Save these 9 tips for taking beautiful food and beverage photos!
Sharing photos of food experiences is becoming increasingly popular among young people. So, how can you make your food look more appealing and appetizing in photos? You don’t need an expensive camera or to be a talented photographer; you can capture stunning food images with just your smartphone.
By following these simple tips, you can elevate your photos from mundane to eye-catching. Master these nine basic composition tips for food photography, and you’ll be able to take beautiful food photos in no time.
Rules for Food and Beverage Photography
- The Rule of Thirds
The Rule of Thirds divides your image into nine equal parts, with important elements (the subject) placed along these lines or their intersections. Aligning your subject near these points creates a more balanced, interesting, and engaging image than placing it directly in the center. For example, focus on a smoothie glass positioned along the red lines at the two-thirds mark.
Ensure that food and beverage subjects occupy no more than 75% of the frame, and avoid placing them in the center.
- Apply Leading Lines
Always pay attention to leading lines when taking photos, whether in landscape or architectural photography, as they create a powerful effect. Leading lines guide the viewer’s eye to the main subject of the photo. The same applies to food photography; when composing your shot, arrange everything along diagonal lines and think about the pathways in the image.
- Use Grids for Alignment
Make use of the grid feature available on your phone. This small step can significantly enhance the aesthetic quality of your photo. Specifically, the grid helps you easily align food items within the frame.
- Avoid Zooming In Too Much
You might think that zooming in to capture a larger image will improve clarity. However, using the zoom function can result in losing depth in your photo. If you want to get close-up shots of food, use the macro mode instead.
- Manually Adjust Exposure
When you tap the screen to focus your phone, this action not only directs focus to your subject but also helps adjust the brightness of your image. However, for exposure, it’s best to set it manually, as your phone’s automatic settings may not always be accurate. Manually adjusting the exposure ensures the lighting in your image is vibrant and appealing.
- Utilize Natural Light
To capture the most authentic and natural image, leverage natural light sources. You can take advantage of sunlight by photographing food on a table outdoors or by a window. Natural light makes the food look fresher and more enticing. Ideally, choose a location with soft, even lighting without harsh shadows from trees.
- Shoot from Above
When photographing food and beverages with your phone, an overhead angle captures the entire dish, including details, ingredients, and attractive presentation. For layered dishes like burgers or cakes, or drinks with multiple layers like cocktails or bubble tea, slightly tilt your camera to capture their textured layers.
- Choose a Simple Background
A simple background helps highlight the food on it. One effective way to photograph food beautifully is to place the dish on a tabletop or a piece of fabric or paper with a simple pattern in dark or pastel colours, such as grey, brown, white, or light blue. The contrast between the background and the unique colours of the food will make the dish more appealing and memorable.
- Post-Processing After Shooting
If you’re a fan of taking selfies, you’re likely familiar with photo editing apps like Photoshop or Lightroom. By using these applications for a few simple edits, your food image can look incredibly appetizing. These photo editing apps allow you to perform basic edits such as cropping, merging images, adjusting colours, and adding effects. Pro tip: the filters in these apps can enhance your colours beautifully.
These are the nine tips for capturing beautiful and appetizing food and drink images using just your smartphone. With a few small adjustments in arrangement and editing, you can take stunning food photos that will make anyone’s mouth water!