As we all agree, A picture certainly speaks a thousand words and a great picture of food can make anyone fall in love with that particular dish. And I believe there are 4 strong pillars of food photography that can make the photograph looks stunning. Let's discuss each pillar one by one:
1. Lighting: Food photography can be a little challenging in terms of getting the correct light to make dishes droll & appetizing. The most common type of light for food photography is soft light and there 2 sources of light available ie Natural & Artificial/Studio lights. We will discuss Natural light today since it's easily available and there is no cost involved to it. However, the biggest challenge with natural light is lack of control because it is not constant and keeps changing every bit but yes with the help of a few techniques, we can achieve good results. To create glowing, soft, and natural light, you need to place your food near a window through which direct sunlight shines. (Since you are going to shoot inside near the window, so here the source of light is your window). Your main light source in food photography should be either from the back or Side lighting is light that comes in from the left or right side. I generally prefer the main light source from the left side. Light on food from the front will make the subject flat & pointless. My favorite light position the majority of the time is side backlighting wherein the main light will be positioned at 10 or 11 o'clock if you were imagining the face of a clock. To achieve this position, put the table in such a way that the light falls somewhere in the upper left-hand corner of your set. The second source of light we require is filling light which refers to the amount of light that is bounced back onto your subject. It is used to eliminate or soften shadows caused by the main light source. You need some tools to manage those shadows and direct the light to where you want it. Easily available white card reflectors can be used to bounce the light back to the scene. Another tool you can use to bounce or block the light is black and white foam core on your hand. I use them either to reflect the light or in the case of the black, to create more shadows and contrast. I also use most of the time a small mirror to bounce light on a specific part of the dish. When you know how light works, you can find a tool in a variety of items to help you get that desired shot.
Mastering & Understanding light is the foundation and key to creating great images.
2. Composition: Composition is all about arranging elements within the frame that not only affect the presentation but also shape and keep the viewers drooling. So here I will be sharing a few composition tips that can help in enhancing your food photography. 1. Choose your angle based on the food/subject. Try shooting from diff angles until you get a distinct viewpoint, just play around and move around! 2. Orientation- Try & find the best way to highlight the scene….some dishes look good in portrait mode and some in landscape mode. Rotate your camera to see which works best for you. 3. Embrace Negative space - this is my favorite tip or practice I regularly follow….negative space in your scene is so powerful that brings the immediate viewer's attention to the main subject. Negative space can give breathing space to the subject and also can be useful in adding text to the photos. There are some other golden rules to follow that can help you to create beautiful compositions every time:
The rule of thirds
Golden Ratio
Triangle method
S curve
3. Styling: It is one of the most important aspects of food photography and equally fun to help a dish come to life.
Use less food than normally would because minimal food creates lots of space that helps with n enhancing the scene with other things like cutlery, napkins, and other garnishes.
Avoid using shiny plates or bowls as the light will create unwanted highlights which you will find difficult to remove in post-processing. Instead, try using matte finish utensils.
Use contrasting backgrounds or vice-Versa….e.g., if the food is plain, adding a dark backdrop with some texture, will make the food pop and be beautiful.
Add/Use simple silverware or props…simple and plain props help the hero dish/food to be the star.
Last, keep on exploring and implementing new ideas on the set. It is always good to come out of your comfort zone and bring the best. Look out for the latest photos on the net as a reference and try implementing your imagination and creativity.
4. Editing: last but not the least, the goal of editing in food photography is to keep the food looking fresh and appetizing. Though I always try to achieve maximum results during the shoot and we should keep minimal scope for post-processing. Although describing each tool's functionality that is being used in food photography editing will be lengthy, to keep the article short and simple, I am highlighting the tools in Photoshop I mostly use to remove blemishes & imperfections:
1. Crop tool 2. Curve tool 3. Stamp tool 4. Dodge & Burn 5. Spot healing brush tool
I hope these tips will give you better clicks. Also, I suggest everyone keep experimenting and that might discover something new and workable in your case. Please feel free to share your views. I wish all the readers a stroke of good luck and happy clicking!
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