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Tasty Food Photography Tips


Photography has the ability to enhance, or even magnify the beauty of the reality that surrounds us. This is true for any photography discipline, but there's one subject where the quality of photography is crucial: food.

When we look at a photo of food, we can't taste or smell what's in front of us, however, we should still be seduced and desire the food we are seeing in the picture. But as a photographer, how do we achieve this goal?

Every photographer has his or her own particular style, but there are a few tips we can follow that will help us take great food photos. These are some of them:

Natural Lighting
Light is the first thing we need to look at when taking any photo in general, but when it comes to food photography, it's essential. Natural light is without any question the light we should use when photographing food. Artificial light will alter the colors of the food and make it look unappealing. Daylight, on the other hand, will make food look fresh and it will highlight its qualities and original colors. However, we need to make sure that direct sunlight doesn't hit our food; otherwise, the photo will have too much contrast and very hard shadows. We want the subject to look tender and soft, so a cloudy day would be the ideal occasion to take photos. If it's a sunny day, we should move items to where they will be illuminated by indirect sunlight.

Colors
Color is another aspect of our food that we need to take into account. The truth is that no one color will look attractive by itself on a food photo. There are colors that practically always look good, such as green; and other hues which are very challenging, such as brown. When photographing meat, for example, brown is going to be the main color of the scene, so we will have to be careful and make sure that the picture doesn't look muddy. Adding green color to the shot will completely change the feel of the image and will create an appealing contrast with the brown. Green is by far the easiest color to use when it comes to food photography, as it can help to make food look fresh and healthy.

Shallow Depth of Field
"Depth of field" is, in simple terms, how much of a photograph is in focus. Typically, we'll place the main point of interest in focus. The less in focus around our subject, the shallower the depth of field. The more in focus, the deeper the depth of field. As a general rule, it's always advisable to use a shallow depth of field when it comes to food photography, as it will help draw the attention of the viewer towards the food item. The background should be out of focus so it's not distracting, but we could still play with it. We can place secondary food elements, or even drinks, in the background. This will create a pleasing, yet not distracting background.

Overhead Shots
Food photography can be very creative, which allows us to be able to choose multiple possible angles from which to photograph. Some classical angles are the 45° and 30° angles. However, there is another very creative option: the overhead shot. The overhead shot has become has become a very trendy angle in food photography, giving photographs a very modern and graphic look.

Wooden Tables
We can also be creative with the surface we use. Wooden tables are often a clever solution, as they give our dishes a natural, organic and fresh feel. At the same time, wood is not a distracting surface, so all the attention will be placed on the food that is being photographed.

Dark Backgrounds
Apart from making our background go out of focus, another way to capture the attention of a viewer is to make the background dark. This way we would be creating a chiaroscuro, where light draws attention just to the subject.

Less is More
Often, it's a good idea to add decoration to a plate of food before photographing, but this practice should never be done in excess. Remember that many times "less is more," and sometimes the dish on its own is enough.

PHOTOS

The Rail: The shallow depth of field makes the viewer focus on the central point of the food item. The green color contrasts perfectly with the brownish tone of the photo and it is what makes the food look so attractive.

BeShock: The layout of this sushi required an overhead shot. The result is a fun and attractive picture. The pale wooden table gives a natural feel to the dish, and doesn't distract from the playful colors on the plate.

Del Sur: The beautiful natural light only illuminates the food, leaving the background in darkness. Our attention can only be focused on the delicious-looking food.