How to improve at food photography

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If you are like me, your food photography needs some work. Here are some tips on making it better.

Here are a few tips that will really make food images their best. They all apply if using the fanciest digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) or mobile phone camera.

Don’t forget the prep
Some of my favorite food shots have been made in the kitchen as the chef is cooking or assembling the plate. (Note: If you look a little hungry, the chef will usually give you a sample!)

Flash vs. natural lighting
Nothing will ruin an image faster than using your flash. Turn it off and find the most flattering light on the table. Shooting during the day is much easier than darker dinner situations. Sit next to a window and let the natural, indirect light fall on the plate. If you need a little extra light to fill the dark areas, hold a white napkin near the lens, bouncing light into the shadows. You will be amazed how well this works.

Candlelight
Candlelight is a special situation that is best shot with a DSLR because most mobile phone cameras do not perform well in low light situations.

Find a place that is lit evenly, but not too directionally, such as under a spotlight from overhead. Grab a candle from another table and have a friend hold it near your lens to boost the ambient light. If you have a tripod, use it and set your shutter speed to 1 to 4 seconds. This will allow you to yield a less noisy image.

Get low and close
I tend to shoot tightly, cropping into the plate to emphasize the beauty of the food. Keep the camera low so you can see some of the background. Don’t be afraid to move some elements on the plate to cover parts that you don’t want to showcase.

Tableware
If you are going to set the table formally, the fork goes on the left and the knife and spoon on the right. An easy way to remember this is that fork and left both have four letters. Spoon, knife and right have five.

Clean plate club
The first order of business once the finished plate arrives from the kitchen is to wipe off the edges of the plate. Even the best kitchens have trouble serving a perfect, pristine plate.

Move quickly
Delicate sauces and fresh garnishes look old in a few minutes, so be prepared to shoot immediately. Don’t be afraid to ask the kitchen for a few extra pieces of garnish if the ones on the plate look a little wilted or brown.

Meat
Although I am an enthusiastic consumer of all types of meat, I don’t particularly think it looks appetizing in a photograph. For example, chain steakhouses always showcase a fine cut of charbroiled beef in their advertisements, but I rarely think the image is appealing to the eye. Often, I choose to cover some of the meat with a sauce to tone down the amount of visible flesh.