6 Quick Tips to Up Your Food Photography Game

October 5, 2015

Are you a foodie who always wants to capture every delicious moment of food in your life? Do you find that sometimes you just don’t quite hit the mark? Food photos are everywhere now and it’s no longer about just taking a quick snapshot of what you’re eating. People have gotten quite serious about their food photos even if they’re just sharing them on Instagram. That said, one should not feel the pressure to have a state-of-the-art camera and a photography background to keep up with the trend. If you employ these few simple tips, you can take your pictures…

Risotto-DO-and-DONT

seriously… I can’t even believe I once took that photo on the left

  1. Take photos in natural light

gluten_free_eggplant_bread_sandwich1-700x662

Natural light helps to best show off the color of food. Since we eat with our eyes, the natural colors of the food are so important. In a dimly-lit photo, this gorgeous sandwich could easily look drab and all one color. The natural light allows the fresh tomato and kale to pop and gorgeously highlights the eggplant which the photographer intends to be the star of this recipe.

  2. Set the scene 

vegan-blueberry-scones-1B-700x467

These delectable blueberry scones look even more beautiful next to this steamy cup of coffee. Here, using one simple accessory, the photographer immediately invites us into her photo and we feel like a guest in her coffee shop.

3. Find a complimentary background 

sourkraut_quesadilla

As you can see this sauerkraut quesadilla is very monochromatic. The photographer makes up for this by accessorizing with a pop of color in the background. Consider that if you have a really vibrant dish, such as a stir-fry, smoothie bowl, or soup, it may be best to keep the background plain and simple to allow the food to pop. You can see a great example of this tip in our cooling dragon fruit bowlraw_dragon_fruit_smoothie-bowl-700x641

   4. Don’t use filters

DONT-Lentil-SaladDO-Lentil-Salad

Check out these two photos of my warm lentil salad. The one on the left was taken at night and therefore, I felt I needed a filter to brighten it up. But the filter doesn’t help to show the true colors of the dish. The Brussels sprouts and broccoli have a scary-yellow color. The one on the right, was obviously taken in the day and has no filter. The actual colors of the salad jump off the plate and the contrast between the bright green veggies and savory lentils show the complexity of the salad.

     5. Find an appetizing angle

mexican_quinoa_bake

Sometimes the best food photo shows you the food in a new angle. You’ve all seen those photos of a stack of chocolate chip cookies piled ten cookies high… suddenly, a seemingly mundane and simple food is transformed! Here, I’ve done the same thing with this very easy enchilada rice casserole. I’ve shown you just how tasty this casserole can be. This photo highlights the sense of comfort food this dish offers.

 6. When in doubt, simplify

Asian_tempeh_bowl

This might seem like common sense, but the best food photos are the simple ones. Arrange the food in a pretty way, allowing all of the natural colors to pop, find some natural light, and shoot from a straight-on above angle. This photo was taken on an iPhone and I think it came out just as amazing as the photos in the post.

What are your best food photography tips?

More blogging tips: 7 Things to Know Before Starting a Blog

5 Ways to Regain Your Creative Edge

Also by Christina: The TLT Club Sandwich

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Photo: Peaceful Dumpling (eggplant sammy); Mary Hood Luttrell (scone and dragon bowl); Christina Ramirez (all rest)

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Christina credits adopting the vegan lifestyle as the single most profound shift in her life. She went on Weight Watchers for the first time in 7th grade; she struggled with eating habits and weight issues until college, when she finally decided to take her health seriously. Veganism has helped Christina maintain a healthy body weight and achieve peace with her body. She believes veganism is what led her to become the energetic, go-getter, healthy, holistic person. Follow Christina on Pinterest @vegannugget and Instagram @christinaramireznyc.

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