10 Food Photography Links
Nov 19th, 2009 by admin
One of my current goals is to improve my food photography skills. I started blogging over two years ago with just a Sony Ericsson mobile phone camera, progressed to the Sony Cybershot W300 and now use the Leica D-Lux 4. Although many food bloggers take superb photos with their digital SLRs, I’ve so far resisted buying one because I prefer to stay mobile and discreet, particularly when travelling or reviewing restaurants. So as a point & shooter, I’ve been referring over the last year or so to these useful posts from various food bloggers who have kindly shared their ideas online:
- Compact Camera Food Photography – from the excellent blog Wrightfood, written by Seattle-based Englishman Matt. He has also written two other posts that I like to re-read – Food Photography Set-up and Food Photography Post Production
- White On Rice Couple have been publishing a superb series of informative posts, so far on exposure, shutter speed and aperture, with many others to look forward to!
- Food Bloggers Unite has fantastic posts on specific subjects relating to both shooting food as well as post-production, which I have found very useful (and need to keep re-reading)
- Kitchen Wench has written a whole series of photography posts on exposure, focus & depth of field, white balance, on-camera flash, choosing gear & set-up, and more on processing and editing software
- An inspiring post from VeganYumYum on Food Photography for Bloggers that I really enjoy reading again and again
- Smitten Kitchen wrote this comprehensive post, Our Approach to Food Photos, two years ago. I like to refer back to it once in a while because it’s not written in an overly technical way
- Another non-techy Photography post from Lucullian Delights that I like reading because she focuses on ‘feelings’ when taking photos, rather than technical stuff
- Food photographer Lara Ferroni of Still Life With wrote this useful post, Photographing Food with simple tips that I’ve tried to follow
- Simply Recipes shared her tips on Photography three years ago, but they are just as relevant today
- This post on Food Photography Techniques and Tips on Digital Photography School was one of the first I came across while doing my research, along with Food Photography – An Introduction
What have I learned from reading all these posts?
Practise, practise, practise, whether at home, in a restaurant or while out and about. Over the last two years, I’ve noticed an improvement in my photos. I always shoot food in macro. I never use a flash and I shoot in natural daylight by a window, unless I’m in a restaurant. I try to keep my photos simple and uncluttered and I take a few shots of each dish, just in case. I also set the white balance manually if I can, otherwise it’s on automatic white balance. Finally, I do a tiny bit of touching up in Photoshop (for me, that means Brightness & Contrast as that’s all I know!).
I’d now like to learn to use my camera properly, particularly the manual functions, and focus more on styling my dishes. I also have to master Photoshop and Lightroom, and build a light tent so that I can shoot in the evenings too (although I have had Lowel Ego lights on my wishlist for ages!).
I hope the above links will come in handy if you’re interested in learning more about food photography.
What are your top tips for taking good food photos?
Improve your photographing skills??????????? OMIGOD, you’re already taking very professional & beautiful photos!!!!!!
I’m fairly new to food photography (but not other photography) and like you, I prefer staying discreet when taking photos of food in restaurants so I use a Canon point and shoot instead of my SLR, no flash even if the light is very low and rely on Photoshop to improve the photos when required. Still a lot to learn, thank you for sharing the links.
These are all really useful sites Helen. Hope your trip to Japan is going well.
WoW, Helen! You are the hostess with the mostest!
Not only do I enjoy reading your blog, I also appreciate the “side extras”. I have a point and shooter Canon SD 1100 IS which is good for now. And it works great!
Ooo very sexy choice of a Leica there.
I used to feel embarrased with the PigPig taking photos in restaurants with her DSLR but nobody’s complained so far (except the Hampstead crepe stand oddly enough) and I’ve kinda gotten used to it.
KennyT – thanks, you’re very kind! There’s always room for improvement and I like learning anyway…
Gourmantic – thanks for sharing your tips!
Gourmet Chick – you’re welcome!
Chee – Hostess with the mostest, I like that! Thank you for the compliment…
Wild Boar – thanks! I think most restaurants are used to photographers by now…
Helen Yuet Ling
Thanks for all the links! Very useful! I’m looking into improving my own photography, and getting a new camera. We’re getting a compact point and shoot to start with, and then a DSLR when we work out what we want. I never thought your photos are done with a point and shoot. It’s really encouraging to see what you can do with that style of camera.
erm improve? helen, your photog is fabulous- there is nothing to improve.
shayma – stop it, you’re too kind! Seriously though, there’s so much more I need to learn, including how to use my camera properly!
One, I thought you used a dSLR! And two, aren’t LEICAs really expensive already?!
But you hit the spot. This has been an aim without me knowing it. Sometimes there are days when you don’t quite hit the spot, and get unsatisfactory photos from your food (at least that happens with me, i doubt with yourself!) and then there are days when you get 1 or 2 absolutely perfect shots… until you look at them a few weeks later and think something is missing/wrong/whatever!
Thanks for the links, I am skimming them now, although taking only the main points since I too do not use the dSLR!
- Dana x
Dana – hello, how have you been?! My Leica cost £600 a few months ago, but I think I could have got it for £500 online. Husband’s Leica M8 is very expensive but mine is better for taking food photos, while his is better for atmospheric street photography (have a look at the new Japan posts). There’s always loads to learn in my opinion! I think many of the links have useful general points whether you’re using a DSLR or point & shoot. My Leica is definitely a little point & shoot!
Helen Yuet Ling
A very useful post – thank you Helen.
this is my first visit to your blog and I think your photographs are lovely. I also recommend the food photography lessons of wrightfood blog (http://mattikaarts.com/blog/) which helped me with the very basics
The Graphic Foodie – you’re most welcome! I like sharing information, especially stuff that’s this good…
sarah – thanks! Wrightfood is actually the very first blog that I mention in the list…
Helen Yuet Ling