Are you considering exploring a new aspect of photography? You might want to consider food photography. In this article, we’ll go through different tips you’ll find really handy as you explore the field of food photography. But before we head to these tips, let’s go through what food photography is all about.
Food photography is a lucrative business that most bloggers are beginning to explore. Even though the business is lucrative and big, it’s in a saturated market, which is why it may be rather difficult to stand out in the market. This is because this type of photography is one of the most challenging out there. It involves creating a blank canvas and building into something unique. It is also characterized by numerous layers and construction until you arrive with a masterpiece.
One thing to note about this type of photography is that everything relies on the decisions you make. As the photographer, you are in control of how you place things, and the goal is to achieve a balance of art and reality.
Whether you’re new to photography or not, starting this type of photography can be rather frustrating. You need to have a certain level of proficiency with a camera, and that alone is not always sufficient. That will only give you the basics, and you need more than that to improve your food photography skills.
Remember that food photography is always accompanied by stories, irrespective of the occasion. Whether it’s a homemade chicken recipe or even an after-party, food photography always involves storytelling.
Beyond storytelling, it is important to note that you’re likely to encounter more complicated shoots, and if you don’t know what to do, it will be a lot of work for you. Haven laid a background of what food photography entails; let us now move ahead with the handy tips you need, so read on.
You can also download thousands of royalty free food images on photoAC.
Table of Contents
1. Choose Your Angle
This is the most important thing to do before taking any picture, whether for food photography or any other type of photography. However, it’s a little bit different for food photography because there are a few peculiarities you need to note. For example, food photography only has a few camera angles, and you must have seen these a couple of times before.
You’ll need to make a conscious decision about the camera angle you’ll use. Remember that the position of your camera has a role to place in the story you’re telling. When selecting a camera angle, you’ll need to brainstorm on some things. This includes the size, height, and shape of the food and a unique characteristic of the food.
Once you have all the detail of the food at hand, you can proceed to place the camera in a position where you can highlight all the qualities of the food. It is worth noting that some food appears differently, depending on where they are viewed from. For example, some will appear better when viewed from above, while others tend to appear better when viewed from the right.
2. Surround the Object
If you decide to shoot the front of the food, you must ensure that there is a great background and foreground to use. This is so that you utilize the empty space in telling your story. You can also place different props and ingredients around your dish.
While placing items around your dish, it is important to ensure that you only use items related to the food. This can also include oils, cooking utensils, sauces, and other ingredients. Placing these items will give your audience an idea about how the food was prepared.
Placing items like linens, fabrics, glasses, jars, tins, and herbs will give an idea of the actual origin of the dish, as well as the best season to serve such a dish. Taking pictures without anything in the background will make things boring for your audience. Therefore, always ensure that you place useful items in the background and foreground.
3. Utilize Fun Food Photography Props
As mentioned in the second tip above, props are one of the items you can include in the foreground and background. This is a really handy item that can take your food photography to the next level. It helps in ensuring that the food doesn’t just appear lonely on the table. With props, you can easily augment the texture of the pictures you take.
If you want to add a touch of professionalism to your photos, consider using fun props. Are you wondering where to start from? Here are a few ideas for you to explore as a food photographer:
Non-shine/vintage cutlery, unique knives, ramekins, and chopsticks
This will add more life and appeal to the story you’re telling. Cutleries are fun to add to your shot, and it helps to stimulate the viewers’ imagination and make them feel like they are eating the food.
Fun cutting boards
If you’re looking for a way to add shape, character, and depth to your photos, you might want to consider including this prop. It is great, especially if you are using white ceramics and a white backdrop. Fun cutting boards also help to improve the contrast of the picture.
Backdrops
There are different color options and combinations to utilize. However, it’s always advisable to stick to something rustic, dark, grey, or white. It’s important to choose colors that are aesthetically pleasing to look at. Remember that people eat with their eyes at first, which is why you should get their interest with your color combinations.
Plants and flowers
You don’t have to stick to the artificial object. By including plants and flowers in the background, you’re simply adding more life to the photos. Plants and flowers not only smell good, but they are beautiful and will make your photos look amazing.
Newspaper, linens, or things with texture
These are soft pieces that you can add to the photo to increase its beauty. Adding these textiles to your images helps to create a sense of time, emotion, or place for your audience. Checkered materials give a sense of being on a picnic, while a slightly used towel shows that you’re probably in your kitchen.
4. Lighting
One of the key things that determine how a picture will appear is the lighting. As a photographer, you’ll need to have different tools at your disposal to help you control light and enhance every picture you take. Like every other aspect of photography, lighting can either make or break your food photos.
Natural light and artificial light are the two different light options to use. Some photographers will advise you to use artificial light because it offers more consistency, while others will recommend natural light for the best effects.
Artificial light also offers consistency with white background in your photos, and this will save you a lot when processing the pictures. Using artificial lighting in food photography also increases flexibility because you’re not restricted by the time for which you can take the photos.
There are different things you must pay attention to if you decide to use artificial light. Avoid using overhead tungsten light or direct flashlight. To get the best when using artificial light requires investing in a quality flash and a bounce card or reflector. A common mistake that most photographers make is that they tend to direct flash against the food background. This will only make the photo look unappealing and flat.
In general, you can only get the best from artificial light when you use it alongside a reflector. Doing this will help to direct the light towards the food. You can also try this from different angles and with different intensity and camera settings until you get the best result.
Types of Light to Consider Using
Whether you are opting for artificial or natural light, you might want to consider one of the following options:
- Indirect Light: For this, you can stay in a sunny spot where light would not directly hit the object. Natural light, when correctly used, is a game-changer and will make your photos look awesome. If you decide to use natural light, then using indirect light should be your best option. Paying attention to the time of the day is also important. It is generally advisable to use the golden or peak hour of the day, especially when clouds partially cover the sun.
- Direct Light: This method is more advance, but it is worth considering, and once you have mastered it, you’ll be amazed at the quality of photos you take. Use colors and shadows to create your story and make it amazing.
- Side Light: In this case, the light is either from the back, side, or front of the object. Using this option will give you full control over the lighting. It is generally advisable to use this type of light if you’re not yet fully comfortable with the props, lighting, and camera. It is an option that encourages growth and improvement as a photographer.
5. Use Fresh Ingredients
All the items included in the photo are equally important, and as such, it is important to pay attention to them equally. The ingredients that appear in the picture have a role to play in determining whether the picture will appear nice or not. You don’t want anything that would alter the appearance of the pictures you take, which is why you need to be strategic.
The ingredients you include in the pictures need to be fresh and in perfect condition. Bruised tomato and wilted lettuce in your salad will only ruin the pictures you take. You might want to think the camera angle will help you mask some of these defects, but it is always best to use ingredients that are fresh and in their best conditions.
6. Don’t Wait Until the Cooking is Done
Waiting until the cooking is done will only make you miss out on different beautiful opportunities to take amazing shots. Food photography is a form of storytelling, and as such, you’ll need to take pictures during each step of the cooking process.
Always start taking pictures from the beginning of the cooking process, especially during the stages where the ingredients are being prepared. It is worth mentioning that there are certain dishes that do not look appealing when they’re cooked. For example, pasta with white sauce, beans, stuffing, or a boring soup.
It is also possible to have cases whereby raw food or partially cooked food will look more appealing than cooked food. The bottom line is that you should always take pictures during each step of the cooking process and not wait until the cooking is done.
Final Thoughts
These are the tips for food photography, and what’s certain is that if you use these tips, you’ll marvel at the results you’d get. However, if you only want access to an endless list of food pictures, then you might want to consider photoAC for high-quality food photos. Whether it’s fruits photoshoot, egg photoshoot, meat photography, ice cream photography, beverage photography, or any other type of food shots you want to take, you can rest assured of getting stocks photos at photoAC.