Lately, the millennials have been a bit obsessed with food photography. Can we blame them? Nope! That said we must admit that flawless food shots aren’t for everyone. It takes a bit of practice and lots of tricks to capture (read: artistically) what’s on the plate. Ready to improve your shadowy, unprofessional shots? Here are 8 simple tips that anyone can follow to take tantalizing food photos.
Note: This list includes tips that allowed the finest food photographers in Birmingham, UK to take tempting food photographs.
- Lighting
Lighting is critical in creating beautiful still images. Always do your food photography projects in natural daylight. When you arrange the dish, ensure the window light is behind or to the side of the platter. This will add texture and shape, making the dish visually more appealing. If you’re using artificial illumination, never light the food from the front – it will make it look flat and unappealing.
2. Shoot from the right angle
Where you place the camera will make or break your food storytelling efforts. Shooting from the above is the perfect choice If the food is arranged in a bowl or plate. Because it gives equal emphasis to the food, the background, the cutlery, and other objects within the focus area. Plus, you can save the photograph from the effects of distracting backgrounds. However, if you’re trying to click pictures of smoothie or drinks that has interesting layers, shoot from one side. Whenever you want to include both side and top view, shoot diagonally.
3. Invest in great backgrounds
A great background holds the power to transform food photographs way beyond your imagination. Nothing replaces the aesthetics of real, natural backgrounds. So, get something you can use for different food photoshoots. This way you can create a signature look as well.
4. Bring in height variations
Use a wooden cutting board or a beautiful kitchen town to create different layers. Remember not to pile up things – just grab anything that you feel will create texture and visual difference. Bringing in height variations is great especially if you’re shooting at different angles.
5. Use empty spaces
Don’t let empty spaces to spoil the whole scene. Surround the dish with spices, herbs or props that relate to the recipe. Cooking utensils, jars, linens, sauces or olive oil can get this job done for you. Playing with both foreground and background will spruce up the depth of your food story.
6. Leave some breathing space
Close-up shots are good. But leaving some breathing space around the plate will give better results. You can also experiment with the position of the plates and glasses. Maybe the plate of Cranberry Crumble Pie would look better in the center of the frame. Or perhaps the pie crust would look better when positioned to the side.
7. Don’t forget about the human element
Give a sense of presence to your viewers by adding a human element. It could be your hand holding a glass of juice or your friends’ hands serving the dish. And if you have a young culinary prince or princess at home, why not include their hand in the scene? Let tiny hands tell stories of love and happiness!
8. Check out the Colour
Sure, colours add visual interest to any meal. But if you want to take your food photography skills a step further, you may want to consider the colour psychology. Warm and cool complementary colours jell well with oranges and blues. Other hit combos are red/green and purple/yellow. As long as you find a balance between different hues in the colour wheel and adjust them according to the Lumosity, you’re good to go.
