Guide to Food photography
from culinary nutrition----
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Do you want to photograph your recipes but arenât sure where to begin? Food photography opens the door to so many possibilities, such as Instagramming, writing e-books, product photography and more! Itâs also a creative outlet and a fun way to work with color and express your own style. As a food photographer, Iâm often asked for tips about how to take great photos. Letâs get started with this introduction to food photography!
First up, you need a camera! If you are just starting out, you may want to begin with a point-and-shoot because of its low cost and its ease of use. You can learn the basic functions of a point-and-shoot in a few minutes. (Like the name says, you just point and shoot.)
A DSLR is steeper both in price and in learning curve. I wonât get too technical, but DSLR stands for âdigital single lens reflexâ. This means when you take a picture, the camera opens up its shutter, the image reflects on to the cameraâs internal mirror, and then on to the sensor. I started out using a point-and-shoot, but switching to a DSLR made a world of difference in clarity and color representation. A DSLR also gives you much more control in different light situations. For me, the price difference was worth it. If you have someone in your life who is really good at finding deals online, this may be a great way to find a used DSLR.
However, whether you are using a point-and-shoot, DSLR, or a phone camera, the basic principles of composition are the same.
Shutter speed, aperture, and ISO are the three elements that affect the brightness of your images. Letâs talk about them in a little more detail.
The speed at which the shutter opens can be slowed down to allow more light to hit the sensor in low light situations. I do this on dark, gloomy days or in the fall when it gets dark early. However, with the shutter being open longer, there can be more blur and therefore you might need a tripod. As a rule of thumb, I shoot handheld at 1/125th of a second â you may have a steadier hand than I, but below 1/100th of a second, I use a tripod to avoid camera shake (this results in blurry images).
Aperture refers to the width of the opening of your lens. Opening up the aperture lets in more light and also creates a shallow depth of field, resulting in more background blur. This effect allows you to draw the viewerâs eye to where the camera focus is. The lower the number, the wider the aperture. Thus, if you want a sharp focus in one area with a lot of background blur, you may choose a lower number such as 3.2 or 3.5. If you want background objects to be more in focus â a wider depth of field â you may choose a higher number, for example, 11 or 14 (remembering that this wonât let in as much light and you will need to adjust shutter speed or ISO).
ISO refers to your cameraâs sensitivity to light. It is the element I would adjust last, after shutter speed and aperture, because having a high ISO can affect the quality of your image, creating ânoiseâ especially in the darker areas of the photo. I try to keep ISO below 500, but in a dark situation, if I donât have a tripod and my aperture is already wide open, I will go higher.
Using Light in Food Photography
My preference is to use natural light whenever possible. Professional lights are available however, I would recommend getting familiar with your camera and using natural light before making that investment.
The most important thing is to avoid, as far as lighting goes, indoor kitchen lighting as it casts a yellow glow on your food. If, however, you have food that you want to photograph and itâs 5 pm on a rainy day in November, and you have no choice but to use your indoor lighting, turn your white balance to the Tungsten setting. This will add more blue to your shot and neutralize the yellow.
Another thing to consider is which direction you want the light to come from. Back lighting is the technique I use most. I usually prefer to stand facing my subject on a table with a window on the other side of the table. I find the way the light hits the subject to be the most pleasing to my eye. But try letting the light hit from the front and the side and see what you prefer most! Depending on the weather and the type of dish I am photographing, my preference will sometimes change.
On a dark day, if using back lighting, you may need to bounce some light back at your subject to reduce shadows on your food. You can purchase reflectors designed for this purpose from photography stores. You could also use foam core, poster board, or anything on hand that is white. In a pinch, I have even used napkins and a roll of paper towel!
If you were to draw two vertical lines and two horizontal lines evenly across your image, dividing it into nine squares, then having the point of focus at one of the intersections adds compositional interest to the photo. This is known as the rule of thirds and is why you may see this on your camera or photo editing software.
One possibility would be to place your main subject near the front and have other blurred out subjects behind, to lead the viewerâs eye through the photo.
Vertical or Horizontal Photos?
Try getting one good shot of each. Vertical works well for Instagram and Pinterest, while horizontal is ideal for blogs, banners and Facebook.
There are a few common angles you can use to successfully photograph food:
A 45 degree angle shows food as if you were sitting down to eat it. This is one of my favorite angles, as it shows a beautiful texture. There will usually be more focus towards the front of the dish.
Shooting from top down (directly overhead) can show the entire dish in even focus (if everything is the same height), but you lose some of the texture.
A straight on angle can be used to show height if, for example, you are showing a stacked sandwich or a drink.
A crucial point to food photography is to have your food looking its best. I like to add some raw vegetables or herbs alongside cooked foods to add more freshness to the dish, especially if the meal is brown, such as chili. I soak herbs and greens in cold water for about 30 minutes before using and remove any wilted ones. I add garnishes for color and interest, preferably ones that show something that went into the dish â such as a basil leaf in a pesto.
If you are making steaks and one is perfectly browned and looks better than the others, put that one in front or on top and make it your camera focus.
In food photography, full bowls are desirable. Even if your normal serving of soup only fills up half the bowl, fill it up for the photo! I stop before it reaches the point of overflowing, although you may want to experiment with drips â many people make that part of their style. It can be helpful to use smaller plates, bowls and other serving pieces in food photography, as large ones can overwhelm the food and make it more difficult to make those full bowls. sauces can soak into the food
When you are setting up your shot, reserve some sauce to add once you figure out your perfect angle. I always take a few shots before adding dressing to a salad because the leaves can start to wilt quickly from the oil and acid.
Best Food Photography Props
Use neutral props that keep the focus on the food. Avoid busy, distracting patterns on plates as the food can become lost in the photo. My favorite dishes are gray or white and matte, so there is no glare shining back at the camera and the food is what stands out.
Another thing I highly recommend using is a wooden background board, which you can purchase from Etsy, My favorite board was made from an old barn door! With wooden boards, I again look for a matte finish to reduce glare, as well as interesting textures.
I prefer to use clean backgrounds so the focus is entirely on my dish. However, you may want to display some of the ingredients around the food to show part of the cooking process. Other options for adding interest include colorful napkins, flowers or unique serving utensils. Check out secondhand shops for some great vintage finds.
Also try using a hand model to show interaction with the food!
5 Suggested Props for Beginners
Wood background board or large cutting board
Vintage cutlery (check out thrift shops)
Cloth napkin or a dish towel
Stemless wine glass or Mason jars for smoothies or parfaits
Do not let a lack of props or a hand-me-down camera stop you from creating. You can create amazing art on a plate just by having fresh and colorful food displayed in your own unique style. Remember that good food photography takes time to master and itâs OK if you donât love your photos right away. Practice as much as you can and enjoy the process!
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