This past weekend was filled with great people, great memories, but even better…fabulously presented food. The table was set beautifully; candles were lit, and everything was picture perfect. This was the time to capture that Thanksgiving Table with perfection, grab the camera and SNAP.
AUGHH, your photo didn’t come out anything like those spectacular images you see on Pinterest and in Martha Stewart. Such a disappointing photo. Well not anymore. Here are four tips to help improve your food/product photography. (all of these photos I took with my iPhone 5s too)
1.) Let there be light
The best thing to do with food is to make sure there is enough light around your food. Very soft light surrounding those beautiful dishes will help make it look its best. If you don’t have any reflectors, try just a white napkin or paper towel. You would be surprised how much light it bounces into the shadows to fill them in.
2.) Keep it Simple
Make sure there isn’t any clutter or unwanted items in your shot. Keep only the things that will help enhance the dish or product. All of the rest will be very distracting and hard to eliminate later(especially on a camera phone). If you don't like your background, just find a towel or tablecloth to pull up to block out unwanted backgrounds. Try to make sure it's not a wrinkled mess(like photo above!)
3.) Change up your Camera Angle
Take different angles of your food. Looking down on it, really close, go on the same level. Even tilt your camera to get some different lines. This will give your photos a different perspective and make them more interesting to your viewers.
4.) Clean your Plate
The worst thing you can do for your food photos is have drips or spills on your plates, bowls or glasses. Taking the extra step to clean up any those unwanted messes will make it look cleaner and more appetizing.
I hope you enjoyed a few quick easy tips that will make your food photos even better. You can even use these tips at restaurants or any place you are out and about. Also, below are my favorite iPhone apps to edit your photos.
FX PhotoStudio by Macphun Software
Snapseed by Google
Afterlight
Pic Stitch