Pour shots are shots that feature a liquid of some sort being poured in some way. These shots tend to be audience/viewer pleasers and definitely make people want to take a closer look at whatever product or food item is in the photo.
Almost any liquid can be featured in a pour shot for a photograph in some way. They do require some planning and preparation to insure that they are well executed!
3 Examples
* Pouring a drink into a glass
* Pouring sauce over a food item
* Pouring cake batter or some other thicker liquid into a bowl or pan
3 Things to Think About
* Be sure everything else in the photo is set and ready and make sure that the very last thing that you do in the photo is pour whatever liquid you are featuring. You will probably have about 3-5 seconds total to get the main shots and after that, once the pour is finished, you will have to start everything over again if anything goes awry.
* Beside that the light is hitting the subject/pour liquid in a way where it is well lit without being over exposed, and where there is nothing blocking the light, like a spoon, carafe, or your arm!
* Make sure that you have your shutter speed set to capture the detail of the pour, and your aperture set high enough, and that you are sure that the focus is directly on the pour liquid as you shoot.
3 More Tips
* Be sure that the liquid is not too think and not too thin, depending on what you are photographing.
* Be sure that whatever the liquid is being poured onto will catch or hold the liquid in a way that holds and looks good. For example. If you are pouring maple syrup onto some waffles, be sure that the syrup will hit the waffles in a way that looks uniform and possibly creates drips coming off the waffles.
* Be sure to test the pour before you plunge in with the actual liquid. Take your time and make sure all of the elements are in place!
I hope this has been helpful and I look forward to seeing what shots you are able to create.