Hello all, Does anybody know exactly how to make mashed potatoes pass for ice cream in a photo? There must be something more to it than a batch of semi-dry mashed potatoes. I read something about confectioner's sugar and margarine added to the mix but it said nothing about the proportions. I know that photographing actual ice cream is like a Ph.D. level discipline, and I want to make it easy on myself. :-) Any food styling gurus out there know the secret? Thanks!

No idea dear!!! Better try with real ice cream I'd say and learn how to shoot it properly! Now that can be a cool challenge! ;)

I'm not food styling guru, but I was a chef in a four star restaurant. I agree with Pascale, if you want to make it easy shoot the real thing. All you need to do is find a walk-in freezer put your coat and gloves on and get busy:}

LOL@Jim!! Actually yes, by wanting to make it easier, it seems to me that u're making it more difficult!! LOL!! ;) Good luck with that anyway! Hope u will post ur results so we can see how u managed this one! :)

Sorry Pascale, I guess I know to many people that own restaurants. But the idea of making potatoes look like ice cream seems like much more of a learning curve than finding a cool place to do the shoot. BTW is this a money gig? If so there should be lots of options.

Hi MrGorf & welcome aboard! well, i've never heard of making mashed potatoes look like ice cream. i didn't find it too hard to photograph ice cream, and i'm DEFINITELY don't have ANY Ph.D.'s behind my name!!! i do cook for a living, and love to eat though!!! hehe. i took a couple of pictures...it's more than just plain ice cream though. it's got cinnamon sprinkles and chocolate syrup on top! you can check 'em out and see what ya think. i took these in my house with HORRIBLE lighting. Jim...i didn't know you were a chef!!!! kemal and i are both damn fine cooks!!!! hey...if we ever get to NY, we'll have to have a showdown!!!! :) here's one without postwork.

and here's one i have in my gallery with postwork. i know these aren't the best but i think you can tell it's ice cream anyway!!! Give it a try!!!!! I'm SURE you can do it!!!!!!! :) may take some practice though. it did me, anyway! :) oh...here's the info on both of these shots: f/2 1/30 sec. exp. ISO 320 uh, Pascale, these are rare shots of mine that turned out with that high ISO!!! :) and these were taken with Sony DSC F-717.

I found these 2 links that may be helpful! Potato Ice Cream Food Styling L8r! Joe

Jim, what exactly are u sorry about?? O_o Didn't get that one! Sheila, I'm really impressed at those shots taken at ISO 320! Wow! Maybe I should try but so far I've been shooting everything at ISO 100 no matter the conditions and it works beautifully! Strange though! And those ice-creams scoops u're showing here are so god damn inviting! O_O

couple of great links Joe!!... for long photo shoots & those hot lights, sometimes food does have to be substituted can't think of any food stylists right off the top of my head to ask MrGorf, sorry :/ cindy :]

Thanks to all for the input! Well, I went for it, and tried shooting some ice cream. I also tried shooting some mashed potatoes. So here's a picture for you to look at: which is this, ice cream or potatoes?

Now u know what? I have a doubt!! O_o

pink taters!???

Sorry, but this is to dull and flat to be ice cream:( If it is I don't want any. The color is to consistent, and the shapes are to modeled for frozen food products. Hey I could be wrong, but it is the end result that counts:} BTW Sheila , awesome shots, and yes let have a cook off when you get to NYC... we have at least 100 hungry judges waiting:}

thanks for links L8RDAZE. i guess that explains why MY big mac never looks like McDonalds big mac. daakhors

Yes, those are pink taters! That link to Shutterbug magazine that L8RDAZE posted was a very interesting article about food styling. It showed how much effort the author went to for the "perfect" ice cream shot. My ice cream was not nearly cold enough (straight from the freezer) and started to deteriorate immediately. BTW... where does one go to buy dry ice? Anyway, I think the potato formula could work out if I new some better tips on how to do it. I think that info is not widely available because it's one of those food stylist's "trade secrets" and all. But, I know someone I could ask, someone who has probably done it. Stay tuned... :-)

So it IS potatoes huh!! Well, I'm really impressed!! I think it does the trick beautifully! I had a doubt because u asked how to do it but if it hadn't been mentioned I would never had a doubt, if that makes sense?! O_o

MrGorf, the people I asked (a few years back) were from the Yellow Pages, and were suppliers of disco equipment etc. for nightclubs. They gave me the name of their supplier no problem, turned out to a chemicals company be about 10 miles away from me!!! You were able to buy it in a block which you then just chipped bits off and put them in water to create the fog. Good Luck! (",)

Very interesting topic for me. (And I figured it was potatoes, but ONLY because I looked for it. Had it not been associated with this topic, I wouldn't have questioned it not being ice cream.) I'm really intrigued to look more into the food stylist thing, sounds like a fun off the wall form of art.