Capturing Food in the Right Light
Thanks to smart-devices, we're all glued to our phones and almost always have a camera on-hand to capture and share that delicious dish, trendy cocktail, and innovative coffee innovation.
And while the camera quality on our phones have dramatically improved over time, not everyone is an expert at snapping a beautiful picture. Here are a few tips & tricks from the pros:
Think about Color Composition: Let's face it, we're attracted to colors in food pictures. Think about what images you're attracted to on Instagram. Is it the bright, vibrant rainbow dishes that went viral in the 2010s? Or maybe you like the lucious, monochromatic smoothie and acai bowls...
Colors have a lot of power in evoking emotion for your viewer. Whether you're using contrasting colors or all warm earth tones, think about the color composition of your plate as you build it and before you photograph it.
Think about the Background: Backgrounds are just as important as foregrounds in photo taking. Using a neutral background allows you to place emphasis on the food, where using a stark background creates dramatic contrast.
Your background should always complement the food your shooting. One of the biggest trends are using natural woods as a background, think tables and chopping boards. You can also add a little texture to your background with tea towels and light tablecloths.
Shoot in the Right Light: Lighting is critical to taking beautiful still life pictures. If you can, try and shoot your food pictures in natural daylight rather than under artificial lighting. Find a window or door to help give you that natural light.
Putting an artificial light, like a lamp or the flash from your phone, can create a yellow tone over your photo. You don't want your white rice or table cloth to look musty.
Use Shadows to Your Advantage: Just like light, shadows can help enhance your photos. Take advantage of strong sunlight to create contrasting shadows. They add depth and interest -- just don't let them dominate your picture.
Move around to figure out where the best lighting and shadow combination for your picture. And remember -- it might not be in your kitchen/cafe!
Create a Story: They say a picture is worth a thousand words -- and frankly, it is. Photography is a great way to tell stories without using words. Adding a human element, like a hand, is a great way to tell your viewer a unique story about your image and further draw them in.
Take Advantage of Negative Space: Don't zoom all the way into your picture -- you can always crop it later. Give the food some room to breathe and focus on what's important.
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At FLIK Hospitality Group we believe in great food, great service, and great people. Our wellness first approach ensures our food supports healthy and delicious choices, specially curated by our team of culinary experts and registered dietitians. At FLIK, we believe in seasonality in sourcing our ingredients and providing a customized approach to the culinary and hospitality needs of each client. Our dedication to providing quality hospitality service is unparalleled in the industry.
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