Great Angles for Food Photography

Food Photography is very similar to photographing people in a sense that each person has her best side. Considering the variety of food out there, diverse cooking and presentation styles, the final results are endless. Here are top 10 angles for Food Photography from digital photography school.

Angle 1: Head-on Zen:

The camera is completely centered to the subject. This created a very clean contemporary look and feel.

Angle 2: From Above:

Camera is positioned directly above the subject and perfectly centered.

Angle 3: Lost in Space:

For this shot, food was placed directly onto the white plexiglass surface; a soft box was positioned below the plexi.


Angle 4: Tilt Towards:

Camera is tilted right, so the subject tilts counterclockwise and the dish is welcoming you in, motivating the spectator to indulge in image.

Angle 5: Tilt Away:

Camera is tilted left, so the subject tilts clockwise, pulling away from you, engaging the viewer the desire to follow.

Angle 6: Close up and personal

Don’t be afraid to get close to your subject. When you are shooting close ups, the point of reference loses its importance, so any camera angle will produce an appetizing image.

Angle 7: Above with Perspective:

The camera is positioned above the front of the subject and then tilted up until the subject fills the frame. The photograph will engage the eye to scan the image from the foreground to the background.

Angle 8: Diagonal:

Turn you camera so the subject starts in one corner and ends in the opposite corner, breaking the space diagonally.

Angle 9: With respect to the Line:

Align parallel lines to the vertical edge of the frame. This created a very monumental and unusual composition, granting unprecedented importance to this slice of a regular cheese cake.

Angle 10: Gentle tilt:

If the camera had been leveled, then the middle wedge would create a horizontal line that would divide the composition in two sections and forcing the eye to travel away from the center.

Conclusion:

Try to forget about the rule of thirds and everything you just learned, just move around your subject and really try to see it and when you see it, draw the camera to your eye and start framing. 

The Skim Shot: Tip for Food Photography

I am a huge fan of food program for it always presents the most attractive aspect of food. Certainly, some of the photos have been retouched by image-processing software to create false appearance of delicious food. But for audiences sitting before TV and computer, a feast for the eyes is more appealing.

Luckily, when I search pictures of appetizing food on the Internet, I find a good tip to make a better photo. The skim shot, as the author called it, is achieved when the camera is pretty much at the level of the food, and when the food is shot, you get a sense of the background of the room.

 

     The regular shot                                    the skim shot

Compared those two photos below, it is not hard to find that the right one is much more colorful and appetizing. When shooting food – especially still photography – it is best to block out everything but the food and focus on it.

Please enjoy more photos applying the skim shot. (photos are quoted from The pioneer woman)

 

How to Photograph a Child’s Birthday Party

Photo by Johnny Blood

Birthday Parties present us with a lot of emotion, interaction, color and energy in a child’s party. And it is never easy to photograph children. Although it is quite interesting to shoot children’s funny expression and action; but for parents, a huge challenge is waiting for them. Therefore, to record the most beautiful smile on the world, I google the Internet and find some tips for you.

1. Designate a Party Photographer

Give someone the job and release that person from other party duties to just take photos. In this way, you’re guaranteed to get some shots and will have something to remember the day with.

2. Get a Child’s perspective

Get down low when taking photos of children. The majority of your photos should be taken at eye level of the subjects you’re shooting.

                             

3. Look for the Party Details

It’s good to get close to cake, balloons and other decorations, filling the frame with them. You’ll find that these types of shots look great through an album between shots of people.

photo by cupcakequeen

photo by igorms

4. Shoot out of Relationship

The best shots come as the children warm up to you and their surrounds. So make an effort to meet the children as they come into the party and to be friendly and fun.

5. Take Before and After Shots of the Party

Take shots before the party actually starts and also take a few shots at the end of the party – they could make a humorous comparison series.

6. Shoot in Burst Mode

One of the most effective ways to capture parties is to learn how to shoot in continuous shooting (or burst) mode when your camera fires a series of shots in quick succession. This is particularly useful when shooting children as they rarely sit still.

7. Include Adults in your Photos

The focus of children’s parties is generally the children – but the adults attending the party can actually present you with some fascinating shots as they watch on.

Celine Steen: Have Cake, Will Travel.

Morning, the beautiful world! After 2-day typhoon, it is quite happy to embrace the sun. It is 18 o’clock in China and I have been working for 8 hours. But for many countries, it is high time to count the sheep. After a sound sleep, you may have to work or study. Don’t forget to take a breakfast that will facilitate you to have an energetic day.

Therefore, I’d like to introduce a food photographer & writer to you, Celine Steen. Her photos are quite simple but full of warmness. As she said, simple styling, elegant rusticity and a cozy feel all make for pictures that make her happy. I’m a person who enjoys cooking and eating. And sometimes, I will take a shoot for my dishes and share with my friends. To prove that I am better cooker than my friends feels quite awesome.


This colorful one is Celine’s favorite. It is easy to find both background and subject are quite simple and ordinary while the results extremely appetizing. Have you got hungry? I must admit that muffin mixed with strawberries make my mouth water. Compared with other hearty breakfast, this one may be less delicious but it feels at home.

At last, I will recommend a tips for taking photos, that is, focusing. There is no need to highlight every subject in the center of photos. Focus on the subject and remove your camera a little bit. You will find it will be quite interesting to take a less normal photo.

(All these photos are taken from Andre S Gibson Blog)