FIVE EASY "FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY" TIPS

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FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY THE ULTIMATE GUIDE: THIS BLOG POST WILL COVER EVERYTHING FROM ACCESSORIES, TRIPOD DETAILS & PROPS TIPS, THROUGH TO SHUTTER SPEED, LIGHTROOM INFO, ADOBE PHOTOSHOP INFO, THE BEST DSLR LENSES, ISO TRICKS, AND APERTURE & SATURATION DETAILS! 

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WHAT ARE SOME TIPS FOR CAPTURING APPETIZING FOOD PHOTOS?

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To capture appetizing food photos, focus on natural lighting, food styling, angles, props for context, and editing to enhance colours. Experiment with different setups and backgrounds to find what works best for each dish. Remember, presentation is key!

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Other than capturing human interaction, photographing food is one of my favourite things to shoot. I knew working with Catherine, at "Kitchen Sink Catering" was going to be so enjoyable. I had total trust that the food I was going to be shooting would look absolutely stunning and be a joy to capture, and it really was!

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Kitchen Sink Catering “...Is here to offer your event that personal touch you desire…home cooking with a professional finish from the heart”.

                                                                                       

In April, I shot Katherine’s “pepper starter” and her beautiful “afternoon yea” set up. Since sharing this shoot, I’ve been asked multiple times, “how do I create these kinds of shots myself, at home?” and I always say… although it takes some practice, it is really fun to try, especially if you are naturally creative! It’s also an essential tool in being able to create content for those “Social Media gaps” when you may find booking a professional photographer just isn’t an option at that current time.

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People are visual and constantly consuming content, so having the option to be able to personally fill your own feed, is an amazing skill set to obtain.

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So, I’ve compiled a few quick and easy tips to get you started, things I’ve learnt through practice, consistently learning, and personal experience.

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• Device - Of course, shooting on equipment, like a DSLR camera that was built for this purpose as opposed to a smartphone camera - like an iPhone for example, I do hate to say it... but generally a "fancy camera" will always produce higher quality images, with a flexibility of lenses with a different focal length and less chance of camera shake - if you know what you’re doing that is! But for beginners… it really is amazing how far camera phones have come and for the size of the images shared online (I.e. on an "Instagram" feed) they are more than competent. To get your food photos to the next level focus on the rule of thirds, editing in a raw format - focusing on your white balance, colour balance, blurred backgrounds/depth of field, (if it's ideally going to be shallow depth of field etc), shutter speed, and your camera angle. I prefer using Photoshop over Lightroom with the camera level I use to edit my own images - but experiment, see what suits you. 

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• Lighting - This really is key. If your creations would normally be seen outside or would fit a more natural aesthetic, work with what nature has to offer with natural light, avoiding a very sunny day with direct sunlight, which will create harsh shadows and an unflattering level of brightness. You can always have a play with the ISO, but honestly, slightly overcast days are actually preferable for this. If your business works more on clean lines, by all means work with artificial lighting, but you’ll want to focus on just one or two light sources, really concentrating on where the light is being reflected and diffused and what’s in your background. Although the latter technique can take some practice, especially working on those shadows, it can create very white whites and an overall very polished look.

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• Context – You want to make sure everything fits with your brand. Your images should have a clear purpose, especially when placing props as potential “background filling objects” or accessories into the shot. Everything placed within your images needs to make sense for your business, it should be there for a reason, even if it’s not in the foreground. Consider all the tiny details too, from tablecloths & cutlery to potentially unwanted crumb - it's worth the attention to detail!

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• Consistency - You want your images to all be giving the same vibes. Using a tripod, consistent backgrounds (be it a location or using a white sheet set up) and similar lighting conditions can help with this. This will create a feed that looks authentic and professional.

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• Audience - Once you’re feeling more confident in shooting what you want/feel your business needs, it’s important to gauge what your audience want to see, they are your ideal client after all! So do your research, ask, listen, learn. Focus on a strong main dish, interesting textures, asking yourself... Does that plate of food look "good enough to eat"?! Really consider what your best shot is and feel free to be very selective with your main subject, keeping it real to life or focusing more on the food styling side of things, considering all the different layers (please excuse the pun)!

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Food blogs are a great way to find inspiration for food photos/food images for your potential customers and exposure you to a lot of food photographers who may have more food photography tricks up their sleeves. 

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It was a joy to shoot Catherine’s beautiful creations (and sample some of them too!) I’m looking forward to working with her again.

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Please get in touch for more food photography tips from a professional food photographer. I love food photography and being a food photographer. Professional food photography and taking food pictures/food shots is an utter joy and I really do enjoy it - please get in touch for more details on shoot prices here.

 

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