Digital Photographer - UK (2020-05)

Choosefromastraight-

on,overheador3/4view

Vary

6 angles

Likeframing,theshootingangleisakey

compositionalelementtoconsider.Getit

wrongandtheimagewilllookandfeel‘off’.

Therearethreemaincameraangles,with

slightvariationsofeach,butwhatsuitsone

dishwon’tnecessarilyworkforanother.

Beforeyoustartshooting,walkaroundyour

subjectandthinkaboutwhichcameraangle

willhelptobringoutitsbestfeatures.Isita

flatortextureddish?Areyoushootingfor

acommercialclientwhereit’simportantto

showthesidedetailsofthedishaswellasthe

top?WorkonatripodusingLiveViewforeasy

comparison,andlowerthetripod’scentral

columntoexperimentwithheight.Focallength

alsohasabearingonthebestangletochoose,

sovaryyourapproachforeachnewsetup.

Keycamera angles Choosethebestview according to your dish,desiredresultand focal length

Change your height

As the camera angle is

slightly lower than 3/4,

at around 30 degrees,

this shot allows viewers

to see the background

and feel more immersed

in the scene

4x © Esther Ling

The side-on angle is great for taller foods,

such as burgers, tall cakes or stacks of

pancakes. This is because it allows the layers

(the key feature of those particular dishes) to

be seen. Turn on your camera’s in-built spirit

level and keep your horizon level straight,

making sure any table lines are straight too.

The 90-degree, overhead or ‘flatlay’ angle is
popular largely due to Instagram. It allows
you to fit several elements into a scene
and shoot wider tablescapes, so it’s a good
storytelling angle if you want lifestyle shots.
As it eliminates depth, it suits flat items like
biscuits, rather than foods with more height.

There’s greater variation with this view – the

camera can be placed between 25 and

75 degrees in relation to your subject. 45

degrees is a popular choice, as it enables the

front and sides of a dish to be seen. Move

through the angles, and consider how much

of the top of the dish needs to be seen.

FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY

OVERHEAD 3/4 ANGLE STRAIGHT ON