Are you a foodie who always wants to capture every delicious moment of food in your life? Do you find that sometimes you just don’t quite hit the mark? Food photos are everywhere now and it’s no longer about just taking a quick snapshot of what you’re eating. People have gotten quite serious about their food photos even if they’re just sharing them on Instagram. That said, one should not feel the pressure to have a state-of-the-art camera and a photography background to keep up with the trend. If you employ these few simple tips, you can take your pictures…
seriously… I can’t even believe I once took that photo on the left
- Take photos in natural light
Natural light helps to best show off the color of food. Since we eat with our eyes, the natural colors of the food are so important. In a dimly-lit photo, this gorgeous sandwich could easily look drab and all one color. The natural light allows the fresh tomato and kale to pop and gorgeously highlights the eggplant which the photographer intends to be the star of this recipe.
2. Set the scene
These delectable blueberry scones look even more beautiful next to this steamy cup of coffee. Here, using one simple accessory, the photographer immediately invites us into her photo and we feel like a guest in her coffee shop.
3. Find a complimentary background
As you can see this sauerkraut quesadilla is very monochromatic. The photographer makes up for this by accessorizing with a pop of color in the background. Consider that if you have a really vibrant dish, such as a stir-fry, smoothie bowl, or soup, it may be best to keep the background plain and simple to allow the food to pop. You can see a great example of this tip in our cooling dragon fruit bowl. 
4. Don’t use filters
Check out these two photos of my warm lentil salad. The one on the left was taken at night and therefore, I felt I needed a filter to brighten it up. But the filter doesn’t help to show the true colors of the dish. The Brussels sprouts and broccoli have a scary-yellow color. The one on the right, was obviously taken in the day and has no filter. The actual colors of the salad jump off the plate and the contrast between the bright green veggies and savory lentils show the complexity of the salad.
5. Find an appetizing angle
Sometimes the best food photo shows you the food in a new angle. You’ve all seen those photos of a stack of chocolate chip cookies piled ten cookies high… suddenly, a seemingly mundane and simple food is transformed! Here, I’ve done the same thing with this very easy enchilada rice casserole. I’ve shown you just how tasty this casserole can be. This photo highlights the sense of comfort food this dish offers.
6. When in doubt, simplify
This might seem like common sense, but the best food photos are the simple ones. Arrange the food in a pretty way, allowing all of the natural colors to pop, find some natural light, and shoot from a straight-on above angle. This photo was taken on an iPhone and I think it came out just as amazing as the photos in the post.
What are your best food photography tips?
More blogging tips: 7 Things to Know Before Starting a Blog
5 Ways to Regain Your Creative Edge
Also by Christina: The TLT Club Sandwich
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Photo: Peaceful Dumpling (eggplant sammy); Mary Hood Luttrell (scone and dragon bowl); Christina Ramirez (all rest)
