I often get messages from people asking for advice or help with their food photography and I’m always happy to help whenever I can. Having students in the studio doing their internships and work-placements has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of my career throughout the years, and I enjoy sharing my thoughts on the many ways to approach photography.
So in the spirit of giving back, I’ve decided to write a few articles that I think are most helpful to aspiring photographers. I’m going to try to address the most common questions I receive along with a few other things I feel are essential for anyone looking to take a serious attempt at food photography.
This is the first article in the series - 5 Simple Ways to Improve Your Food Photography. So here we go.
5 Simple Ways to Improve Your Food Photography
Get Closer
The late Hungarian photojournalist, Robert Capa said “If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough.” His incredible work captured scenes of adventure and combat - but I think his wisdom applies to food photography too. Food photography is all about conveying a sense of texture and depth that lies within the food. It’s this texture that delivers the appetite appeal and in order for it to translate on camera you need to be close enough so that the food ‘pops’. What does ‘pop’ mean? Well, it’s a hard thing to convey in words, but when you’re looking through the lens, you know when the food is popping and when it’s not. Think of it as the difference between an image feeling 2D or 3D. So try to remind yourself to keep creeping into the shot while looking through the viewfinder, and try to notice when the food starts to pop. One other point here, it’s a feel thing, not a ‘think thing’ so try to think less and feel more while shooting. You’ll like the difference.
2. Don’t over-light your shots
When reviewing student portfolios, I would say this is the most common issue I see with young photographers. They are always trying to fill in the shadows as much as possible. As a result the images feel flat, clinical and lifeless. The truth is, it’s the shadows that give life and depth to most shots, especially in the world of food photography. I very rarely use any fill lighting because I understand how crucial shadows are in drawing out shapes, textures and tones - it’s these 3 elements that combine together to create appetite appeal within a photograph. So don't try to eliminate shadows, embrace them and see how they can take your food photography to the next level.
3. Keep it loose
The best food shots take on a life of their own, so you need to be in tune with what the food wants to do. Have a vision for your shot, but let the food do what it wants to do, let the drink sweat, the ice cream melt, and let the cheese ooze over the burger and onto the plate - embrace the happy accidents. Food is perfectly imperfect, your shots will be much more appealing and appetizing if you allow this to come through.
Keeping it loose also applies to the way you position your camera. So don’t feel like your camera has to be locked off all the time. My preference is shoot handheld versus locking the camera off on a studio stand or a tripod. This allows me to shoot in a more intuitive way, which helps me to be more fluid in my approach to the food i’m shooting. Food and drinks are constantly changing from the moment they are put on set, so to me it just makes sense to keep your camera as loose as possible. All of the images on this post were shot handheld.
4. Keep Shooting
When you’re working with a client, keep shooting once you’ve got the approved shot. I can’t tell you how many times i’ve been able to create a much stronger shot after the shot has been approved. That moment, after you’ve got approval, is the time to start pushing things and see where you can take it. Take advantage of the fact that there is no longer any pressure and just play for a couple minutes. When you start playing, that’s where a lot of the magic happens in food photography. Maybe your client will prefer the originally approved shot, but they usually always appreciate having another option to consider. And also, maybe that extra shot is what goes into your portfolio instead of the earlier shot. Either way, it never hurts to have more options.
5. Stop Imitating
Seriously, stop trying to make your shots look like everyone else’s. Again this is something that I see too much in food photography portfolios these days. Find a way to bring something new to what you are doing. The world is inundated with pictures of pretty food. What is your perspective or style that makes your images unique? If you’re passionate about food that’s great - but try to also bring other passions of yours into the fold as well. Be inspired by all that life has to offer - film, painting, music or even nature. This will help differentiate your style from the rest by adding more depth and nuance to your work. This is the biggest challenge for all photographers, especially those looking to specialize in food photography.
Hopefully there are a few helpful pointers in here for everyone. Feel free to reach out with any follow up questions, and I’ll do my best to answer them. The next post I’ll be writing will be about equipment as this is one of the most common questions I get. So stay tuned.
