Food photography leaves our mouths watering and our stomachs grumbling. The technology and tools on the market today mean there’s no shortage of available advice and products to make your food photographs a cut above the rest. Improve your food photography and never fail to impress your audience with the five tips below.
1. Invest in DSLR
Digital single lens reflex (DSLR) is a key factor for great photos—so much so that new iPhone models include it. The camera itself doesn’t need to be super fancy, but ensuring it includes this feature is worth the investment.
DSLR helps achieve the balance that’s needed within photos and gives you, the photographer, more control while shooting. For other variations and even better shots, the DSLR makes it easy to add additional lenses. A point and shoot camera is okay, but DSLR gives your photos that extra touch and authenticity to really highlight the tasty subject.
2. Work an Angle
Trying out an array of angles gives the variety to capture your subject best. Each item can’t be shot at the same angle because different foods require unique setups. Some plates look better from above, such as pizza, while others, such as burgers, are enhanced by a profile view. Play around to capture food in the best light possible and highlight all of its delicious aspects.
Think about the story you’re trying to tell. This can help determine the angle that works best. The size, shape, and height of the food should be best highlighted by an angle that shows off all of these qualities. Consider investing in a tripod for those hard-to-maneuver shots and to easily fold the camera down. Take multiple shots. You can always review them later.
3. Less Is More
We might fill our plates to the maximum when we eat, but photoshoots don’t require the same mentality. You don’t want to overpower the image, you want to show off the food and impress your guests in an instant. Piling it high can look overwhelming and take away from the appeal.
Minimalism works. Compliment the food with balance in white spaces. You can always add tasteful objects, such as glassware, cutlery, and jars to show off the food around it. A smaller portion that appears central on the plate brings attention to the subject: the meal itself. This attractive technique makes food the main focus, which is the idea after all. Too many distractions only take away from the image.
4. Optimal Lighting
Lighting is key for helping colours stay true and keeping food looking delicious. With so many factors affecting how light turns out, you want to make sure to get them all right. Light reflects and bounces, shadows cast certain tones. Knowing ahead of time how this falls allows you to shoot your photos in the best light possible.
You can control the lighting with a variety of tools to ensure your audience isn’t distracted from the food. Black and white cards give light the chance to bounce around, reveal details, and add a stronger contrast. Avoid overhead lights and built in flash. These options take away from the quality of the food.
Try shooting in different rooms if necessary. The living room might allow for better light than the kitchen at a certain time of the day. Whether it’s a diffuser or modified camera settings, there’s plenty you can do.
5. Technology Tools
Once photos are taken, don’t underestimate the power of good editing tools. Adobe’s Lightroom is one of the best and most widely recommended. Not only does it enhance your photos, it keeps them organized and easy to find.
It has easy-to-use features for editing photos, adjusting the light, sharpness of the image, white-balance, and colour. Its exposure adjustments allow for greater control, and basic edits and extra tools make photos pop and still look real.
