Tip #1: Lighting is Everything
What’s the most obvious requirement for a flawless picture? LIGHT. If you’ve ever spotted a photographer at a restaurant, you’ll notice they always steal a seat next to the window. That’s because they’re setting themselves up with lighting that will compliment the food and accentuate all of the delicious details. Natural light is your friend!
Pixabay
Pixabay is a community of creative people who have shared over 1,120,000 copyright free images and videos. All images are safe to use without permission or giving credit under Creative Commons CC0. While a search function is included to find specific photos, you can check out their food/drink category here.
Unsplash
Unsplash has over 200,000 free high-resolution photos that are taken by their community of photographers. All photos are free to use for both commercial and noncommercial purposes.
Tip #2: Think through Perspective
“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Welcome to one of my favorite quotes ever. And guess what? It’s all about perspective. The same applies to photography. That’s why when you’re shooting a dish it’s important to capture it from all angles!
There’s nothing worse than chipped nails holding a gorgeous waffle cone overflowing with ice cream. It’s borderline offensive. In fact, details are the most important thing to consider when you’re shooting any photograph. Every tiny morsel contributes to the big picture and how people react to it.
Tip #4: Develop Your Personal Style
A huge part about being a photographer means being true to your personal style. We all see things differently, which is why it’s wildly necessary to emphasize your point of view. It’s what makes you unique!
Think of being behind the camera as your opportunity to be an artist. Experiment with different compositions, angles and color schemes. Shoot an overhead tablescape and cut off half of every plate. Find something interesting and make the moment yours.
Everyone has a go-to perspective, which is what I like to call your personal style. However, when you're creating content for a client it's helpful to know the story they want to tell. Maybe their goal is to create food images that say, "family style." In that case, you'll want to focus on bright overhead shots featuring a variety of menu items with hands reaching across the table to share them. Take time to think through how your client wants to be perceived. Then bring that vision to life.
