7 Things I Learned About Food Photography

>>this post contains affiliate links.  thank you in advance for supporting bethadilly photography.<<

when it comes to my list of photography intimidations, food photography is definitely on that list.  i always felt that my food looked so scrumptious in real life, but fell flat the moment i tried to portray it in a photograph.  so like any intimidation, i tried to take on the challenge and conquer my fear with food photography.  and when my friend trisha hughes wrote an eBook called “eat pretty things” that was all about tips and tricks for photographing food, i knew it was just what i needed to inspire my food photography challenge!

i figured i would simply start reading for an hour or so before dinnertime one night and, all of a sudden, i was flipping through the pages as quickly as i could and soaking in all of the information.  yes, i read this eBook in one sitting.  everything from the stunning images of tasty food to the amazing tips had me begging to pick up my camera and photograph my next meal or snack.  and, let me tell you, without this eBook i would have never conquered my fear of food photography.  by keeping trisha’s eBook in mind, i soon became more and more confident when it came to food photography.  seriously, go buy this eBook…right now.

throughout my journey with food photography, i have found that i have learned so much already.  but there are 7 things that really have me running to grab my camera when it comes to photographing food.

to inspire your everyday photography, be sure to read the everyday photograph to get started.

7 Things I Learned About Food Photography

1.  the use of color.

food is so colorful and vibrant, making it a great subject for photography.  i notice this the most in the summertime as i enjoy refreshing fruits.  whether it is a really juicy piece of pink watermelon or a deep red cherry, take advantage of the pop of color while you are photographing it.  allow the color to pop within the frame by surrounding the food in muted tones, like on a table or neutral plate.

2.  capture the details.

food has a lot of details, whether it a salad full of various ingredients or a leftover drop of water after rinsing off an apple.  being aware of details can put a creative spin on food photography, and choose the right lenses to get the shot can really set the tone for your photo.  while i love photographing food with my sigma 50mm f/1.4 lens, i grabbed my lensbaby composer pro sweet 35 lens for this apple photo to tell a story of the drop of water, while capturing the vibrant green of the apple.

3.  use props.

one of my favorite parts of “eat pretty things” was when trisha was talking about her collection of props.  she shared about how you should be looking for props and gave great tips for how to build a great collections of props to accompany your food photography.  i think of her tips every time i am out shopping and am slowly building a prop collection of my own.

4.  movement can be fun!

sometimes getting in the frame and interacting with food {or drinks} can be really fun.  plus, you are creating a photo that is much more interesting than a photo of a glass of cider simply sitting on a table.  movement can create texture and bring your food to life within the frame, which can making your viewer stop a stare a little longer.

5.  capture the texture.

one of the most important things that i learned from “eat pretty things” was how to select your camera settings when it comes to photographing food.  knowing this, i have learned how to capture the textures of my food through a photograph, simply by choosing the correct camera settings.

6.  the use of shadows.

using shadows can create a wonderful thing in your photographs, depth.  and depth is something that will bring your food to life within the frame.  as someone who has always been intimidated by shadows, i have learned to embrace them when it comes to photographing food as a way of making my food be as real in a photo as it is in my dish.

7.  storytelling.

food photography is a great way to tell a story to your audience.  whether you are sharing a bowl of soup because you are under feeling under the weather, or sharing a glass of wine because you are enjoying the fact that the laundry is done and dinner made it on the table…food photography can be a great way to share stories.

photographing food was something that use to make me nervous, but it now has me running for my camera.  through all of the tips and tricks that i learned by reading, “eat pretty things,” i can say that i have officially conquered my fear of food photography.  not only do i know what to look for now when i am browsing the stores for props, but i also know more about how to style my photographs and choose the right settings on my camera to create the exact image i am hoping for.

to learn even more about “eat pretty things,” check out my post about the only book you need to learn about food photograph.  now, go take a picture of something yummy!

i love to write about photography, so don’t miss out on my upcoming posts!  to stay in the loop, be sure to subscribe to my blog so you don’t miss the next great photography tip i am about to share!

be sure to join my exclusive email list to receive my latest photography tips and tutorials.  it’s free!

need some photography tips + inspiration?  check out what posts are trending below!