When I first started my blog a year ago, I had no idea how many jobs came along with being a food blogger. My preconceived notion was that I would create a successful dish, snap a few photos and post them to my blog, lickety-split. I knew nothing about photo editing or food styling. I only knew that I was passionate about confectionary and I wanted to share my love of buttercream with the world.
In those early days I was extremely unhappy with my photographs. They didn't do justice to the desserts I worked so hard to create. I began searching for ways to improve my food photography skills, and what I found was simpler than expected. With each small improvement the response to my blog increased. I began to realize how important good photos were to the health of my blog.
I've come a long way baby.
Today I find myself answering more emails about photography than baking. I’m not a professional, but I’ve figured out a few things along the way. If you are a budding food blogger or a beginning food photographer, here are 5 basic things you can do to improve the quality of your food photos.
1. Turn off your flash. This is the cardinal rule that you will hear over and over in food photography tutorials. It doesn’t matter if you are using a point-and-shoot or SLR, turn it off. Using a flash tends to make the subject look flat or washed out and it creates unflattering shadows. Let’s all take a moment to look (and laugh at) my early attempt at photographing petit fours. The flash completely washes out the photo and makes the yummy strawberry jam look like orange gelatinous goo. Not appetizing at all!
This is edible?
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Of course, no flash means you’ll be photographing during daylight hours, which brings me to tip #2.
2. Use natural lighting.
My make-shift studio. Most food bloggers don't have access to studios or professional lighting- myself included.
If you are following tip #1 and not using a flash then you’ll need a good light source. I photograph 90% of my pictures at the end of my dining room table because it sits in front of a large picture window. If you have harsh sunlight beaming directly onto your subject, drape a thin cotton sheet across the window as a diffuser (I purchased thin white curtains). The idea is to use soft, ambient light. Of course, there are artificial light sources that can be used if photographing during the day is not convenient for you. Lowell Ego lights work well, but they can be a little pricey. I have two now, but for months I got along fine with just one. I utilize them more during the winter months, but I much prefer the use of natural light.
3. Organize. Try to plan out the elements of your shoot long before you prepare your food. This includes de-cluttering your work space as well as the camera’s field of view (look through the viewfinder for distracting objects). In addition, pick out props and choose dishes for plating. Having the scene set will help you swiftly execute your shoot, plus food always photographs better when it is fresh.
4. Take lots of photos. I usually average around 150 pictures per shoot, and of those 150 I may use 5-10 in a blog post. That may sound like a lot of pictures to edit through for such a small final lot, but I like to be picky.
A sample of one of my sessions.
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I find that taking pictures from various angles will increase the chances for photos with “wow” factor. Just by shifting the camera’s perspective slightly, a frame can go from boring to spectacular. In short, move around your subject and play with camera angles. Overhead shots offer an interesting point-of-view, and getting up close will help illustrate a special ingredient or texture. Also, if you don’t have a nice big memory card for your camera, I’d suggest saving up for one. It will give you the freedom to shoot as much as you like in a single session.
Left: not bad. Right: even better.
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Aside from perspective, taking “mise en place” or special ingredient photos is a good way to tell a recipe’s story. Part of the magic of baking is taking simple elements like butter, flour and spices to create something delicious.
Red plums and spices that will soon be made into a plum tart.
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5. Find a good photo editing program. I occasionally use Photoshop, but my program of choice is Lightroom. I use it mainly to adjust color saturation, increase clarity and make exposure adjustments. I find it extremely user friendly…
Minor adjustments make the picture pop!
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…but it is not free. With that said, there are some very good photo editing programs online that won’t cost you a penny. One that I recommend and have used is GIMP. You can experiment with advanced settings as well as do simple editing adjustments such as brightness, contrast and saturation. It is a great alternative for those just getting started.
In closing I'd like to say that there’s no better way to improve your food photography than to keep doing it. Remember to take lots of pictures from all angles. Edit with a critical eye. And last but not least – relax and have fun!
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