Captivating the Senses: 5 Top Tips for Taking Mouth-Watering Food Photography

This is a guest post from Barry Morgan, a professional photographer who want to share his experience with you today.

 

 

When you visit a bookstore and open up a cookbook, what do you see first? For most, it’s the incredibly artistic food photography, accompanied by the scrumptious recipes. When it comes to cook books, photography is the true focus.

Good food photography can tempt the senses and make mouths water. Done poorly though and you’ll achieve the complete opposite effect. If it doesn’t look good, it probably won’t taste good.

So just how do you take a perfectly executed shot? One that represents the subject at hand, whether its food or drink, to create appetizing snapshots? According to a experienced food photographer in Dubai, it all starts with the five tips below.

 

1. Lighting

Much like other types of photography, a well-lit subject makes all the difference. If you don’t have access to a professional studio, you can still achieve great success by accessing the natural light in your home. Most often, a simple window will do the trick in creating scrumptious photos.

 

Using natural light will help make the colors of your food truly pop. Support the natural light with a flash that bounces off a ceiling or wall. This will cut out the shadows in the image, giving your photograph a more balanced look.

 

2. Find the best angles

Much like a still life subject, food photography is all about finding the right angle. Whether is a recipe of colorful vegetables and rich sauces or intriguing latte art, keep the angles interesting. Finding the best vantage point will allow your subject to show its natural beauty.

 

Avoid shooting your subjects directly straightforward. A straightforward photo of food doesn’t translate well and can often appear unappealing. Rather, consider taking your photo from directly above or through an interesting side angle.

 

The latter is especially useful when shooting a bigger scene, such as a banquet.

 

3. Get creative with props

 

 

While your props may not appear to be as important as your subject, they still play a significant role in the overall aesthetic of your photo. It’s important to choose your props wisely. The right props and styling will elevate your photos to the next level.

 

 

 

Get creative with your props. Being creative adds dimension and personality to your images. The right props will perfectly complement your main subject rather than overshadow it. After all, in all things food photography, the food should always be the star.

 

4. Background

 

Background elements also come into play when shooting a food photo. A background that’s too busy or too colorful will draw the viewer’s attention away from the main subject. Much like the right props, the right background will enhance the food, putting maximum emphasis on the subject at hand.

 

It’s advisable to shoot with a neutral tone background. The three main types of backgrounds that serve food really well in food photography are:

• Light
• Dark
• Wooden

 

These three backgrounds complement the subject while enhancing its color spectrum.

 

Remember to pair complementary colors together. Dark backgrounds shoot particularly well with dark food, etc. Wooden tables make for a particularly good backdrop as it gives pictures a very rustic and homely look. Plus, wood tends to look great with pretty much any subject.

 

5. Shoot quickly

 

Unlike most other subjects, whether its still life or architecture, food has a very definitive expiration date. Food doesn’t keep its appetite long. The longer it sits under the light, artificial or natural, the less it will translate well into your photos.

 

Make sure you’re prepared ahead of time to being ready to shoot once the food has been prepped. You need to know what you want to achieve in your photos before the main subject arrives. The longer food waits, the more likely it will melt, wilt, collapse, or worse, change color.

 

While these tips will get you on your way to shooting great food photos, remember that food is interactive. Experiment with the experience. Swap out props, take a bite out of a sandwich, add some garnish, maybe even scatter some crumbs to give your photo a sense of activity. This guarantees your food will appear temptingly desirable in every shot.

 

If you have any other effective tips, leave your comment below.

 

AUTHOR BIO

Barry Morgan is the creative force behind Barry Morgan Photography. His passions are photography, food and family, although not always in that order. He believes you should love what you do, to do exceptional work. Cooking was always a family affair in his home so naturally, once his passion for photography took root, he was drawn to food photography. Barry Morgan Photography now works with hundreds of clients, turning their tasty dishes into mouthwatering visuals.