How to photograph food with Lensprotogo.com

Did you know that all our stages come with tables and chairs useful for catering. Each stage also has a mini fridge inside so you could store your perishables for a long day shoot. So having a lunch or a dinner at our studio is not a problem. But what about photographing food? Is it doable? Is it easy to shoot? Today we are going to share some tips of how to photograph food using just an ambient light. With lensprotogo.com we will go from something that looks like this   to something that looks like this.

Mood

Today we are going to shoot a bread bawl. After you figured out what product you are shooting, you would need to decide what mood you are going for. Do you want it more bright and happy or do you want it more dark and moody? Once you settled on the mood, you can start thinking about props and and how to build a set around the theme.  

Light

In the example we move a table closer to the window to get that ambient light on the table top. Like we aforementioned, today we will only use natural light for the setup. Next time we will touch upon the tabletop artificial lighting, so stay tuned!

SOFT SHADOWS.

The big thing is that you always want to have really soft shadows. So either use a diffuser to soften the direct sunlight or shoot with indirect sun or house light. It is very important, so pay attention to this step!

Props and backgrounds

Knowing the stye that you want to go will really help picking up props and a background for the shoot. In this example the photographer uses a big wooden cutting board to bring the rustic vibe into a picture. Once the background is chosen, now we can start building the dish. When building the dish, think about what ingredients might go into it, what the cultural nuances might be implemented, or how you want to present that to your viewer. Also think about where you want it to take place. Do you want it in the kitchen “being cooked” or do you want it at the dining table ready to be “enjoyed by the people”? In this example we are going for the cooking table and raw ingredients. We picked up some juicy looking parsley, pumpkin seeds, garlic and small gourds, a bread bowl, and some hemp fabric for the texture of the picture, and lastly a small jar with pumpkin seeds. In general it is a good idea to get a neutral color objects that are not part of the dish to help the main object stand out more on the picture. Please keep in mind that sometimes it is better to keep it simple and use as less props as possible. In this example though our props of choice will help create the mood and enhance the feel of the picture.

Angle

Before you start placing all items on the table, think about what angle and what direction you are going to be shooting at. The most popular ones are 45 degrees coming up from the side or 90 degrees coming down straight from the top. The direction you should choose to shoot from must be against the light. It means that you cannot be on the same side the light comes from. When it comes to placing props in the frame, make sure nothing blocks the main sight of the dish. So if you have bigger props than the main dish, place props behind it. Another great idea is to lock the camera on a tripod and build the set towards it. That way you do not have to worry about changing the composition each time you change the camera position. Within the frame, it is always a good idea to keep your main dish in one of the thirds’ intersections or dead in the center of the viewfinder.   Keep in mid where these photos are going as well. If your target is Instagram then think in 4 by 5 format. If it is for youtube or something other than 16:9 might a better fit.  

Icing on the cake

Add a little bit of action to your shot. Have somebody scooping the soup or sprinkling some ingredients into a dish. It can really add a lot into your final shot.   Watch the full tutorial video for Lensprotogo.com here: