Mascarpone, Sugar, and Slow Motion – How We Choreographed Tiramisu Like a Mini Ballet

Creating the Tiramisu episode was one of those shoots that reminded us why we fell in love with this kind of work in the first place. It looks simple on screen — soft light falling on espresso-soaked ladyfingers, delicate mascarpone layers gliding into place, a snowfall of cocoa. But behind the camera, it took several takes, late-night improvisations, and more than a few “reset the cream” moments to get it right.

The challenge was timing. Tiramisu is all about lightness, and so was the way we wanted to show it. The cocoa had to fall at the exact moment the camera slider crossed its midpoint. Too early and the shot lacked drama, too late and it just looked like a mess on top. We practiced the cocoa drop over a dozen times — my wife and I laughing between takes, covered in sugar dust and cocoa mist — until we nailed that perfect floating cloud.

Another small battle: steam. Our studio is compact, and it’s amazing how fast it fogs up when you’re trying to create atmospheric espresso vapor without drowning the lens. We experimented with different angles and light intensities. The final solution was a diagonal backlight and a quick pull from the slider just as the espresso hit the cup. One second too slow, and the steam was gone. One second too early, and the lens caught nothing but a dark silhouette. That one perfect take felt like catching lightning in a bottle.

Our setup for this shoot combined precision and instinct. We used our full-frame cameras with macro and snorkel lenses for the intimate layers of the dessert. Motion control allowed us to choreograph the moves like a slow dance: cocoa, cream, espresso — all moving in rhythm. No unnecessary gear shout-outs; just the right tools for the right visual.

But the real secret is less about equipment and more about energy. My wife and I have built a small ritual when a shot gets tough: we stop, breathe, crack a joke, and try again. That’s why the Tiramisu episode isn’t just beautiful — it’s joyful. You can feel it in the way the cocoa floats, the steam rises, the cream melts into light.

Watch it here (again): https://youtu.be/M8HpQUVNzow