No matter how much technology surrounds us, we never lose our fascination with the basic, tasty things in life — which explains why food photography is all over social networking sites. Most of us reach for our camera phones to photograph a meal, sometimes with less than appetizing results. Here’s how to make your camera phone food photos look tastier.
1) Foreground the food
Bring your camera phone up close to the food and try filling at least the lower third of the frame with it while capturing a couple background elements that suggest the setting. Food often looks great served in the middle of a big white plate, but in a photo, the plate just creates blank space. Use a tight composition to eliminate as much of the white plate as possible. Try using a plate small enough to fill with the food, a dark-colored plate or a side dish that fills empty space.
2) Avoid flat lighting
The angle of the light falling on the food will determine how much texture and contour shows. Use side lighting by positioning the food next to a window or using something white like a napkin or a menu to bounce light onto it from the side. If you’re shooting at home, try setting a lamp to one side of the dish. Don’t use a camera phone flash with food unless there’s no other way to get enough light, because it will create harsh shadows and reflections without showing much texture. [SEE ALSO: How Do I Avoid Blurry Photos?]
3) Shoot from a low angle
Some dishes look good when shot dead-on from above, but many don’t. Bring your camera phone down to table level and try different angles to see which one shows the most detailed and interesting view. Shooting at table level will make the food look more prominent in the shot, and it will also allow you to capture some of the background to show the context of the meal.
4) Add oil
Food looks better when it’s shiny. Dabbing just a tiny bit of oil on the food you’re shooting will make it look juicier and fresher. The way the light reflects off the shinier surface will enhance the appearance of texture, too.
5) Go macro
To get really close and capture a whole new perspective on your dish, use an inexpensive macro lens like the $15 Easy-Macro and turn a bland-looking lump of comestibles into a work of art. Macro shots work especially well with food that has an interesting texture but not a lot of color.
Sample Photos: Before and After
(Images taken with an iPhone 4S and Camera + app)
UGLY BURGER
TASTY BURGER
UGLY MUFFIN
TASTY MUFFIN