The food photography genre is hugely popular across modern websites and blogs. To capture striking food photography, photographers should focus on simple tricks and techniques that can turn ordinary shots into eye-catching images.
Here we’ve highlighted 10 interesting tips to help make your food photography look more professional and enjoyable.
Taking flat shots
Capture your food subjects from directly above to create flat images. This angle gives dishes a strong visual appeal and helps create mouth-watering results for viewers. Using a tripod makes it easier to achieve consistent effects, while also giving you more stability and flexibility when shooting.
Add a human element
Include visible features such as fingers, hands, or arms in the frame. Before taking the shot, position the frame so that part of the hand is shown alongside the subject. This adds a personal touch, creates temptation for the viewer, and encourages them to imagine tasting the food.
Geometrical cuts of fruits and vegetables
Cutting fruits and vegetables into diced or geometric shapes gives food photography a striking look. Prepare the frame with neatly sliced produce before beginning your shoot to enhance visual appeal.
Create a splash effect
For capturing splashes, use a faster shutter speed along with a suitable food photography lens. Keep a soft cotton cloth nearby, as creating splash effects can cause spills that may affect your equipment.
Make it colourful
To draw extra attention to your food photography portfolio, boost the colour range of the food. Add colourful toppings such as jelly, sweets, dried fruit, or nuts to make your dishes look more vibrant and engaging.
Capture shots while slicing
Photographing food while it’s being sliced adds energy and realism to your shots. It also highlights textures and creates a sense of action within the frame.
The most important aspect of food photography is to present the products attractively. Often, this involves showing ingredients through splitting and slicing to capture the viewer’s attention. This technique relies on manual camera settings, and it’s crucial to focus on the lighting while taking these shots. Such photos are commonly used in recipe books and advertisements. You can enhance the effect further with special editing tools. Additionally, this style promotes healthy eating habits among viewers.
Taking shots while cooking
Capturing images during the cooking process brings a live, dynamic feel to food photography. To achieve this, use automatic mode so your camera can capture spontaneous moments as you cook. Showcasing the cooking steps helps create extra interest and engagement for your audience.
Food in the bowl
Keep the food in an attractive bowl or cooking vessel to enhance the visual appeal of your food photography. Seeing the food served in matching bowls and trays creates a tempting feeling for viewers. Adjust the focal length to capture the subject with the desired depth of field.
Make fresh shots
Show fresh food to your audience, such as grinding coffee beans, half-sliced oranges, peeling potatoes, or cutting mushrooms. Position the subject carefully in the frame and use a tripod to capture sharp, fresh shots.
Capture in a commercial style
For advertising purposes, you can shoot food products in a commercial style. For example, photograph candies or cakes arranged neatly on bakery shop racks to showcase the products appealingly.