Pizza

Here are some random pizza facts:

• Each year, pizza is a $30 billion industry.
• In the U.S., there are about 61,269 pizza parlors.
• Everyone in the United States eats about 23 lbs., or  46 slices, every year.
• Each year in the United States, 3 billion pizzas are sold.
• In America, the most popular ethnic food is Italian.
• The first pizzeria in the United States was opened by Gennaro Lombardi in 1895 in New York City.

Chocolate Cupcakes

I bought these chocolate cupcakes at a local bakery in Germantown, a section of Philadelphia.  I photographed these cupcakes in studio using Alien Bee strobes with soft boxes. I kept the set up simple using a black placemat to match the bow then placing the cupcakes on top. 

Strawberry Shortcake

I was given this magazine cover template and had to create an image involving food that was designed to fit within the template. I used shallow depth of field to direct the viewers attention on the strawberry shortcake. I also added the white bowls and red colander to make the background more interesting and add dimension to the shot. 

Dipping Oil

This image was photographed using the white card technique. This technique works well with clear bottles such a perfume, soap, cooking oils, liquor bottles, and much more. It is designed to photograph a clear bottle on a black background to show the separation of the product from the background giving it that extra pop. First a normal shot of the product just on the black background is taken, then another shot with a white card behind the product, finally in post-production you combine the two images together creating an image such as this. 

Splash

Creating this photograph was fun and messy; water went every where. The day I shot this I dropped a series of different objects into water including vegetables, fruit, and even an old camera. Each splash was unique and created an unexpected affect. To photograph this I used an old fish tank filled with water and then two alien bee strobes on either side to light the object being dropped. 

Portrait of Alisha

This is a portrait of my friend Alisha, a fellow photographer. I photographed her outside against a color background using natural light and a reflector. 

Sushi

Making food look its best can be a challenge but with the proper lighting and styling it can turn into a great image. This is a plate of sushi I photographed and styled my self. The California roll is one of the most popular styles of sushi in the US. This type of sushi contains rice, seaweed, cucumber, crab meat and avocado. I hope it does not make you too hungry. Enjoy! 

Kitchenware

Hey everyone today is my 50th post! I would like to say thank you for all of your views and comments on my photographs. I have recently been asked if any of my images were available for purchase and the answer is yes. If anyone is interested in any of my photographs please contact me at slezak.photograohy@gmail.com and I will be happy to assist you with your photographic needs. Depending on the image and size the prices may vary but I will be more than happy to give you a quote if you have an image and size in mind. I appreciate everyones interest in my work. Thank You, 

  Kelly 

As for this image, I created it to advertise kitchenware. Like many of my other images I tend to shoot through things which adds depth to the over all photograph and makes it more interesting for the viewer to look at. I photographed this from above as well to give the viewer a different perspective of the products than what is normally seen. 

Old

I created this image by shooting through the hole in a burnt piece of newspaper. I liked the affect since it framed the subject matter and gave more depth to the image. The idea behind this photo is that the viewer is peering in to the past. The subject matter in this images is an old weathered typewriter, globe, books, leather suit case, and some crumbled up old paper.  

Portrait of Karen

The model in this photograph is my friend Karen. I used a Nikon 35mm camera and hot lights to photograph this portrait. I developed the 35 mm black and white film my self, then scanned the negative and edited it in photoshop. I chose to add color to the image to emphasize her eyes and really make them pop. 

Smoke

Its amazing what interesting effects you can have with smoke. This was photographed using two Alien Bee strobes with a blue gel attached. Using different color gels you can come up with very unique images. When using a red gel the smoke almost appeared to be fire. 

Buried Alive

Photographing a single word can be quiet a challenge and can be interpreted in many different ways depending on the persons perspective. The word I used for this photo was truth. My idea behind the photograph was to show someone being buried alive. 

Heels

 These images were shot in a studio using Alien Bee strobes with soft boxes. I choose to photograph the heels on a black background to show off the distinct color and texture of the heels. I photographed the front and the back of the shoes to show off the design, style, and elegance. 

On Location

These two images are part of a model portfolio I did of Taylor. The full length photograph  was shot at a Philadelphia train station. The lighting source used for this photograph was a bounce flash. The head shot was taken along a street up against a weathered telephone pole. For the head shot a reflector was used as the lighting source to bounce light back in to the models face. 

Bob Golding

Today Bob Golding, or Bobby G. as he is know to many, will be remembered and honored at a memorial held at Antonelli Institute. Bobby G. was a legendary photographer, an outstanding instructor, a mentor and a grandfather figure to many Antonelli students. I am honored and blessed to have gotten to know him. He has inspired and taught me so much. You are remembered and missed by many. Rest in peace Bobby G.