FOOD T I P S A N D T R I C K S T O M A K E Y O U R F O O D P - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

FOOD T I P S A N D T R I C K S T O M A K E Y O U R F O O D P H O T O G R A P H Y L O O K A S G O O D A S I T TA S T E S B A S I C S

THE BASICS Lighting Angles Props Styling Overcome the Boring Photography Apps Social Media iPhone vs. Digital SLR

Natural Lighting

B AC K L I G HTIN G Light is in front of you and behind the subject. Food picks up natural highlights Makes colors ”pop”

F RON T L I G HTIN G Light is at your back, shining on the subject. Colors are true and vivid.

R E F L E C T I V E L I G H T I N G Reflecting natural light onto your subject using a reflector panel or a inexpensive white board. 5 in 1 Folding reflector panel $30-$45 Folds up and stores easily Multiple Functions White foam boards Inexpensive and are easily available Store flat

FINDING THE LIGHT Play with the available natural light you have. Try different areas of your work space. Photograph at different times of the day. The lighting will be different in the morning vs. the afternoon. Use reflector(s) when the lighting is ‘one sided’. Position reflectors to the front and/or sides of the subject. This will help with eliminating shadows if light is coming in from just one side. Photograph outside under open shade if you cannot find the light inside.

ANGLES Photograph what catches your eye initially and then physically move around the set-up and shoot from different angles.

Compose your set up in advance so that you can concentrate on the food when it is ready to photograph.

TIPS Setting up on a rolling cart is a great way to be able to move the set-up around easily. Use a step stool to get above your food. If you are not liking the set-up or realize something could be better, re-approach it and come at it from a new angle. Literally.

90 DEGREE [OVERHEAD] Very popular in current advertising. Setting up on the floor will allow you to get directly above the food. Using a step ladder will help get even more height for wide shots. Pay attention to your focus. What do you want in-focus for your final photo?

45 DEGREE The most natural angle. It is as if you are standing over the food at counter height, looking down on it. Very complimentary to most set ups. Experimenting with lighting and angles will get you the results you are wanting!

PROPS

SELECTI NG PROPS Choose your props wisely. Put some thought into the shot and the overall feel you are trying to achieve and base your prop choices on that idea. T exture Adding texture to an image with various layers will help to draw the eye in. T extures like wood, ceramics, fabrics, metal, etc. are great ways to add interest to your image, without adding clutter Shooting Surfaces Changing your surface is an easy way to add interest and change to your set-up. Reclaimed wood pieces screwed together make an easy to store table top surface. Remnant tiles available at home center stores make fabulous, easy to change out surfaces.

Don’t forget about your background set up. Background props are important, but keep them subtle and don’t overdue it. Less is more. Let the food shine! Photograph what catches your eye initially and then physically move around the set-up and shoot from different angles.

ON HAND Chopping Boards Small Bowls Platters Serving Spoons Different Size Plates and Bowls Flatware in a Variety of Sizes and Styles Chopsticks Napkins/Placemats/Runners Straws Glasses (Water and Wine) SOURCES Your Own Kitchen Thrift Stores and Estate Sales Restaurant Supply Stores Antique Stores World Market Tuesday Morning Target Pier 1

STYLI NG

T O O L S Small Spray Bottle For spritzing vegetables and other things that need a wet look. Long Handled T weezers For getting in there and moving small details (fresh herbs, etc.) where you want them. Fillers Wet flour sack towels or instant potatoes are great for filling bowls before you plate the actual item being photographed. Instant potatoes are great because they are ‘moldable’. Small Paint Brushes Good for sweeping away unwanted crumbs. Paper T owel You can never enough of these. Cut them down into small pieces so they can be maneuver around the plated food for clean-ups. Keeping a few wet and dry will make clean up easier when you are photographing. Aspirator Use a nasal aspirator to apply sauces, syrups, honey, etc. The long tip allows you to put the sauce exactly where you want it. An aspirator that comes apart for easy cleaning is recommended.

STYLI NG F OOD Be mindful of foods that wilt quickly or that lose their color soon after being cooked. Fresh greens, herbs, seafood and steak , etc. will only last a short while before they are past their ‘prime’. Have sauce(s) ready to go and sauce plated food right before photographing Prepare extra of everything needed for the shoot. Sauces, herbs, seasonings are all important to have on hand and ready to go. Prepare at least (1) extra of your main entrée in the event there is a spill or mishap while plating.

STYLING TIPS Honor the accident If you are photographing a slice of beautiful carrot cake and a few crumbs land on the plate, have a look through the lens. Crumbs can can add that extra bit of charm and realness to your photographs that draw people in and make your food seem more approachable. Give it a Spritz A spritz of water can add a lot to your fresh fruit and vegetable shots.

OVERCOMING THE BORING Buffet Set-Ups can be boring. While your food may be amazing, sometimes the surroundings or set up isn’t ideal for taking a photo. Here are a few ideas for overcoming the standard buffet table shot. B Plate your entrée(s) and find an area of natural light at the event and take a photo. If you don’t mind being forward, find someone from the event to hold their plate for you to photograph. Use depth of field (DOF) in your photographs. Focus in on one item of the buffet, keeping the other items in soft focus in your background.

Don’t forget about your background set up. Background props are E D I T I N G Y O U R important, but keep them subtle and S O C I A L M E D I A I M AGES don’t overdue it. When it comes to photographing ‘everyday’ images for use on your social Less is more. media sites, the task can seem daunting. But it doesn’t have to be. Make it Let the food shine! easy and draw inspiration from what is around you daily. Things such as Favorite Apps: seasonal ingredients you happen to be using or a beautiful bowl you picked Photoshop up at the antique store, or a trip to the farmer’s market are just a few Snapseed examples. Let your daily life experiences and adventures fuel your ideas Instagram for photography. Be careful when editing your images. Capture what your eyes are drawn to. Simple enhancements do wonders for Chances are that if you love the way something looks, so do the rest of food photography. But, be cautious of your followers. overworking your images with over Photograph what catches your eye saturation of colors or with sharpening initially and then physically move around too much. You want your final image the set-up and shoot from different to look as if it has not been edited. angles. That should be your goal!

I P H O N E V S . D I G I T A L C A M E R A The iPhone 7 has an amazing, double lens camera that allows incredible depth of field in the portrait mode. This feature allows you to really focus in on your subject creating an image that looks as if you could reach out and touch it. If you do not have an iPhone, do not fret. This same technique can be used with a digital cameras as well. Digital cameras area amazing today and both the camera body and lenses are relatively affordable. Buy the best you can afford and learn how to use it in a manual mode. The time it takes to learn this is well worth the images you will capture once you have the hang of it.