“Eat with your eyes” isn’t just a colloquialism; that mouth-watering sensation enveloping when you spot a tasty plate of grub is hard-wired in your brain. It’s biology, baby! Food photography should tickle the taste buds and deliver a veritable food-gasm. Here are a few simple tips to capturing deliciously dazzling food photos.
Show Fresh Ingredients:
It can be difficult to discern which flavors have gone into a finished dish. Show off ingredients to get the imagination percolating. Select fresh ingredients whenever possible – A bodacious sprig of parsley will look better than that dried up herb shaker you have lurking in the back of your spice cupboard. You can also show multiple preparations of an ingredient to add texture – Image a plump Roma sitting behind a bowl of cubed tomato.
Keep It Clean:
No one, and I mean no one, wants to see a messy work station or heaven forbid, a dirty plate. Flatware should be polished, water spots should be scrubbed, and serving dishes should be wiped down. It is much easier to address cleanliness on set rather than in post. Do yourself a favor and break out those white gloves before you start snapping away.
Hint at Humanity:
A well-placed hand diving in for a scoop… A puckered pout about to take a sip… Adding a human element to your photos provides scale and helps to vary your depth of field. Make sure that your designated-eater is groomed and photoshoot ready. Nails should be neatly trimmed and clean, chap stick is a must, and wardrobe should be simple so it doesn’t pull focus.
Celebrate Texture:
Is your food juicy, crunchy, or ooey gooey? Perhaps you have a steaming bowl of soup, or a melting cone of ice cream. Show off the texture of unique your dish, and consider capturing different moments during the cooking process (like adding ingredients into a soup pot vs. seeing the final bowl presentation).
Consider Color:
Your background and props should support, not distract, from your featured food. Think about temperature; chilly ice cream may be well suited for a cool color pallet while a spicy soup may look nice with a warm punch of color! Also think about where and when your ingredients are sourced – For example a citrus orchard in the heat of summer is a very different color pallet than a peaceful pumpkin patch in autumn.
Light to Delight:
Back lighting is a nice way to embellish textures because it will add contrast – shines and shadows. It’s also essential if you are trying to capture elements like steam. Dramatic lighting can (literally) put food in the spotlight and add ambiance. The color of your lighting is also important – Kitchen lights tend to be pretty terrible, so consider bringing in a separate light source.
Mix It Up:
Don’t stick to one camera angle – get all up on that food! You’ll be thankful for the variety; after all, it is the spice of life (and food photography). The goal is to make your dish stand out from the pack, so get creative.
Special Thanks:
Now that you’re on your way to devastatingly delectable food photography, I’d like to give a special shout out to Gelato by Sam for providing the shockingly creamy and beautiful focus of this photo shoot. Sam’s flavor profiles are bonkers–truly inspired recipes. If you want a spoonful of Gelato by Sam, contact Sam at gelatobysam@gmail.com.
Fair warning, you’ll likely get addicted with flavors like Lavender & Honey, Banana Bread, Rogue Roasters Coffee with Espresso Fudge Ribbon, Bourbon & Salted Caramel, and more. (I think that I went up two dress-sizes just typing that… Lord, help me!)
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