Changing it up a bit today with some mouth-watering, lip-smacking goodness… food porn. Food is undoubtedly one of the most challenging things to shoot and something I’ve yet to fully tackle, but at times you will be presented with food that is so damn attractive that the shots will be great, even if you’re like me and have no idea what you’re doing. 
More photos, tips, and some food photo links after the jump…
These were all shot in natural light, with a Nikon D300 and 17-35mm f/2.8 lens at my favorite restaurant in Miami - Jaguar Ceviche Spoon Bar. This food is so damn photogenic its ridiculous and being that it was mid-afternoon and we were sitting outdoors, the light was great. And a note to the folks at Jaguar - OPEN UP A SPOT IN L.A.!!! You’ll make a killing.
A Few Quick Tips
- Lighting is key as always: There is never a substitute for good light, especially with food. Whether you have good natural light or a whole studio setup, light the food so it complements it.
- Control Depth of Field: I’ve found tight control of DoF when shooting food helps. Getting that focal point right with delicious texture can make or break a shot.
- Get Low: Being close to eye level with the grub can make for a more dramatic shot.
- Remove Distractions: Distracting foreground and background elements can take away from the star of your shot, but intelligently placed items that add to the mood of the scene can make the food feel more like an experience than just dead flesh and garnish on a plate.
Food Photo Links
- ‘Tasteful Food Photography’ from the fine folks at O’Reilly
- ‘Food Photography: An Introduction’ at Digital Photography School
- Still Life With - A Food Styling and Photography Blog
And as a bonus, a friend’s Miami food blog. It’s the shit.
Have any insight on food photography? Let us know in the comments!
Great porn! How did the restaurant staff react when you started shooting the food? Or was is an assignment?
So Ryan, what is your Canon to Nikon shooting ratio these days?
A while ago, after reading some tips, I had the opportunity to photograph and also taste some of the most delicious type of food - cakes. It was my first and for now the last photo shoot that came with a remuneration advantage besides gaining experience.
Here http://blog.bycoddot.com/my-work/freelance/2007/04/17/heaven-delight-cakes/ is what I managed to create. The photos were edited, the background removed, cropped and so on. At the time, and actually even now I shoot with a 3 year old point and shoot camera. I wait for my first dSLR to arrive, that I ordered online last week.
I’d say get in with a closer lense or zoom. I’ve noticed the best food shots are 50mm+.
Another tip, for easy food lighting at home, shoot during the day, and make a simple bounce from some cardboard and crinkled aluminum foil. Hold the bounce opposite the window and it’ll fill in the shadows just enough.
I agree with Arlo - I always use a 24-70 on food and move up from there. The big thing is NATURAL light and the low angle you mentioned - kinda like kids and pets you need to be on the food eye level (it’s safe - I never had a carrot bite or pee on me).
I do a lot of rapid food editorial - no stylist and no time but great chefs. I take the table by the window and style it, get the food and then have a server or the chef hold a strobe for fill. Really easy and they like to chat about the food while you shoot it.
http://www.alistairtutton.com/zz_blog_feature_sites/anthem_room_39_selects/
http://www.alistairtutton.com/zz_blog_feature_sites/anthem_best_07_selects/
@Alistair - Great shots!!!!!
For the benefit of our readers, would you go into a little more detail on how you use the strobe for fill and why? Are you using TTL metering for the flash or setting it to manual? How far away is the strobe and what makes you decide you need fill?