Basic Food Photography Tips

Food Photography

Food Photography has a big role to play because we feast with our eyes first. If you are venturing into food photography, here are some basic food photography tips to get you started.

#1 Understand your camera.

Be it a Dslr, digital compact camera or your phone camera, the most important thing is to understand the different functions and how to use it. This may sound like a no-brainer, but it is not surprising to know that many people always take photos in the ‘auto’ mode. Take the effort to learn the different functions, and you will be rewarded with good photos.

Food Photography Tips

#2 Visualise the picture in your mind.

Before taking the photograph, visualise how you want the photo to turn out. This will not only help to reduce the time in taking photographs, but also make you a better photographer.

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#3 Know your subject well.

There are some food that look good on their own and do not require much effort to take the shots. On the other hand, certain food like soup, cheesecake and ice cream can be challenging to shoot as they are simply not photogenic. For soup, add some garnishing and scoop the ingredients with a spoon. For a plain cheesecake, you might want to add some fruits on top to make it look prettier.

In short, know the subject well. There are many different ways to play around with food.

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#4 Keep things simple.

People tend to try too hard and include many objects in a shot. The important thing is to know the main focus of the shot. If the plate has many different items, focus on the main dish.

Cliche as it may sound, simplicity is beauty.

#5 Shoot in natural lighting.

The main challenge for any photographer will always be lighting. Forget about studio lighting, or Dslr external flash, natural lighting is your best bet for a good photo.

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#6 Get feedback from others.

Never be afraid to exchange ideas and ask for their opinion on the shots that you took. You can learn a lot through comments and constructive criticisms from others.

#7 Always have fun.

Photography is all about having fun. Don’t be too stressed up in trying to get the perfect shot. There is no such thing as a perfect photo.

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#8 Practise, practise and practise.

While going for a photography workshop/class can indeed teach you the basic photography techniques, ultimately you have to practise and take more photographs in order to improve.

#9 Hold the camera steady.

And lastly, learn to control your shaky hands. This may sound simple, but there are people who always end up taking blur shots.