A good photo is worth a thousand words. However, a bad photo can be an eyesore or just plain deceptive. This is especially true with food photos where the quality of the photography can make or break your dish. As professional chefs, we know how important it is to take pictures of our dishes to share them with you. But this task is not always as easy as it sounds. That’s why we’ve come up with 8 simple ways that you too can take great photos like a pro, whether you’re using your smartphone or DSLR camera.
Pick Your Camera
If you’re using a DSLR camera, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, make sure your lighting is bright and even. If not, try to find an open window or turn on some lights. If you don’t have access to those options, make sure you use a tripod or ask someone to help hold the camera steady for you.
Another good tip for DSLR cameras is using a wide-angle lens instead of a zoom lens. This helps reduce any distortion from zooming in too much with the lens. You must use natural light when possible for those who prefer using their smartphone instead of a DSLR camera. But when there isn’t enough natural light available, it’s best to use your phone’s built-in flash.
Plan Your Shot
The first step to producing a quality photo is planning your shot. What is the goal of this photo? Is it to capture the flavor and texture of your dish? Is it to highlight a specific detail? Is it for your restaurant’s Instagram page?
Before you snap the picture, consider what you want to show and how best to do so. This will help you compose the shot before you take it. Once you know what you’re looking for, take a few test shots and review them to see which angle or setting works best.
Note: If you don’t know which Shot mode to use when you take a photo, here is a complete guide:
The Ultimate Guide to Camera Shots (50+ Types of Shots and Angles in Film)
Get the Light Right
If you’re using a DSLR camera, you want to make sure that your subject and background are well lit. If your subject is too dark, it will be difficult to tell what the dish is and whether it’s appetizing. The same goes for a dark background – because we don’t want our pictures to be crowded with distracting elements, we want the background to be light enough so that it doesn’t obscure your dish or distract from its presentation.
If you’re using a smartphone, use natural light whenever possible. This will help prevent photo distortion and ensure that you’re capturing all of the details of the dish.
Stay in Focus
The first tip is to ensure that your subject is in focus. To do this, you’ll need a DSLR camera. If you’re using your smartphone, it’s best to call on the help of a friend to hold up the phone and tap the screen while you take the photo.
If you’re using a DSLR camera, make sure that your subject is at least 2 feet away from the lens. Using manual focus if possible-this will give you more control of what’s in focus in the photo. And don’t forget about zooming! The closer your subject is to the lens, the more likely they are to be out of focus when taken with an unfocused digital zoom.
Capture the Moment
If you’re taking photos of your dishes, one thing people want to see is the moment. They want to feel like they can taste the food. You want to evoke memories and emotions.
To do this, you need to capture the moment in your shots. Try different angles and don’t forget about lighting! That means be sure to capture all of the elements that go into making this dish come alive – from the ingredients on the plate to the preparation steps.
For example, if you’re taking pictures of a breakfast sandwich, show off its fluffy bread with a close-up shot or show its different layers stacked up for full effect.
Assuming that you have already captured an attractive photo and everything is fine except the lighting, you can take advantage of an AI image enhancer to improve the image quality and make the screen clearer.
Create a Mood With Props and Backgrounds
The mood you set with your photo can make or break it. To create a mood, try adding props and backgrounds. This is especially important for food photography, as the environment can affect how appetizing your dish looks. For example, if you’re shooting a salad, try adding some fresh herbs or healthy toppings to the dish.
If you’re shooting an ice cream sundae, perhaps use a bright-colored plate and colorful toppings to bring out the fun colors of the dessert. When shooting liquids like coffee or cocktails, try using different colors of liquid behind the glass to highlight specific ingredients. No matter what kind of photo you’re taking, these small details will make all the difference. It’s all about making your audience want to eat.
Edit Photos with Adobe Lightroom
Lightroom is great editing software that can be used for photo editing. It’s been around for a while and offers a variety of tools to make sure your photos look their best. The two main filters you need to know are “Auto” and “Standard.” If you want to edit photos quickly, the Auto filter will do the job. But if you’re looking for more control, Standard is your go-to option.
The auto filter will tweak your photo by increasing contrast and saturation, making it more vibrant. For photos with lots of reds and oranges in them, this could be just what you need.
Enhance Photos with Imglarger
Sometimes you are unlucky to get a small and blurry photo. And you know nothing about the use of some professional photo editors, such as Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Lightroom. Is there a simple way to make your photo look better? Yes, of course!
Imglarger is photo editor-friendly for both the newbies and the experts. The developer has trained the SRCNN neural network with thousands of high-resolution photos. Thus, users can enjoy the instant photo enhancement service on imglarger smoothly.
This online photo enhancer allows you to increase image size, reduce the noises, sharpen the blurry image, remove unwanted backgrounds, and retouch the damaged photo. With the help of an AI system, all the works can be automatically done in seconds or minutes.
Note: Imglarger is now available on mobile phones. You can enjoy the most professional all-in-one photo enhancing service anytime and anywhere.
Get imglarger Android version from Google Play
Get imglarger iOS version from App Store
Conclusion:
So, you want to take better photos? Take these 8 steps to make your photos stand out. You can bring your camera with you everywhere, use natural light, stay in focus, capture the moment, create moods with your backgrounds and props, and edit like a pro. What are you waiting for? Start taking better photos today!
