How to Shoot an Artichoke, and other Photo Taking Tips
Food stylists make great money, but they work at what they do for a living. You may not have a career in making mashed potatoes look mouthwatering in print…yet, but if you are interested in taking better photos of food, here are some great tips for making your finished photos look like they could be eaten with a spoon!
SETTING IS KEY: Try to select a setting for your food shoot that enhances the colors and texture of the food but doesn’t wash out oranges and yellows. You don’t want to try to shoot a pasta dish loaded with bright heirloom tomatoes and asparagus on a checkered or flowered tablecloth: Your viewer will be too distracted with the background to notice the detail on the dish!
White or solid colored plates and tablecloths to help your food stand out and avoid extras like flowers, silverware and other distractions. Wider aperture settings on your camera will blur your background and help with making the food stand out.
LIGHT IT UP: While your situation may now allow for it, try to use natural lighting whenever possible. Ideally, setting up your food shoot on a table near a large window where you get natural but indirect lighting from the sun can produce great shots. Filter the lighting if you need to with a white curtain or thin sheet.
NO FLASHY STUFF: Most professional food stylists avoid the flash like bad broccoli. The flash can and usually will wash out your color and distort the clarity of your shoot.
BALANCE THE BLUES: Color balancing in food photography is critical. Without natural lighting, your photos can have a yellow or blue hue that makes food look unappealing. Select the white balance setting on your camera or adjust the color digitally later on.
TRIPOD THIS: Use a tripod whenever you can to avoid movement, which can ruin your shots.
GO PHOTO CRAZY: Many people wonder why photographers take so many photos. Well, the key is you want to take as many shots as possible from as many different angles as possible to widen the possible outcome. Use props like ladders and other equipment to get photos from up high or other angles for creativity and to capture what might otherwise be missed, like that corner shot with a long view of asparagus.
GET CLOSER: Don’t be shy. Zoom in on your food. Use macro settings to fill the frame with the food, not the background and your food photos will pop.
SHOOT THE WORKS: Take photos of the step-by-step process to show how it’s done.
TIME IT: Nothing is more unappealing than dry looking food in photos. Don’t linger on the linguini. Put the bowl or plate down, make a few practice shots to get your lighting down, then put the food in the bowl and shoot for real!
DON’T FORGET TO GARNISH: Overlooked fine details, such as cracks in a glass or smudges on plates can really blow a good food photo. Check the set-up several times before you shoot for stray hairs, food pieces and wrinkles in the tablecloth. Also, use dribbles of sauce to add color, but don’t smother the main ingredients with it. Garnish the drinks with fruit or mint leaves and remember that presentation is positively key!
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