INSTRUCTOR: HOW TO TAKE AMAZING FOOD PICTURES

Are you tired of the blurry food photos that do not bring that professional food photography vibe? Interestingly, you don’t necessarily need highly expensive equipment to get it right. Rather, a few tweaks and tricks can help you get those professional pictures even with your smartphone. So, what are these tips that can help improve your food photos? Please read on to find out the tips you can apply to say goodbye to those bad food pictures.

Get The Food Ready

This is the very first step you should take. Decide the best feature of the food you want to highlight, the right surface to place it on, and switch on your artistic nature. Getting the dish you want to be the subject well arranged in an aesthetically appealing manner brings in that photo-ready feeling.

Remember, you start to tell the story by how you arrange the food. Use this to create an idea that the food is just as tasty and juicy as it looks in the photos. So, before you take those snaps, be a food stylist by first placing them in a certain way.

Nonetheless, avoid the urge of arranging all the food in one way, especially when working with blends such as salads. Importantly, stay as natural as possible and be neat.

Get the Best Lighting

Natural light is the way to go. Maximize on this as much as you can and your food pictures will thank you. Importantly, if you want the best light sources, aim for those that originate from the sides of your subject.

One way of getting natural light to your photos is having your subject near a window. Notably, learn how to control lighting for great shots. If the sunlight is direct, a diffuser between the food and window will help prevent excessively bright highlights and dark shadows. Also, don’t set up where there are too many windows. Those extremely washed-out images kill that professional result.

What if there is poor or low lighting? You can request a friend or someone to use their phone’s lighting on the food before you photograph it. However, built-in flashes and overhead lightings are a no. You don't want a washed-out image, do you?

Go Hard On The Editing

Editing like a pro will no doubt take your food photos a level higher. It is an opportunity you have to express yourself in the pictures. Bring on that your individual style to up your food photography game.

If you are using a smartphone, for instance, you can use its photo editing app. However, you can go the extra mile by installing a third-party application. After all, who doesn't like the extra fine-tuning?

Editing your photos will also help you rectify the lighting and any other related mistakes. Moreover, it can bring you just the perfect contrast for food pictures. So, before you finalize the food photos, ensure you do thorough edits.

Try Framing

Framing is another great way of bringing that aesthetic appeal to your food pictures. The beauty of it is in experimentation. You can work with different angles or add in some color.

Also, you can use negative space. Don’t let the food fill up the whole frame. It can occupy its half but still deliver an amazing picture. This, however, does not mean you ignore the details. Remember, your background also matters in negative space.

Try Different Angles

Playing with angles is one of the ways you can be a pro in food photography. For amazing food pictures, try taking eye-level shots or shoot those pictures just underneath your food. Another great way of achieving stunning food pictures is to go for a bird’s view angle. In this case, you may need to take it from above the table, such that you have the whole subject framed.

Importantly, there are food pictures e.g pizza, that look great when taken from above, while others such as burgers look amazing when taken from the side. On the other hand, if you want to take a picture of your favorite cocktail, an angle of 45 degrees will do. Therefore, try out different angles to determine which works best for your food.

Regardless of the angle, you opt for, a close-up shot will always deliver the details. If you want a pop of color, texture, or moisture, this is the way to go.

Once you get the right angle to tell the story, focus on that. It is no wonder most professional food photos follow a certain pattern; repetitive use of the same angle.

Utilize Your Props

A simple act such as bringing in some props near or around your food before taking the pictures can do wonders. If there are objects you can use, why not utilize them for that extra touch? Moreover, they make a great composition and aid in telling the story and breathing life into your pictures.

For instance, cooking oil, sauces, ingredients, and utensils can help tell the story of how the dish was prepared. Alternatively, you can tell the sense of place or origin by placing the fabrics, herbs, or even jars.

Also, clean napkins, table décor, and angling the plates help in playing around with the props. Besides, a little garnishing before taking the pictures can go a long way.

With such props, you have an interesting composition. Therefore, rather than have plain and basic food photos, make them warm and lively. However, be keen that the props do not clutter. If they add nothing to your food picture, get them out.

Besides, if they become a distractor to the main subject. So, avoid colorful props that will divert the attention from the food. The browns, silvers, greys, blacks, and whites are great. Remember, the food should always steal the show. Don't let the prop pop. Rather, have them complement the food.

Conclusion

Food photography is an avenue for telling a story. Therefore, you don't want to miss out on the professional-looking food pictures even. You can apply some tips and tricks to bring your food photography to a new level. Notably, some are simple changes you can make while others need to practice to get them right. Experimentation also goes a long way to deliver amazing food pictures. So, once you discover what works best for you, why not embrace it for those pro-like food pictures? Remember, you can always bring your creative side up when taking food pic