Lately, I have been obsessed with making my food look too good to eat, and so have a lot of other people in our generation. After buying all of the necessary ingredients or ordering food at a restaurant and assembling a meal, the next step is to snap a killer shot (eating can wait). Here are 10 different tips to improve your food porn photography.
1. Use white plates
Photo by Olivia Chadwick
When you’re out at a restaurant (I happened to be at a Chinese buffet), use the white plates to your advantage to bring out the color in your food. I also arranged the chopsticks like I had seen at some other restaurants, but any type of silverware can be used in this fashion.
2. Photograph ingredients
Photo by Olivia Chadwick
When making a dish with a multitude of ingredients, take a picture of everything you’re going to use before you add them. Here, I made a simple soup and placed all of the necessary ingredients on a white table.
#SpoonTip: Take any wrappers or food containers away to increase the artsy effect.
3. Photograph in nature
Photo by Olivia Chadwick
Use nature to your advantage. Assemble your snack or meal, add a green garnish, and find a beautiful backdrop. I used some bushes and a wooded forest in this photo.
4. Include green
Photo by Olivia Chadwick
Green gives the impression that your meal is super-healthy and raw, so the more green you have, the more natural your meal will look. For more advanced photo junkies, add a flower that compliments the colors present in your food. Pictured above is a mini purple Phalaenopsis orchid.
5. Put it on a spoon (#NeverForks)
Photo by Olivia Chadwick
When using any toppings/herbs/spices, put some on a spoon. This simple method adds more focus to the underrated topping you are choosing, in this case, peanut butter.
6. Use a wood background
Photo by Olivia Chadwick
Caramel or wood colored backgrounds are perfect for food photography, and give your meal a rustic feel. Even though pizza is usually unhealthy, it sure does look beautiful. Utilize natural light from a window. The waiter may look at you funny but for a picture like this, it will be totally worth it.
7. Use a solid colored background
Photo by Olivia Chadwick
For a creative take on presentation, try holding the food against a solid colored background. I chose white to accentuate the orange color in these organic carrots. Make sure your hands are clean and photograph-ready.
8. Hold your food
Photo by Olivia Chadwick
Photo by Olivia Chadwick
If you’re ordering a handheld object, such as a giant cupcake, over-the-top donut, or gorgeous milkshake, hold it up towards the restaurant or café sign.
#SpoonTip: Aim your camera so that half of your food is shining brightly in the sunlight. Because lighting is everything.
9. Photograph at eye level
Photo by Olivia Chadwick
Try aiming the camera so that the lens is even with the food. This gives it greater depth, but also puts the focus on the first object (so use the prettiest one). As you can see, it makes this s’mores bark look 100 times better.
10. Assemble food in patterns
Photo by Olivia Chadwick
Lastly, give your math skills a try. Use patterns, geometric shapes, or anything that looks symmetrical and even. The end result is a perfectly proportional shot every time.