Simple and Affordable Tools, Techniques & Accessories to Improve Your Food Photography: Part IV

A lot of bloggers, and even some friends who like photography, asked to see the presentation I did with Alice Currah in May at BlogHer Food 2011. I promised I would put up an abbreviated version on the blog, so here is the fourth and final part.


Can you handle one more post about food photography? Here Alice had some great insights into how she puts together her photographs and some things you can keep in mind when you are creating your photography for your blog.
We also wanted to address some other aspects of food photography using some real-life examples. For instance, how to get better food photographs when you are at a restaurant and how to best use your smart phone when photographing food. Finally, we answered the question, "What would you buy if you only had $25 to spend on improving your food photography?"

Alice: When deciding how to compose your food shot, take into consideration the point of view of the story you're trying to capture through the photo. Ingredient shots offer the most flexibility because you can shoot straight on, 3/4 up or straight over head. If you're shooting a lot of ingredients, my favorite is straight over.

Alice: If you're sharing an entree you just prepared for dinner, sometimes shooting the dinner table or the environment in which you'll be eating is more appealing, especially when you're sharing a story about dinner time. But if you're a recipe blogger and your primary written content is focused squarely on the recipe, tight and up-close shots work best because you can see the details in the food.

Alice: Taking action photos of a recipe in progress are also helpful, especially if there is a certain culinary technique involved which would enhance the readers' understanding on how to prepare the dish. 

Alice: Think of the main element as being the perfect black cocktail dress. All the other elements should be accessorized and layered around the dress, complimenting the main element without overpowering it. Think in terms of complimentary texture. Create contrasting textures by showing your readers what the inside of a dish looks like compared to the outside.

Alice: If you are shooting a group of food, all the same size, like cupcakes, lining them up vertically or horizontally is the most aesthetically pleasing composition. Taller objects like bottles and tall cups work best if they are in the background, not the foreground. 

Last tip: Study the different styles of food photography you like best and practice creating photographs with a similar style. 

Alice and Sarah: Restaurant photography can be difficult, especially when you are at a dimly lit restaurant, but there are a couple things you can do to get the best photograph possible under less-than-perfect conditions.

1. First is to be discreet and appropriate. There's nothing worse than having dinner while a flashing photo session is going on nearby. Ask permission if you feel like it might not be appropriate to photograph, and most of all use good judgement. There are times when you, and everyone around you, should simply enjoy dinner.
2. Ask to sit by a window or outside, and try to find a spot that's not in the direct sunlight.
3. If you can't sit near a window, or it's dark, bump up your ISO as far as it will go. A little noise is better than a photograph that is out of focus.
4. Use the timer function with the camera propped on a glass, scarf or purse. If you really want to be sure you are going to be in focus, buy a small, flexible Gorilla tripod to set on the table (and then tuck back into your purse as soon as you're done).

A lot of smart phones have pretty decent cameras, I use mine all the time to snap quick pictures for Facebook and Twitter. You can also buy a silicone case to help keep the phone in place when propped on a mug or wedged between dishware. iPhone tripods are available for around $10. There are also downloadable photo apps (free or low cost) which offer more enhanced camera settings such as timer, white balance, contrast/brightness, etc. which will help you get results outside your phone's built-in settings.

Alice and I challenged ourselves to make a list of things we would buy to improve our food photography if we only had $25. I chose a tripod and that would pretty much use the whole budget! Alice chose a sheet of foam core, a white sheet or table cloth, plain white plate or bowl and a clear drinking glass.  

But no matter what you buy (or don't buy), if you are taking steps to improve your food photography, you are on the right track.

Good luck with all you are doing and feel free to contact either Alice or me with any questions you might have. Keep cooking and shooting!