Different techniques to help you show off those delicious meals and treats
Snapping photos of food and posting them to social media is a popular hobby among many.
From cooking a gourmet meal to trying a new restaurant, some feel the experience isn’t complete without showing off their grub. However, what if the pictures you take aren’t quite doing the food justice? Your cake looks amazing in person, but just ‘meh’ in your photo. If you’ve experienced this, here are some tips and tricks to help you take drool-worthy photos of your food. There are several factors to keep in mind when taking photos, such as lighting, angles, background, and equipment, but above all don’t be afraid to get creative and have fun!
Lighting
The first technique to focus on, and the most important aspect of food photography, is the lighting. You don’t want your photo to be dim; you want it bright, but be careful not to overexpose it. The best way to achieve proper lighting is by using natural light, which means shooting by a window or going outside.
Be mindful of the weather. Aim for an overcast or cloudy day so the light is not as harsh as it would be on a sunny day. If using a camera, focus on adjusting these settings to manipulate the lighting: ISO (controls camera sensitivity to a given amount of light), aperture (controls the amount of light that can enter your camera), and shutter speed (controls duration of exposure).
Angles and composition
When considering angles and composition, your main goal is to allow your subject to stand out. Composition, which refers to where your subject is lined up in the frame, looks most flattering when following the rule of thirds, but there is definitely room for creative freedom to switch things up. In terms of angle, shooting from above the food so you have an aerial view is a popular choice.
If using a camera, focus on adjusting the aperture. It can add to, or take away, the blur in your background. A tripod would be very helpful for setting up different angles and capturing images in focus.
Background
Don’t just focus on how the food itself looks, pay attention to the setting around the food too. Environment is another aspect you can get creative with. Try aiming for a backdrop that has matching or contrasting colours to your food, or incorporate props that would compliment it.
Use props to compliment your food, such as flowers, table settings (like utensils), recipe ingredients, and drinks.
Equipment to consider
When taking your photos, consider using a tripod, reflector and/or diffuser.
Tripods allow for shots to be in focus as well as enable a smaller shutter speed which allows for brighter images.
Reflectors help create more light in your photo. These can be white pieces of cardboard that you place slightly off to the side of your subject. Diffusers help to create more shadows in the image. Try using a black piece of cardboard.
After your have taken your photos, you can edit them using various software.
Using Lightroom or Photoshop can be beneficial to fixing any lighting or colour issues in the photo. Keep in mind you will have to pay to use them. On the other hand, Gimp is a free software option.
Instagram accounts Binjal Pandya (@binjalsvegkitchen): This account specializes in a darker theme of food photography. Dana Shultz (@minimalistbaker): This account focuses on smaller recipes with bright and colourful photos. Renjith Ramesan (@Renjithramesanphotography): This account implements motion within its food and drink photos. Tieghan Gerard (@halfbakedharvest): This account has great aerial shots of nicely decorated, full meals. Food Blogs Purely Kaylie: A plant based recipe developer with bright and colourful shots of sweet and savoury foods. Pinch of Yum: This blog does a lot of close-up photography, offers cooking videos, and gives advice to aspiring bloggers. Serious Eats: With clean shots displaying contrast between the food and background, this blog provides a scientific approach to cooking which allows the audience to learn about healthy food choices.
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