It’s a fact: photographing the food before giving the first bite is an incredibly common habit, especially among those who use Instagram and other fast-sharing apps. The problem of food photography is that wonderful dish in front of you can turn into a misshapen and unappetizing mass if you photograph it anyway. Some images even make you completely lose your appetite!
Use of flash, lack of focus, poor lighting and clutter in assembly are all factors that contribute greatly to making food photos unattractive. But not everything is lost! With a few simple tips, you can transform these images and gain many likes and raves in social networks.
Applications and devices
To get started, it’s important to read this article on mobile photography. It shows applications and tips for any situation, but they serve perfectly in that case. You can also use another camera to take a photo of your plate, but this is usually done with the cell phone, so this is the reality considered in this article.
And, if you think you need an amazing device to make the images look beautiful, know that this is not true – even some examples from this list were captured using simpler cell phones and are great pictures, just working to get the most out of the equipment you have.
Obviously, with a better
To get started, pack your plate
It’s no use wanting an incredible photo if you’re not willing to spend a little time setting up your dish and doing a little outside production. Whether it’s in a restaurant or even at home, this is essential and can mean the difference between a formless and ugly dough and an appetizing hamburger or pasta dish.
Dish assembly needs to be organized and allow each element to be recognizable
It is important that foods are well recognizable in the photo and that every detail is in its proper place. For example, if you put sprigs of seasoning (basil, rosemary, etc.) on a plate of pasta with sauce, it acquires a more sophisticated air.
After shooting, you can spread the sauce all over and even put more food on the plate, but before that take care of how each element will stay in the image. Arrange the food separately, try to insert vivid colors to give more prominence and think of a way to make the most beautiful dish. The right angle is very important!
For example, if you are in a restaurant with an interesting look, it may be worth trying to show it in the background, but if the place is not inviting, it is better to shoot from the top, to get only the table and eventually a silverware or other detail.
Thinking about it, it’s interesting that you see the best angle to shoot. A close-up on the food – but only do it if your lens allows you to focus very closely – or an overall picture to show the environment or even a picture of the dish seen from above. There are many possibilities and you can test each one and see how it gets better.
Do not forget the classic framework rules, which apply very well in these cases. Use guidelines to make the picture “straight” and abuse creativity when framing the food dish. More than knowing what to show, it is also interesting to know exactly what to leave out!
