The age of technology has digitized the way we consume content, and it is no surprise that the consumption of food has landed into the same sphere. The act of photographing comes second nature with the advent of the smartphone era. Combine it with interest as universal as food, and you have the perfect recipe to create mouth-watering aesthetics for a social media audience or to attract customers for your business.
The niche of food photography has been around for nearly two centuries since the first still-life image of a basket full of fruits was captured. Everyone loves food. Everyone loves to talk about it, browse through hours’ worth of food content, and attempt new recipes for the novelty of the experience. That is exactly why there is so much food available in every form on the internet. The popularity of the practice is also what makes it more competitive. The mainstreaming of food photography gives rise to the question of what you can do to make your food images stand out and speak to your viewers’ or visitors’ fancy. Worry not! You have come to the right place to find out what you should be focusing on to get that brilliant quality, appetizing image to entice your audience.
Setting Up a Background
Before you set up your food, invest in a good background board. The background is what sets the mood of your content. Ensure that the background you choose is not too overpowering that the food seizes to be the center of the attention and not too underwhelming that it pulls down the entire image with it.
You can choose a wooden background board for a natural, rustic feel. Going for a more sophisticated and posh depiction goes for white vinyl because it offers a clean, elevated ambiance to your dish.
Composition and Arrangement of the Food
Composition refers to the textures, colors, and patterns of the food placed on the plate. When it comes to composition, the rule is “the more, the merrier,” but careful not to go overboard. Balanced combinations of a multitude of colors, textures, and patterns add to the dish’s appeal as opposed to a monochromatic combination. Choosing an eye-catching dinner plate can also help make the picture look attractive. For example, if the food is light-colored, then placing it on a dark square plate would be more fitting, and if the food is dark-colored, then a white ceramic plate would look lovely in its contrast.
When it comes to deciding how to arrange the food, you can use a framework for structuring all the items on the plate. However, to give your decoration a sense of elegance, your best bet is simplicity. Ensure that the plate does not look overwhelmingly full. Rather, it has just the right amount of food and free space in a way that it looks balanced.
Use Appropriate but Appealing Props
Having a good prop can add beauty to the overall image, such as the tablecloth you use. Choosing the right tablecloth can provide the perfect framing for the composition of your plate. However, you should ensure that it is not too colorful or full of distracting designs. Your food should be the main focus of the picture! You may also use a candle if you are in a dark setting, which can provide your picture with a soft glow and look attractive next to the plate. A pretty napkin alongside some silver or wooden cutlery can also do that. Other things such as flowers and herbs are also good additions to make.
Choosing the Right Lighting
The right lighting accentuates all the positives of your food plate. When it comes to lighting, you may want to think about what kind of lighting you are looking for. Ensure that you reduce shadows and glares as much as possible as they look very ‘hard’ and are unpleasant to look at. You can have the lighting source next to the plate, behind it, or above it. Do not use lighting from the same direction as the camera.
Furthermore, Soft light is one of the most common methods of lighting, which is called so due to how it gives the objects soft edges and faded shadows. You may use natural daylight but keep in consideration how different times of the day make your room look. Some rooms may be bright at a certain time, while others may be dark. So you should observe these details and decide on the perfect spot for your food photography.
Touch Up
Your final touches on your photography can make a difference in the overall quality of the picture. You can try playing around with the editing tools until you get your desired product. You can up the saturation if the colors are too cool. Increase the sharpening makes your photos look clearer. Adjust the brightness and contrast so that it enhances the white parts and dramatizes the darker parts. But make sure that all these features remain balanced and subtle. You don’t want to make the touching up too obvious or have any strange saturation spots.
Food photography is a competitive market, and it takes hard work and skills to figure out how to stand out and create high-quality work. With these tips and points on what you should take care of, we hope you can find your way!
If you need some help, a professional photographer can run you through all the steps! These kinds of photos can document the unforgettable flavors of your event. Also, nothing is better than adding a professional touch to the photography, which makes the moment unforgettable. Please check this article to find out more.
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