How to Take Stunning Food Photos

Food photography is a great way to capture the beauty and deliciousness of food. With a little practice, you can take stunning food photos that will make your mouth water.

Here are some tips for taking stunning food photos:

1. Use a sharp lens. A sharp lens will help to capture the details of your food and make it look its best.

   • These are the lenses we use:

     • Sony G Master Full Frame 24-70mm F/2.8

       • Affordable Alternative: Tamron Full Frame 28-75mm F/2.8

2. Use a tripod. A tripod will help to keep your camera steady and prevent blurry images.

   • This is the tripod we use:

     • Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB Aluminum

3. Use a clean background. A white background will help to make your food stand out and look more professional. Sometimes, the client will request a shoot on location and that would require a restaurant background or sometimes, they’ll be able to provide the specific background color or style they have in mind. We use the following backdrop:

   • Backdrop Boards (Flatlays)

4. Experiment with different angles. Don't be afraid to experiment with different angles to find the one that works best for your food.

5. Use natural light. Natural light is often the best choice for food photography. We sometimes use portable lights for filling in where needed.

   • These are the filler lights we use:

     • Aputure Amaran MC

   • It’s also a good idea to use a Light Diffuser Panel to redirect light where you need it. We use:

     • NEEWER Light Diffuser Panel for Photography

6. Use props. Props can be used to add interest and context to your food photography. They can also help to tell a story or create a certain mood. If the shot calls for some background items to fill in the negative space, we use artificial plants like these:

   • Artificial Succulents

7. Use food styling techniques. Food styling is the art of arranging food in a visually appealing way. There are many different techniques you can use, so experiment until you find what works best for you. A wet rag as well as having a pair of Chef’s Tongs can help arrange the most minute details. This is the one we use:

   • Chef’s Tongs/Tweezers

8. Use post-production editing. Post-production editing can be used to enhance your food photography and make it look its best. This includes editing for color, contrast, and sharpness. We use a combination of Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom Classic that can be found by clicking here!

Here are some examples of stunning food photos:

These are just a few examples of stunning food photos. With a little practice, you can take stunning food photos that will make your mouth water.