1. Pictures of some foods sell more magazines than others. Chocolate is the most obvious one but strawberries, ice cream and figs are also very popular on the news stands.
2. Use a series of images to create a “story”. Mix close ups and long distance shots. Use a palette of common colours to link pictures together.
3. The three winning elements for great food photography are the look, the light and the lens.
4. Adding a “human element” can lift food that is difficult to photograph – have someone holding something or taking a bite.
Can a girl ever photograph too many flapjacks?!
5. When photographing ice cream, freeze the plate or dish to give yourself more time to shoot before it melts.
6. Make sure the food is the hero of the shot. Do not over style.
7. Use coloured paper as a background.
8. A picture of an empty bowl or plate can still tell a story. A “dirty” bowl of soup would still be styled so it looks like a “nice” used bowl!
9. Tie a napkin around a small pie to convey warmth!
10. If using hot drinks in glass cups, a plate rested on the top will create some condensation on the surface so the viewer knows the liquid is warm.
11. Leave space in magazine shots for copy.
12. Angled shots have more movement – an angled shot of a crowd will instantly look more like they are walking in a hurry.
Vintage metal tin, crying out to be photographed.
13. Use a blow torch to revive molten chocolate or butter which have solidified.
14. Toss salads in water to stop oil and vinegar dressings from breaking them down too quickly.
15. Keep herbs in bowls of cold water so they are fresh.
16. Does your soup ration look stingy? A small raw potato submerged in your broth will make the bowl look fuller and won’t soak up any liquid.
A scrunched up layer of baking parchment gives the effect of the tin looking fuller than it is.
17. When photographing in markets, don’t rush to take pictures. Stand around for a while and become part of the scenery. People around you will relax and forget you are there.
18. When disillusioned with scruffy backdrops in markets, remember you will be able to crop out tatty tarpaulin and unattractive pallets of rotting vegetables.
19. Photographing window displays, angle yourself so you don’t get yourself in the shot.
20. Angle cutlery so to avoid excess glare or reflections of yourself. (A further tip from me – wearing black will reduce the likelihood of your outfit being reflected in spoons!)
And last but not least…
21. Never, ever use a flash when photographing food!
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