Food photography has become increasingly popular especially for social media sites. If you’re looking to brush up on your food photography skills, there are a few things you should know. Here at the Montage Laguna Beach, food photography is vital to marketing new, and flavorful dishes.
The presentation of the dish is the most important to perfect prior to photographing. A colorful dish with depth and variety will bring a dynamic look. Creating a dish with different textures and layers will add to the depth when you begin photographing. It’s also important to pay attention to the cleanliness of the dish itself surrounding the food.
Placement is key in food photography. This includes placement of the food on the plate as well as the placement of the entire dish. Where the food sits on the plate as well as the type of plate will affect the photo drastically. Using spoons, eye-drops, etc to place sauces can significantly help the overall appearance. At the Montage Laguna Beach, chefs use tweezers and eye drops to place food/sauces, leaving your dish flawless.
When choosing where to place the entire dish, think of the lighting that will best work for the type of dish. Do you need romantic lighting or bright and colorful? Take notice of the colors of your dish and try to set it next to something that will make the colors standout.
Since food is an inanimate object, bringing life and movement to the photo is unique and beautiful. Capture a photo of soup being poured, or spices being sprinkled. Movement will bring your food alive and allow for a unique shot.
Next time your at a restaurant, snap a quick picture and see if you can bring these tips alive. Or if you have a corporate event, leave it to us to capture the spirit of your evening.
Written by Alesha D. (Pacific Dream Photography at the Montage Laguna Beach)