How to take good photos of food. There are too many eye-catching advertisements around us, so the main task of photographing food is to be able to make them more attractive. And the main task of product photography is to tell how the product is seen. To create successful food photos, you need to have enough space and some knowledge of working with photographic equipment. You can organize a home photo studio and take unique photos.
There are no rules in this matter, maybe it is enough to make a comfortable countertop by the window, highlight the brightest part of the kitchen or the entire floor of the house. Regardless of the size of the space devoted to creativity, there are several conditions that must be created without which it is impossible to take good photos of food. An interesting culinary photo is about more than food. And likes are awarded not for the quality of photography or the correct composition, but for the mood that the photo creates.
How to take good photos of food?
Of course, in order to get good quality photos, it is important to have a DSLR and a good lens that will help you capture the sharpness, colors of food and dishes. If you can’t get a high-quality food photo, you can contact a professional product photography and food stylist photographer who will do the whole shoot right. It is important to use shadow or reflection. This significantly adds naturalness to the product. Avoid suspending the product in the air. A shadow or reflection makes the image more realistic and gives a sense of space. What is important when taking good photos of food.
Shooting in natural light
Artificial light gives a yellow tint, which you then have to get rid of in photo editors. Even professional food photographers are more likely to choose a daylight room or shoot outdoors. This will make the food look more natural and keep the true colors in the photo. The lighting should be soft. If the sun is too strong, cover it with a diffuser, e.g. a white cloth or a sheet of paper. It is important to use materials that are not too thick to let light through. A cloth or paper can be hung or taped to the window if the photographers are taking place indoors. Clouds are huge diffusers of light. In cloudy weather, the light is soft, the dishes are evenly illuminated. You can look not only for the most comfortable place, but also the one that is closer to the window.
Taking pictures of food with side light
This is the easiest way to take a good photo, the food will be evenly lit and there will be no sharp shadows in front of it. When shooting, the window should be on the right or left side. This rule also applies to outdoor shots – the sun should illuminate the food from the side. Taking a picture of drinks against the sun, i.e. backlight, creates a deep shadow in front of the subject, which can interfere with the photo of the food. This option is suitable for drink shots, so you can favorably display their color. Avoid sharp shadows, as they make important details too dark.
The background when taking good photos of food
Choose a background that highlights the dish. It plays a secondary role, creates a contrast, but does not conflict with it and does not draw attention to itself. The more complex the appearance of the dish, the simpler the background should be – fewer details, calmer decoration. It is worth using a wooden board as a background. Its neutral color goes well with any food, and the matte texture does not create reflections. If you are taking pictures at home, choose a surface where the food will look good. This will help save time and keep food photography consistent. You can use a table, a tray to serve as a background.
Adjusts the hue to take a picture of food
Often photographers talk about contrast, but elements of the same color also create a harmonious combination. For example, you can take a picture of all the green vegetables that you are going to use for a salad, they look harmonious and generally merge into one green frame, which is easy to see in a motley social networking feed. Purple and yellow, red and green, blue and orange, black and white. Contrast can be added to the dish itself and the dish. For example, garnish a red tomato salad with basil leaves.
Foreshortening
The correct positioning of subjects in a photo taken from above, from the side or at an angle will vary. You have to think about the main dish: its shape, size, features and decide how best to present it before laying out the rest of the elements. If light in photography can be called king, then the right angle is queen. Culinary photography of dishes from an angle is important to show the volume or height of the dish and its top view.
Composition – observing the rule of thirds
If you break the frame into three equal parts vertically and three horizontally, then at the intersection of the lines there will be points that a person pays attention to in the first place, so it is better to place important items here. If you serve a dish yourself, you need to arrange it on the plate in an unusual way. If you’re photographing ready-made food in a restaurant, it’s worth having fun arranging items on the table. If you want to make a harmonious shot in the simplest way, you need to arrange the objects parallel to each other. Such a composition is comfortable and predictable for the eyes, so it will attract attention on social networks. Arranging items diagonally will make the frame dynamic. You can turn the cutlery at an angle, arrange several plates or glasses in a diagonal row, or use cutlery.
In order to take good photos of food, you need to be creative , use all visual techniques to tell as much about the product as possible, show it in various situations and variations, provide all the necessary information, and at the same time make it unique, interesting and unrepeatable.
