from: db on October 30, 2009, 01:20:10 AM

Quote from: Francois on October 28, 2009, 09:54:18 PM
I know but the real foam top looses its foam... this one is good for a very long time...

Pour your beer then set up the shot and lighting.
Use a a spray bottle with a glycerin/ water mix to give the glass that beaded 'iced' look..
At the last minute drop a pinch of caster sugar into the beer and the head froths up on cue. (Use fine sugar
so you don't see any sugar grains in the beer)

Not a bad idea to rely on nucleation to get it to foam up... for those not into this kind of stuff, it's like the Menthos and Diet Coke experiment.

As for Medium film, is it the one that's only available in October so you can photographs the ghouls and ghosts that roam on the 31st