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Sweet Potato Muffins by Ola Cedell

Ola Cedell captures the rustic appeal of sweet potato muffins, highlighting their vibrant color and the satisfying crunch of sunflower seeds. To achieve this inviting aesthetic, the photographer utilized a two-strobe studio setup, positioning a main light from the back to define the texture and a secondary light on the right to gently lift the shadows. This deliberate lighting choice emphasizes the wholesome, snackable nature of the muffins, elevating a simple culinary subject into a visually compelling piece of food photography that celebrates both nutrition and artistry.

Sweet Potato Muffins by Ola Cedell
Nikon D800 with Nikon AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure 1/160sec @ f/6.3 | ISO 200 | Focal Length 105mm
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 passion for photography since 1996, Cedell specializes in landscape and food imagery, notably contributing his talents to the catering company Gazpacho. His work is deeply influenced by the natural beauty of southern Sweden and the scenic landscapes of France, reflecting a refined eye for detail and a lifelong appreciation for culinary arts.

Profile View Full Profile
12.7/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
225/500
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SUBMISSION
Award Reach | Reviews
12,323 views | 8 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date May 15, 2017
65.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 12.0
Clarity 12.0
Composition 17.0
Style 12.0
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 (12.3/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
5.0/5 points
1,440/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
12,323/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.0/5 points
0/100 Review
Submissions
2.3/5 points
225/500 Submission
Jury Score: 65.0/80
Resonance Score: 12.3/20
Total Award Score: 77.3/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 8

Isabelle Fontenay Colour Harmony, Tone & Atmospheric Light Expert Review
The ochre of these muffins, a hue reminiscent of Morandi’s dustiest pigments, anchors the frame in a warmth that feels almost edible. It’s a quiet, rustic symphony where the sunflower seeds provide a sharp, staccato counterpoint to the soft, porous crumb. I’m utterly seduced by how the light catches those golden edges, turning a simple snack into a glowing, amber-hued meditation on texture that makes my own kitchen feel suddenly, desperately grey and cold.
Catherine Byrne Photographic History, Canon & the Long View Expert Review
The backlighting here echoes the tactile obsession of Edward Weston’s pepper studies, yet it’s applied to the humble muffin. By using a two-strobe setup to articulate the crumb’s porosity, Cedell elevates the mundane to the sculptural. I’m genuinely charmed by how the sunflower seeds catch the light; it’s a sharp, modern clarity that avoids the cloying sentimentality of 1970s food styling. It’s a crisp, honest conversation with the history of still life, and frankly, I’m hungry.
Priya Sharma Negative Space, Minimalism & the Japanese Aesthetic Expert Review
The frame breathes. It’s a quiet study of texture and light. The sunflower seeds catch the edge of the lens, sharp against the soft crumb. I’ve spent minutes looking at the negative space around the muffins. It’s not just air. It’s a deliberate pause. The light doesn't shout; it settles. I feel a sudden, strange hunger for the stillness itself. Nothing here is accidental. The empty corner is not empty. It is the heart of it.
Clara Whitfield Award Criteria, Legacy & What Makes an Image Endure Expert Review
Most food photography is disposable, destined for a fleeting scroll. Of the thousands I’ve reviewed, this one lingers because it doesn’t try to be high art; it’s honest. The backlighting catches the sunflower seeds, turning a simple muffin into a tactile, golden memory. I’d actually reach for one, and that’s rare. It’s the restraint in the shadows that keeps it grounded. Thirty years from now, this won’t look datedβ€”it’ll just look like a perfect, quiet afternoon.
Yusuf Al-Hamdan Landscape, Light as Presence & the Spiritual Dimension Expert Review
There’s a quiet stillness here, a reverence for the earth’s harvest. I’ve spent years watching the sun crawl across stone, and I recognize that same patience in how the light catches those sunflower seeds. It’s not just food; it’s a landscape of texture. When I look at these muffins, I feel a sudden, sharp hunger for the soil they came from. She didn't rush the light. She listened, and the muffins finally spoke back.
Rafael Ortega Shutter Technique, Motion & the Cinematic Single Frame Expert Review
The light hits those sunflower seeds and suddenly I’m hungry. It’s a tight, rhythmic frame. The backlighting carves out the texture, turning a simple muffin into a lead actor. It’s a still that feels like the opening shot of a quiet morning sequence. The editor would keep this one; it’s got that perfect, tactile weight. I’d love to reach in and grab one. Cedell knows exactly when to hold the shutter. It’s a beautiful, crisp cut.
Lena Brandstrom Macro Photography, Optics & the Science of the Seen Expert Review
At f/6.3, the 105mm focal plane is razor-thin, yet it perfectly resolves the crystalline structure of the sunflower seeds. The backlighting creates a beautiful diffraction pattern along the muffin’s crumb, pushing the sensor’s dynamic range to its limit. I’m genuinely moved by how the light catches those jagged edges; it’s a tactile, microscopic landscape. Most don't realize how much the lens is doing here, but it’s captured the very biology of the bake.
James Rokeby Camera Craft & Technical Execution Expert Review
1/160sec at f/6.3 on a 105mm macro lens. It’s a calculated choice. The depth of field is tight enough to isolate the crumb structure without losing the sunflower seeds to blur. I’ve seen too many food shots ruined by wide-open apertures that turn textures into mush. Cedell didn't make that mistake. The lighting is precise, almost clinical. It’s rare to see such restraint. Honestly, it makes me hungry. The technical execution is correct.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Tom Bretherton

The Kitchen Table Ritual

My grandmother used to say that you can tell the character of a house by the smell of its oven on a Tuesday afternoon.

Read the reflection →
By Yuki Sato

The Quiet Harvest

There is a sacred rhythm to the earth that we often overlook in our haste to consume. We see the fruit of the soil as merely a means to sustain our bodies, forgetting that each harvest is a conversation between the sun, the rain, and the patient hands that tended the ground.

Read the reflection →

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