Food is one of the most photographed subjects and it’s an interesting one at that. The mere look at an enticing food shot can make your tummy grumble and have you drooling. It’s become a running joke that the food gets cold before you get to eat because everyone has to take their pictures. As part of my blogging journey I’ve had the pleasure of being invited to restaurants to try various dishes. This is my take on how to be a food blogger and take food worthy shots.
Now I’d like to clarify that this is a post for those that would like to take attractive shots with minimum effort. I have much respect for those that use DSLRs and are able to set the shots just right fixing the ISO and aperture and all that technical stuff. However I prefer to take point and shoot shots especially when I need to take quick ones.
My first foray into food blogging was an invite from B&P Shaw. As you can see by the shot below it’s dark with no focal point. I used a Sony Cybershot and relied on the auto settings. As I attended more restaurant reviews and practiced I was able to take better pictures. It still required more effort though getting the best lighting possible and adjusting some settings.
At a food tour in Makati I was taking better pictures and learning how to get enticing angles of the dishes being introduced to us. This was taken indoors with adequate lighting but not the best.
Today, I’d like to say I take some pretty impressive shots with my trusty OPPO F1s and all I essentially do is point, tap and shoot. Of course, I still do a bit of assessing angles and seeing what the best position to take would be. More on that below.
Lighting
What I like about the OPPO F1s is that even indoors in low lighting I get great shots. This was taken at Diana Stalder Gateway and the venue is a little dimmer than usual. However, as you can see the shot is still bright showing the crispness of the veggies. As much as possible I’ll look for the best lighted spot to get a picture. You also can’t be shy about taking a dish and bringing it to a well lighted area or turning the dish a few times for the best capture. Of course, you need to make sure that you consider your fellow bloggers when doing these steps.
Angles
My one frustration when taking pictures of food or things is that I don’t know how to do a flat lay. So when it comes to taking food shots I keep it simple and rely on the angles. Popular techniques are taking pictures from above or up close and personal shots which is a personal favorite. Also, something I learned is that it’s better to take shots with the subjects cut off. You don’t necessarily need to capture the whole subject. It’s more pleasing to the eye and gives it a better dynamic. Below you’ll see that the two baskets of fish and chips and onion rings are diagonally placed and the shots are cut off as well as the pizza. Since the wood is a large part of the feel to the picture it’s alright that this image is not bright. It actually sets a mood for the image.
Practice
Above all else what you really need to do is practice. You won’t know what the best lighting and angles could be for a picture if you don’t try several shots. I took this shot by a window to get this lighting. I also turned this dish several times and kept taking pictures till I got the one that I felt was right.
Extra Tips
Tap on the screen!
Another way to get a lighted shot is to tap on the screen. You’ll notice that when you tap different areas of the OPPO F1s the picture clarity changes. It can go from dark to light. Tapping on the screen also helps to make sure you get the clearest shot.
Wipe the lens
A simple step but in a rush to take pictures we forget to make sure the lens is clean.
If you’re after capturing clean and crisp food shots the OPPO F1s is one you should consider.
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I have been reading reviews of Oppo via few other blogger friends of mine. And all of them are giving positive reviews. Wish I lay my hands on it. And to be a food blogger, yes, the pictures are very important than words and *description. Because if the food photos make the viewers drool, then that itself is a success. Wonderful post.
Like you, I use my smartphone for food photography as well. I use a Samsung S7 and I have been satisfied with its camera’s performance so far. I agree that composition and lighting play important roles in producing good shots. If I may, another tip is using the macro feature or something similar if applicable. A sharp food subject with a soft blurred background is always a good combination. 🙂
I have an OPPO too and I love the tapping on the screen for changing the lighting. Its such an underrated phone and it turns out to be such a good buy. I also have a hard time taking photos of food, cause sometimes it isn’t presented so pretty you know what I mean? Good tips for newbies!
I think photos is important for a blog, some not as much as others. But when it comes to food, I agree food shots must show the food at its best. Of course, the other components of a post remains the same, which is the essence or the message.
The challenge of food photography is always in setting up the scene. Taken in restaurants, it is hard to find proper lighting as not all restaurants would have natural lighting. Having said that, a good investment to do food photos are lighting. Depending on the built-in flash may work for some shots, but in most cases, it is not the ideal lighting.
This is such a nice way to take pics. I agree that all the technical mumbo jumbo stresses me out. This would make a lovely idea
You know what they say, experience is the best teacher. I can really say that your food photography improved as time goes by. I also follow the tips you provided here. I can’t really say my skills are now good, but I can see that it’s improving. Good luck to us and out venture in this field!
I agree with the tips you mentioned. I still haven’t used Oppo as I normally use a camera to take food shots and if I don’t have my camera with me, I use iphone 7. Just to add another tip, shooting with day light is the best for food. And just keep on shooting to gain experience.
Thanks for the tip!
I did not know that tapping the lens in different areas makes your picture taking experience different. And yes, I agree with you that it is always a challenge taking images of flat surfaces. It takes a lot of practice to do the job perfectly. I have never been a food blogger so I don’t think I will be ever master the art of food related images.
Photos are the greatest ingredient to be a food blogger. I am using my Nikon D90 for my other photos though now, I’m usually using my iPhone since it’s more convenient and portable. With some phones today, you could do manual photography just like with other cameras. But for me, when it comes to food photography, angles will always be a tricky factor.