Tips From a Pro: Shoot Better Food Photos With Any Camera

How do you pick the proper angle from which to shoot? How can you tell when you're too low or high?

Often, you want to simulate the angle you'd have if you were actually eating the food. You want the viewer to feel like they're sitting at the table in front of the food because it's a view people are very comfortable seeing.

There are trends when it comes to this sort of thing, though. Right now everyone is shooting everything overhead and graphic. A lot of it has to do with the discussion between the art directors and the designers to find out what they are looking for.

Depth of field is crucial in food photography. Can you talk a little about how you choose what should be in focus and how deep the focus should be? 

Editorial has a tendency to mimic more of what your eye sees, so the focus is a bit more selective. A couple of years ago, people were shooting with really extreme open apertures, like f/1.8 . But they’re not doing that too much anymore.

In advertising, there is what's called “visual priority." When you’re shooting a commercial assignment, is to prominently feature the products strengths. Part of it is lighting, but you also have to decide where you want them to stop and stare. That should be the sharpest part of the photograph.

What is your typical aperture range?

In editorial I’ll run anywhere from f/8 to f/16, in advertising almost always f/16 or f/22.

What are you looking for when deciding a background for your images?

In editorial, usually, you’re trying to convey the look and feel of a restaurant or the look and feel of what the article is about. If you’re shooting for Martha Stewart and the article is about spring, you want light, bright, springy colors. Or if its fall, you’ll go for a darker richer feel. Basically, if the food weren’t in the photograph, does the environment give away what the story is about?

What are some photogenic foods for beginners to start with?

Stable foods. Bread and butter, or bread and jam, coffee or tea, potatoes, pastas can be easy, but sometimes the sauce can get a little crazy on you. Cookies or desserts can be easy. Obviously avoid foods like ice cream or salads. Salads start to fall very quickly. Vegetables out of the garden are always a good bet—beans, tomatoes, apples—you can do beautiful work with those and they’re really isn’t much to prepare, just clean them up and shoot.

What are some common mistakes new food photographers make?

There is a tendency to want to do foods that are too difficult at first. When you are doing a commercial shoot, usually you have a chef or a food stylist preparing the dish. If you are learning how to be a food photographer, and you’re learning how to be a chef, and you’re learning how to be a stylist, you are going to have a tough time.  

I recommend beginners always start out shooting daylight before they get into strobe lights. Strobes haves a tendency to start looking very mechanical very quickly. Using on-camera flash is a mistake to me, too. Turn it off under all circumstances. That’s probably the number one mistake.

There are a lot of food bloggers out there doing nice work and there are endless magazines and website for inspiration. So look around and get a feel for the kind of styles that are out there.

Food photography has become quite popular amongst the masses thanks to Instagram. What advice would you offer to someone shooting strictly with an iphone?  

Those cameras are so amazing. The thing that I would always make sure of is asking yourself, is this an appetizing photograph? Food photography can get overly graphic or overly simple or this or that, the important thing is that you never loose that appetizing quality. Go ahead and Instagram it or shoot it with lights, either way, the question is, does it make your stomach growl? That’s what I think is really important.

See more of Jeff's work on his Website.