Food Photography Tips

The next time you visit a restaurant, look at the menu, it’s got to have photos of foods that look both tasty and good. Or look at an ad copy on any food product, the photo taken of the food, be it an ice-cream or a pizza, will emit a certain quality and finesse. The photo has probably had millions of professionals behind it, ranging from art directors and photographers to food stylists. Food photography is a branch of photography that specializes in photos of food. These eye-catching photos can be seen in advertisements, restaurant menus, packages, and cookbooks. If you think, you have it in you to become a food photographer and you’re interested in becoming one, read this article, it caters to you!  

 

Tips On Food Photography 

Lighting
Lighting is an extremely important, if not the most important aspect of a photograph. It can make or break the photograph and when we’re talking food photography, everything and anything to do with lighting gains a lot of significance. Natural light does wonders for a food photograph, but at times, artificial lighting too can play a pivotal role. Don’t be afraid to play around with the lighting, test your shots, take as many photographs as you think you need to, and you’ll see that light can have miraculous effects on the final outcome. It’s the rule of thumb – good lighting makes for good photography. 

Timing
Food photography revolves around impeccable timing. You can’t take a photo of a melted ice-cream, it may destroy the purpose of the shot. Food tends to look a lot better when it’s fresh, so if your timing is bad and you delay your shot you’re going to end up with a bad one. To avoid the mess of taking photos of food that’s not fresh, keep your essentials ready – your camera, the props, the lighting the arrangement, everything should be organized and ready to go. This will prevent delays of any sort and help you get that perfect shot. Remember, a photo on food has to fulfill the obligations of time. You don’t want to take a photo of food that’s not fresh, and food can look a lot different within a minute or so after preparation. Think on your feet, and act fast when dealing with food!

Props
What’s around the food can influence your shot too. The tablecloth, the table, the utensils, etc. come into play; you’ve got to be prudent when you choose your props. Be creative and justify your creativity. Don’t have props that don’t complement the food. Also, don’t overdo it, don’t have too many props, it’ll only make your photo look cluttered. A sense of balance in your photographs is what you need to be aiming to achieve. Professional photographers always aspire to have props that pay tributes to the food without overshadowing the heart of the matter. 

The Angle
The angle at which a food photograph is taken defines the outcome of the final product. Try out different angles – Get down, get above, get to the side, you’ll need to do all this and more to get a shot that gets the best out of your food. 

Steam And Oil
Food that’s steaming looks a lot better than food that’s not. However, getting a shot of food that’s naturally steaming can be quite a task. To pull off this feat, you can use artificial affects to produce the effect of steam. To make your food look a lot better in a photograph, you can choose to rub vegetable oil on it; this makes the food look glossy and a lot more attractive. 

You now have great pointers - pointers that act like tools to help you get to your food photography goals. Customize these tools according to the foods you’re photographing. Remember, you need to possess a lot of patience too, food is a tricky subject, but with these tips, you’re almost always going to end up on top.