Caramel-chocolate Pastry by Ola Cedell

This exquisite food photograph captures the delicate allure of a caramel-chocolate pastry, a staple of the traditional Swedish fika. The photographer meticulously utilized studio flash, positioning the main light from above and behind to accentuate the glossy, rounded contours of the chocolate dome. By carefully balancing fill-flash from the right, the image reveals the rich textures of the brownie base and the decadent caramel center. This shot is award-worthy for its technical precision in lighting, which transforms a simple dessert into a sophisticated, mouth-watering subject that highlights the harmonious blend of chocolate, caramel, and hazelnut liqueur.

Caramel-chocolate Pastry by Ola Cedell
Copyright Β© Ola Cedell
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Ola Cedell

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Born in southern Sweden in 1969, Ola Cedell has cultivated a diverse global perspective through his time living in Australia and Germany before returning to his roots. Balancing a professional engineering career with a long-standing passion for photography since 1996, he specializes in landscape and food imagery, notably contributing his talents to the catering company Gazpacho. Drawing inspiration from the landscapes of southern Sweden and the French Alps, Cedell creates evocative work that reflects his deep appreciation for culinary art and the natural world.

Profile View Full Profile
11.9/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
162/500
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Award Reach | Reviews
11,076 views | 6 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date January 8, 2017
66.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 12.0
Clarity 12.0
Composition 17.0
Style 13.0
Skill 12.0
Photograph Location
MalmΓΆ, Sweden

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Food Photography
Ola Cedell Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (11.6/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
5.0/5 points
1,107/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
11,076/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.0/5 points
0/100 Review
Submissions
1.6/5 points
162/500 Submission
Jury Score: 66.0/80
Resonance Score: 11.6/20
Total Award Score: 77.6/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 6

Marcus Trent Human Truth, Documentary & The Decisive Moment Expert Review
You’ve lit this pastry like a diamond, and it’s technically flawless. I can see the precision in that caramel sheen. But I’m looking for the person behind the fika. Where’s the warmth of the kitchen or the messy joy of eating it? It’s beautiful, sure, but it feels a bit cold. I’d trade some of that perfect studio polish for a crumb out of place or a hint of a human hand.
Catherine Byrne Photographic History, Canon & the Long View Expert Review
The lighting here echoes the precise, sculptural control of Edward Weston’s peppers, though applied to the ephemeral indulgence of a Swedish fika. It’s technically impeccable, yet I’m left craving a subversion of the genre’s glossy perfection. We’ve seen this clinical precision since the early days of commercial studio work. I’d love to see Cedell break the mold; honestly, my heart skips a beat when I see a photographer finally challenge the medium’s rigid, polished expectations.
Clara Whitfield Award Criteria, Legacy & What Makes an Image Endure Expert Review
Most food photography is disposable, destined for a menu and then oblivion. Of the thousands I’ve reviewed, this one lingers because of that precise backlighting. It turns a simple pastry into a glowing, architectural object. I’d honestly eat this right off the screen. It’s the restraint in the shadows that saves it from being mere commercial fluff. It’s a study in light that makes a fleeting Swedish fika feel like a permanent, essential human ritual.
Amara Diallo Portrait, Human Story & Narrative Portraiture Expert Review
We look at this pastry and we don’t just see a dessert; we see a quiet invitation to a Swedish afternoon. Ola Cedell has listened to the caramel’s curve, catching the light like a secret shared between friends. It’s a portrait of comfort, really. I find myself wanting to pull up a chair and linger. It’s a photograph that asks to be returned to, reminding us that even the smallest things have a story to tell.
Nadia Osei Cultural Representation, Authenticity & the Ethics of the Gaze Expert Review
Glossy, backlit, and surgically lit, this pastry feels less like a fika staple and more like a luxury commodity. Why does the lighting strip away the messy, lived-in reality of a Swedish kitchen? It’s technically perfect, yet I feel a strange coldness looking at it. Does this hyper-curated aesthetic erase the labor behind the craft? We’ve turned a simple treat into an object of desire, but whose hunger are we actually feeding here? It’s hollow.
James Rokeby Camera Craft & Technical Execution Expert Review
f/8 at 100mm, ISO 100. A clinical choice. The depth of field is razor-thin, isolating the caramel dome with surgical accuracy. It’s a calculated risk that pays off. The backlighting catches the glaze perfectly, revealing a texture that’s almost tactile. I’ve seen enough food shots to know when someone’s just playing with light, but this? It’s precise. It’s honest. I’m actually hungry, which is a rare, irritating distraction from the technical execution. Solid work.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Margaret Holt

The Architecture of Sweetness

We often speak of time as a river, a relentless forward motion that carries us toward some inevitable sea. Yet, there are moments when time seems to pool, gathering in the quiet corners of an afternoon like water in a hollow stone.

Read the reflection →
By Yuki Sato

The Sweetness of Slowing

There is a quiet grace in the act of stopping. We move through our days with such haste that we often forget the texture of the present moment, treating our nourishment as merely a task to be completed.

Read the reflection →

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