I’ve been baking. A couple weeks ago, it was quiche. Last week, devil’s food cupcakes. I used to take pictures of food faithfully a few years ago. I loved exploring shopping for interesting foods to shoot and baked goods always made for great subjects. The baking has renewed my interest and love of food photography.
Shoot with Natural Light.
Foods always look better when you use natural light. I shoot next to a window or outside. Having an awareness of how the light looks at certain times of the day makes a difference with your food pictures. Experiment and play around. It is worth it.
Keep it Real and Fresh.
I remember when I found out years ago all the crap photographers used to put in foods to make them look better or last longer during a photo shoot. I don’t do that. I will not put glue in a bowl of cereal. I will not shoot my fruit with glycerin. I don’t have money to waste on foods for a shoot, so I keep it real, authentic and natural.
Collect plates, bowls and fabric.
The more you get into shooting foods, the more you are going to want to style your images. Thrift stores are perfect for finding interesting bowls and plates to place your food on. Also, check out your local fabric store and start collecting a yard or two of fabric for backgrounds.
Experiment with Color.
You know that thing called the Color Wheel you learned about in grade school? This is a good time to resurrect your knowledge of primary, secondary and complementary colors. Primary colors are red, yellow and blue. Secondary colors are a combination of two primary colors (orange, green and purple). Complementary colors are colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel (such as red and green, blue and orange, yellow and purple). Why is this important? Choosing colors that complement each other can make a difference in the interest of your image. For example, green and purple grapes. They are secondary colors and tend to look great when photographed together. Play around with color combinations and see how it adds interests to your pictures.
I hope they inspire you to give it a try and if you do, please share. I would love to see your photos.
These are fantastic tips, Lucrecer! I always forget about using the color wheel when shooting food. I only use my phone and point-n-shoot to take pictures of my food, so paying attention to color placement will really help.
Amiyrah, I forget about the color wheel myself and I have been doing all kinds of artsy things for years! It is a good reminder when you want to amp up the color in your photographs.
Thanks for the tips. I need these more than anyone. I have been playing the guessing game with my shots. I’m printing this info out. PS. Feel free to critique my food photos any day! I want to get better.
I sure hope it helps, Tonia. I am always practicing and trying out new things. Food photography is something I enjoy and always looking to get better at it.
I’ve only become aware of using colors on opposite ends of the color wheel in the last couple of years. Love this tip. Now I just have to learn how to bake.
Oh, Megan, you crack me up. If you can follow a recipe, you can bake. You don’t have to break fruit!
So, you’re having a private session with your roomie at Blissdom, yes?
Truly wonderful tips and those photos are gorgeous
We should definitely do that, Rachel! It would be a lot of fun.
I always love your photography tips. I’m trying to grill the color wheel info you mentioned in my head, memorizing the primary, secondary, and complementary colors but I think I better just be like Tonia and print this out. You always give great (and simple) tips and I always think about you when I’m being conscientious of my photography. Can you be my school teacher and critique my photos too? Pretty please….
If i can shoot it with a phone, that’s as adventurous as I’m gonna get, but the tips still apply! Now I’m really hungry!