Food. We love to talk about it, eat it, even dream about it (well I do at least). The word ‘foodie’ is actually in the dictionary now. And according to Marriam-Webster it’s defined as “a person having an avid interest in the latest food fads”. And now we also love to make photos of it, and share them with anyone who is willing to give it a like.

As we travel, I think food becomes even more interesting. It’s often one thing that’s very different from our day-to-day experiences. What, when, how people eat is so tied to a culture. It’s particularly interesting to me, since in the U.S. we don’t really have specific foods or habits tied to our culture - as a country. Some of us had family specific food traditions, but as a country? Not really. I mean in the rest of the world when they think “American food” they think hamburgers. Oh boy.

So when we travel, the food is a huge part of our experience. And therefore, is likely something we want to document with our photos. I certainly do. That’s why I’m going to give you some tips to make those food photos the best they can be, when you’re on the go.

AND it’s also something that’s pretty darn fun to practice at home. And since we all have some time on our hands right now...why not pull out that produce and make it a star!

We still talk about these roasted chickens from the French markets. And sometimes there were even potatoes roasting in the bottom…in the chicken drippings. OK, now my mouth is watering. So part of our French story? Oh yeah. I think so.

Let’s jump in with my 8 tips on improving your food photos:

#1 Determine your depth of field

Food photographers often refer to a “hero” of the shot. Which means the star, the focus...where you want the viewer's eye to go to first. When you’re first figuring out how to photograph a food scene, that’s what you have to determine. What is the hero?

Is it that muffin? The whole basket of pastries? Or maybe even the entire table with a pastry basket, coffee, plates, and orange juice?

If you have a hero that’s one item, then an aperture of f/4 might be a good place to start. The whole basket of pastries might warrant f/5.6, f/6.3 or even f/8. Now if you want the whole table? Then likely f/8, f/11 or f/16. But don’t forget...as you’re picking out the perfect aperture setting, you also have to keep an eye on the shutter speed!

I know, I know...so much to think about.

The hero of this photo is the Caprese salad. So with an f/4 aperture and some positioning, that is clearly the focus, while the supporting players are softly hanging out in the background.

#2 Limit Distractions

When you’re out and about traveling, one thing that you’ll have a lot of is distractions. Other people in the restaurant, napkins, coats, bags...you name it. When you aren’t thinking about it, you put all your focus on that beautiful croissant and snap away. And then you look at the photos later, and see nothing but the junk on the table.

So look around and see what else is in the frame. Shift to the right, left, up, down. And even move some of the items out of the way if that’s easy enough to do. The goal is a clean shot with your hero evident. So just keep that in mind and move as many items as you can, or move yourself, or both.

This was made at a busy cafe in Portland. So I positioned myself looking down at the hero, and filled the frame to avoid all the distractions around us. I wish I had one of these right now. I really do.

#3 Pay Attention to Lighting

Likely you’re not bringing studio lighting with you to that little Italian cafe. So there’s only so much control you’ll have here. But you do have some… As you enter a restaurant, choose a table near the window if that’s an option. Beautiful natural light streaming through a window can make for a lovely food photo.

Also, be mindful of how the light is streaming in. You can move your hero into the light if it’s not too overpowering, or out of it if it is. And you can shift items around on the table to allow your hero to have the best light. If this sounds complicated, it’s really not. It’s about being aware and experimenting.

This is a good thing to practice at home right now. Understanding light is just something that takes a lot of trial and error.

I remember reading a lot about lighting for food and thinking “well I don’t know what good light is.” I didn’t. Until I did.

And how did I finally get it? By pulling out some food, putting it on a cutting board, and setting up near a window with my camera. Then I made lots and lots of photos. Of brownies, tomatoes, salads, cheese...you name it. I photographed it.

These French breakfast radishes (aren’t they adorable!) were the hero, and I placed them so the light fell across the radishes just right. Did it happen in the first attempt? No. Second? Probably not. Remember what I said about trial and error?

#4 Make the Hero Evident

I think you understand at this point what the “hero” is. The reason I’m mentioning it again is to emphasize the importance of making the hero evident in your photo.

When food photos fall flat, it’s often when your eye doesn’t know where to go. The scene is busy, there’s a lot going on, maybe there are some distractions…and you just see a mess.

The hero should be considered for all your decisions - depth of field, focus, avoiding distractions, lighting. If you’re intentional about making sure your hero is the star, then that’s exactly where the viewer’s eye jumps to first.

But the hero doesn’t have to be one thing - like that croissant. The hero can be the whole meal, the whole table. Because context also makes for interesting food photos. It’s part of the food story. The entire meal, a whole plate of food, utensils, drinks, even people eating at the table. There are lots of compositions, heroes, perspectives that can add to the food story.

But don’t get overwhelmed by your choices. Think about telling the whole story, which means getting all the pieces. Maybe make a photo of the tomato, and the Caprese salad, and the whole table, and then step back to get the people sitting at the table.

It doesn’t have to be one or the other. Just make sure that for each shot, you’re intentional about what the hero or focus is.

For this photo, I consider the wine pouring to be the hero. But I included the other glasses, bottle, even another person in the background. This adds context and sets a scene. It’s just one option though. It’s all up to you. You’re the artist.

Holy cow! I just went on and on about that subject, didn’t I? I had 8 tips to share and I’m only through 4 and this post is getting pretty freaking long.

So let’s do this. Let’s divide it into two. Now you can go practice the first 4, and then next week we’ll talk about the rest. Sound good?

I know most of us are at home right now. So I’m challenging you to look through your refrigerator and find something interesting. Or next time you go to the market, think about what might make a good subject. The fresh produce section is always one of my favorites.

And let me know what you find, and how it goes! Don’t forget, our private Facebook Group is the perfect place to share your photos. I hope to see you there!