When it comes to marketing food, it is vital to satisfy the audience’s sense of sight first. This is why food photography is essential. The images of the food should already tell a story and spark enough curiosity to make them want to try your food.
Online ordering is becoming the norm, and food delivery services are estimated to be growing at an annual rate of 9.18%. The industry is expected to reach a market size of $45 billion by 2025. This growing market is one of the reasons why 67% of restaurants plan to use social media ads to attract more customers. One strategy is to use food photography.
Master the art of food photography
Here are some ways to elevate your food photography skills.
Level up your sheet game
Plating is used in the food industry to make food presentations more aesthetically pleasing.
Food photography highlights the beauty of ingredients, so it’s essential to consider how you plate your dishes. If you’re trying to recreate an organic vibe, consider a more playful, less structured style of dish, like a vegetable soup or a green salad.
Selecting the right surface can dramatically improve your photography. A wooden cutting board can add a warm rustic feel to your images, while white ceramic plates allow the food to stand out. Both offer a great way to display different dishes in an attractive way.
Maximize natural lighting
Have a good lighting setup to capture the best photos of your treats. Natural light is the best option as it maintains the vitality and texture of your dishes. Artificial lights undermine the true beauty of your culinary creation.
For best results when photographing food, make sure the dish is placed in direct sunlight or window light. This helps capture texture and detail effectively.
Work with different angles
Some foods are best eaten from a specific angle. For example, pizzas will be presented better when taken on top. Burgers, on the other hand, would look delicious when taken from the side view.
There are many other creative and interesting angles to shoot from, which can also provide excellent results. When capturing food, the practice is to consider the diner’s perspective. For this reason, it’s best to take photos of the dish from an angle similar to how you are sitting in a restaurant.
Play the details
Details are the key to creating visually appealing food images. They help draw the viewer in, providing a better understanding of the food being photographed. Focusing on the details also allows the viewer to appreciate the different textures, colors and shapes that make up each individual dish.
When taking photos of food, consider the different elements of the food, such as color, texture, and shape. Take close-ups to display the food in a way that shows the beauty of each dish.
Details make food look more appetizing and attractive. By highlighting the finer details, like a splash of sauce or a sprinkling of herbs, food will become more delicious and inviting.
Eliminate clutter
Food should always be the focus of your images. Don’t get distracted by the rest of the elements, such as backgrounds and props. However, they can help make your photography more attractive.
If it is not possible to remove some of the elements during shooting, use a background remover during post-processing.
key points
Good images are critical to the success of any business, especially in the food industry. A single photograph of your product or restaurant can make or break your marketing strategy. It is important when engaging potential customers towards you or away from you.
Follow these food photography tips:
- Invest in plating and styling
- Play with the lighting
- Experiment with angles
- Work out the details
- Keep the food in focus