I have always had a passion for cooking. Although I do not have much experience with photography of this sort, my passion for food has compelled me to want to share all the amazing delicious foods I make and eat with my friends and family (or anyone really). This especially resonates with me because I follow a plant-based diet. I think it’s extra special and important to show off how tasteful and beautiful vegan food can be! For many lucky Americans, like me, the upcoming holiday season means the frequency of mouth-watering, picture-worthy meals is much much greater. Which seems to be a perfect time and opportunity to share what’s on your plate!
In an attempt to better understand the realm of food photography, I have researched tips, tricks, and advice from some of my favorite food bloggers to share with you how to get the best shots of your captivating food this holiday season, or on any day if you love food, like I do!
What I learned:
First of all, I started with watching videos and reading articles (which are linked below) from some of my favorite food blogs to gain some insight into how they take their photos. Following are my notes on photo angles, composition, lighting, use of props, and general tips to make your food pictures more interesting:
For photographing food:
LIGHTING
- Natural lighting provides the best white balance (true white) in photos.
- Never have light straight on the subject. Indirect light *diffuse the light or shadows will be too harsh.
- Lighting behind/ backlight: gives a photo a dramatic look with high shadows and contrast. (Front of the subject can be dark, use a reflector or whiteboard to bounce light to the object).
- Side lighting: gives the image higher contrast and shadows— food is more illuminated. Can experiment with side lighting— imagine the light source is like a clock (try different “times”).
- Light straight on: hard to take photos because standing in way of light- no contrast or depth of field— the photo is flat.
- If shooting on your phone, turn off the flash— it washes out the scene and makes the image flat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAiDSCLDB9c
PROPS
- Helps add a mood or feeling to a photo. Tells more of a story and helps viewer visualize someone making the recipe or them eating it
- Take multiple photos and see how they turn out, try out multiple arrangements, experiment until you find something you like.
- Extra ingredients, silverware, dishware, etc.
- Use cohesive themes or repetition— shapes, colors, textures/materials that pair well together.
– Enhance the image’s story— seems more relatable/human
– When using props— keep in mind proportions of complimenting objects and how they affect others. ( i.e. if extra objects appear bigger than the main dish it takes the focus from the subject and moves it to the prop).
COMPOSITION
– objects partly out of the frame— gives a sense that space is larger— more realistic
-Rules for visually appealing photos— don’t always have to follow but generally speaking these rules produce more visually appealing photos:
– Rule of thirds— objects on lines or grid intersections— more balanced photo
– S-curve: could draw “S” through all items in the photo— viewers eyes follow-through
PHOTO
– Center an object
– Personal choice— get creative **Practice**
ANGLE OF APPROACH
– Angle influences the story you’re trying to tell with your image.
– Find one that highlights qualities of texture, size, shape, height, etc.
– Overhead and straight on are most flattering for food (especially online).
– Overhead photos— make sure the surface and camera is level
General tips:
- Lack of contrast in photos is not as visually appealing
- Showing food has been eaten gives an image a human element— people respond to natural-looking food
- Take lots of pictures— practice— check it— adjust
- Get creative with angles, props, and have fun with it!
Food Styling and Preparation:
If you’re really serious about your food photography, going the extra mile and preparing for a shoot ahead of time can really make a world of difference. If you have ever seen a commercial for fast food that captivated your hunger, but then actually bought the product and were disappointed …you would know that people go all out styling their food products to make them picture perfect.
( image from https://brightside.me/wonder-curiosities/commercials-vs-reality-a-fascinating-photo-project-about-junk-food-143855/ )
Some people even make a living in this field, just doing what they can to make food attractive, almost like a make-up artist for food photoshoots! Following are some quick tips on how to do this from home:
FOOD STYLING FOR PHOTOS:
- Plan out what you’re making and what you want in the background/ to include in the image. *What can help convey the story?
– Write out ingredients – include everything down to the herbs/ garnish, if possible get extra ingredients so there’s no scarcity in the photos and you can use extra ingredients in the background
– Plan out the surface for the background
– Non-food props? Dishware, silverware, ingredients, napkins, etc…
– Write out ideas for the images so you don’t forget!
– Consider colors of the ingredients and coordinate with surface and props
– Test different plating techniques
– Add elements that “humanize” photos— partially eaten (no more than ⅓ of the dish), hands or people in the background, everyday objects in the background, etc.
Get creative with this process, use food styling as a way to enhance your images and help convey a story or mood. In opposition to this, food photographer, Cedric Angeles, likes the messiness and humanization of taking photos of food as it comes out. In an interview with Bon Appetite, they asked if he had “any pro tips for aspiring food photographers.” He replied, “ For me, sometimes you go to places where you don’t think the dishes are going to look good, and you have to embrace that. There’s something that’s very photogenic about a paper plate or a dirty table or plastic spoons. Embrace what each location brings you, and just play off of it”.
PRACTICE WITH FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY:
The following are photos side by side comparing why one image turned out better using the tips I learned. All photos were taken by me (Rebecca Mercado) on my iPhone and my favorite ones I edited using GIMP!
In the first photo, I tried the overhead angle, but as you can see the lighting doesn’t illuminate the food well or capture the mood and energy of the meal. With the second photo, the extra plates and glasses add to the warmth and energy of the moment and really capture what I was trying to convey, a fun, warm, colorful, and abundant celebration of friendships.
In the first photo, there was only overhead lighting which made it difficult to take pictures. When I tried to take the photo, my hand kept getting in the way, creating a shadow on the lower part of the image. For the second photo, I added a light coming from the side which enhanced the contrast and shadows and made the image much more dramatic— I really like how the second image turned out and how the shadows bring out the beautiful colors of the ingredients!
In this photo comparison, you can really see the importance of the background surface. The dark table and overhead angle really helps bring out the colors of the food and makes it much more vibrant. Also, similar to the picture of all my ingredients, the lighting in photo two is coming from overhead and my hand created a shadow over the lower half of the image. The second photo uses natural side-lighting and turned out much better.
In these photos, I really wanted to show the influence of proportions and props in relation to the subject. In the first photo, I used a larger glass for the milk and then tried to take the photos with a smaller glass. I think in this circumstance, the change isn’t very dramatic, but overall having something in the background that is larger than the subject makes it look much smaller and takes the focus off the main thing (COOKIES!) So, I think with the smaller glass, it turned out better and highlights more of the delicious chocolate-iness of the cookies rather than the glass.
Overall, I learned a lot about food photography and realized that the most important thing is to practice and get creative with your photos! There are so many different ways to show off all the delicious food out there and I hope these tips help you guys. This holiday season, I am thankful for good food and good health. Good luck with your food photography and bon appetit!
Resources Used
https://foodphotographyblog.com/how-to-prepare-for-your-food-photo-shoot-make-a-shot-list/
https://digital-photography-school.com/5-tips-to-seriously-improve-your-food-photography-techniques/
“Easy Tips For Better Instagram Food Photos (Instantly)”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAiDSCLDB9c
“Critiquing My Old Food Photos”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecyygvEP2pk
“Take BETTER SHOTS with your iPhone”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AywNcZL6IQQ&t=234s
“How to Shoot Food on Your Phone like a Pro”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR1kzFz8NSo
Check out some of my favorite food blogs for recipes and photo inspiration!
https://www.thecheaplazyvegan.com/