Well here we are again, bringing back the necessary tools to teach you on how to basically photograph food porn. Bellow are the top 5 things to know when you are taking that breathtaking mouth drooling photograph of your home made panini sandwich or exquisite quinoa salad. GBC food photographer Stefan Johnson tells us his tricks
1. Get the right equipment
It’s a myth that you need a super-wow camera to take nice food photographs. Entry-level DSLRs are fairly reasonably priced these days and if you’re shooting for a blog, the picture quality will be more than adequate. It’s worth investing in a nice lens if you’re feeling flush, but I honestly think it’s how you apply the technology you have that really matters.
2. Try not to use a flash
Speedlights are pretty much off-limits for food photographers; pouring in light front-on will flatten your dish and dispel any delicate natural shadows that were present beforehand. Unless you have access to specialist studio lighting equipment, your best bet is to use constant light or best option is to use natural daylight.
3. Always carry a tripod
Poor light is just one of those things. Having said that, there’s nothing worse than getting the composition spot on, only to discover when you get home that camera shake has rendered your shot a grim, blurry affair. If you’re using a DSLR, any exposure longer than a 1/60 of a second could really use the help of a tripod.
4. Trust your instincts when a composition isn’t working
If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Break the set down and start again; you’ll probably bring in a few elements from your previous composition, but often it’s good to re-approach an idea from a different angle.
5. Give it a spritz
When taking still-life pictures of fruit & veg a few misty bursts of water with an water spray can transform a shot. Subjects that looked a bit lifeless will appear as if they’ve been plucked from a crisp, dewy garden.
