Dirt and Worms Meet Kling: Dessert in Motion
Dirt and Worms isn’t just a childhood favorite. It’s pure dessert theater. Layers of chocolate pudding or ice cream become the 'soil,' a crumble of Oreo cookies forms a delicious mulch pile, and jewel-toned gummy worms wiggle their way through the scene. When I set out to photograph this playful treat, I wanted the image to feel as vibrant and nostalgic as the dessert itself.
Using bright, punchy colors, modern props, and my Broncolor sun strobe, I brought the classic back to life with a fresh, contemporary edge. The gummy worms became the real stars—translucent, candy-colored creatures that caught the light beautifully and added just the right amount of whimsy while crawling around. Sometimes, it’s the simplest desserts that give you the most creative playground behind the camera.
Dirt and Worms: Oreo ice cream, oreo crumbs, gummy worms. Shot with Phase One camera and Broncolor studio lights, and studio props.
But I didn’t stop there. After capturing the still image, I wanted to push the boundaries of how playful this dessert could be in a digital space. Using an image-to-video motion generator, I transformed the shot into a rotating, almost cinematic loop.
Dirt and worms dessert with Oreo ice cream, Oreo crumbs, and gummy worms with motion rotation.
And then I decided to push it even further. Using the motion generator to make the gummy worms wiggle., suddenly the translucent candies weren’t just props; they were alive, shimmering and squirming across the 'dirt.’
Dirt and Worms Dessert with motion wiggly gummy worms.
Then I dove into another candy-inspired seascape, photographing my favorite gummy goldfish swimming through a raspberry-blue sea, with candied angelica slices standing in as whimsical strands of kelp. The translucent candy fish caught the light beautifully, their jewel tones glowing against the bold sea-blue backdrop. It felt like building an edible underwater world, part fantasy, part still life, and thoroughly delicious.
Orange gummy goldfish
And of course, I couldn’t resist taking it one step further. Using the motion generator, I animated the scene so the gummy goldfish appeared to actually swim through the raspberry-blue sea
Gummy goldfish swimming in a blue raspberry sea with candied angelica stems.
Falling fresh baby bell peppers
This pepper image was used to test my new grid surfaces that I designed in Illustrator. I asked Kling to make the peppers fall!
Overall, I think Kling works best from a real photo with a predetermined concept. It is a great tool to extend assets for clients. And for me!
