6 Things I Did To Improve My Food Photography

 

I’m so excited to share this post, because it means I’m finally at a level where, for the most part, I feel like my food photography looks exactly how I want it to look. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely would not say I’m an expert. Most of my friends are talented photographers, so I know (and admire) what it takes to execute a great photo.

But I feel like I’m at a place where I can go into a shoot, take some photos and leave feeling really good with what I’ve taken. So of course, I felt I had to share those tips for anyone looking to up their photography game! (Again, I’m no expert–I’m just sharing what has worked for me, personally.)

MY FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY BACKGROUND

So prior to starting my blog in 2015, I had zero experience with photography. Instagram was still in its infancy, and short of bringing my point-and-shoot camera to parties, I had never used a camera. But I had wanted to start a blog, so I went out and bought myself a DSLR camera, with no clue how to use it. It would be years before I started using the manual setting instead of automatic on my camera.

My first year of photos was brutal. Just brutal. We’re talking bad lighting, awkward angles and weird vignetting. Check it out:

But eventually, I started to feel like they were getting better.  Here are some photos below from somewhere between 2016-17. In fact, that photo of the Coconut Energy Balls on the bottom left is still one of my post popular posts to date! How crazy is that? But as you can see, I really didn’t understand styling, editing or composition. I had a lot to learn!

Check out some Before (the left) and Afters (the right)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ps. You need to try these Beet + Dill Lentils–they are so, so good! You can get the recipe here.

HOW I IMPROVED MY FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY

1. I Improved My Composition

In 2017, I got a job as an assistant food stylist, and eventually, a food stylist. I was working on sets and doing my best to compose beautiful images. But honestly, I felt kind of stuck. Every photo I did started to look the same: food on plate on napkin, with a glass of water in the back. I had the culinary background to make the food look nice, but I lacked the art background to make the photo look nice.

It looked fine, I guess. But it was nothing great, or exciting.

So last January, I decided to up my game, and I enrolled in TwoLovesStudios Composition Essentials Master Class. And let me tell you: I learned so much.

She taught different composition techniques that I use every single time I compose an image. I could see it in my photos at work–I was getting more compliments. And I could see it in the photos of my blog.  Honestly, I’ve never been so grateful for a course. I probably would have gotten there eventually, but this helped me get there so much faster. I think it’s probably the biggest thing I recommend to people to do right now. (Ps. I’m not an affiliate for this program, nor am I being paid to talk about it! I actually just love it that much!)

2. I Studied People I Admired

I looked at the photographers on Instragram that I loved the most, and I took note. What did they do they I wished I was doing? What did they nail that I hadn’t quite figured out? And slowly but surely, I started to pinpoint bit by bit what I could do. And every time I had a photoshoot, I’d implement one new thing I learned. Maybe a new lighting set up. A new way to style cutlery. An editing technique. Over time, it started to create more cohesive images.

Which brings me to my next point:

3. Practice, Practice, Practice

It’s not enough to observe–you have to do it for yourself. And you have to be patient. So many times I’d see a photo on Pinterest and think to myself, I could do that. And then, when I’d go to replicate it, it didn’t turn out anything like I wanted to. I would get so deflated.

I have had so many photo shoots that never made it onto the blog, because I hated the way they looked. The photos were awkward, the lighting was bad, my props didn’t match, my editing was too saturated and crazy. I’ve put up posts only to take them down, because they didn’t meet my high standards–but I lack the skillset to achieve the standards I wanted.

And I’ve learned that that’s the name of the game. I still look at photos every time I make a new post and think of ten things I wish I had done differently. I think that’s the point: it means we can always keep growing and learning and improving. So remember what didn’t work and make that change next time. You’ll get there.

It’s also worth noting, that just because you think there’s room for improvement, doesn’t mean everyone else does. I’ve been getting paid to take photos for the last two years, but I’ve really only started to feel in my element in the last six months.  So put yourself out there!

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4. I Worked On Developing My Signature Style

In the beginning you want to try everything. I wanted more surfaces, more props. I wanted bright photos, rustic photos, moody photos. But then I started to realize: the most influential photographers all had a signature style. My most talented friends have a signature style. They really don’t break out of their moulds. And it’s not that they couldn’t, it’s that they found their thread of magic. Their style was so strong, that if an image of theirs popped up on Pinterest, it was instantly recognizable. That’s what I wanted.

I still think I’m only scratching the surface of my style. I like stylized and overly composed images. I like bright whites and bright colours, with muted props. I know this will only continue to deepen as I develop my photography skills, and really start to define my brand and style.

I’ve tried hard to think of my message when it comes to photography: what am I trying to portray? For me, I want the food to be bright, and really highlight that it’s healthy and vibrant. But I want the mood to be calming, cleansing almost. So I opt for lots of whites and concrete. The food is messy, the props tend to be monochromatic. This is where I’m at right now!

5. I Invested In Props

This is still new for me, but I’ve really started to think about what props I want. No longer is it about getting more because “it’s cute and who knows!”. No, no. I’ve started to get intentional. There’s no point having a dark wood surface–I never ever use it.

Or what about a thousand different plates? I tend to gravitate towards the same ones. And that’s actually calming. Initially, I felt overwhelmed by the idea that I had to have an extensive prop collection. Now, I know I just need to have the right props.

Right now I’m in the process of getting pieces I feel like I’m lacking: some new ceramics, a knife, a battered cutting board. But for the most part, I feel like I’m sitting in the right place.

6. I Took Advice From The Pros

TwoLovesStudio, BromaBakery + Fit Foodie Finds

A lot of my favourite bloggers share the basics on using a camera and improving your photography. Here’s a list of resources that I used + found helpful.

Here are some of my favourite articles, that really helped me out:

Broma Bakery:

• Photography Resources

TwoLoves Studio:

• The Basic Light Set Up For Food Photography
• All About Camera Modes For Beginner Food Photographers
• The Best Aperture For Food Photography
• Food Photography Prop Checklist
• 14 Tips To Troubleshooting Tack Sharp Images In Food Photography

The Fit Foodie

• How To Create An Insta-Worthy Breakfast Bowl
• The Best Camera For Food Photography + Tips For Launching A Food Blog

WHAT’S NEXT?

So where does that leave me in my food photography journey? Well, I definitely still have a lot to learn–but it feels so good to feel like I’m on the right path. My biggest things right now are:

• Nailing my focus: I’ve been playing around with my camera settings more, but I think I may just need to upgrade some of my equipment.
• Improving my editing. Forever a work in progress–sometimes there are tricky situations where I just can’t make it look good.
• Curating my prop collection. There’s still a few pieces I’d like to have in my collection–namely pinch bowls, and cutting boards.

What about you? Where are you in your journey? What were the biggest tools that helped you improve your photography?

With love,