Food Styling for Photographers

CHAPTER SIX

tomatoes were not quite as large as I would like for the
proportion of the burger. Th ree hero slices were cut
immediately before building the burger. To get the biggest
diameter slice, one slice was taken from the widest part
of three tomatoes. Th e slices were placed on separate
paper plates. I rotated the plates to see all of the edges
of the tomato skin, chose a hero, and found the best
side of the hero tomato for camera front. Because the
interior of the tomato would be visible to the camera in

the shot for this chapter, I could not remove the juicy

interior of the tomato slice. Th erefore, I knew the juices

from the tomato would eventually discolor the cheese

and I had to move quickly to ready this burger for fi nal

photography.

Th ere is a trick that will make the tomato slice appear

slightly larger in diameter to the camera if necessary.

Determine the edge of the tomato that is to be toward

camera. With a sharp knife, make a cut beginning in the

center of the slice and going through the tomato skin on

the back or off -camera edge. Lift the tomato with a

spatula and place the hero tomato on the burger, making

sure the cut edge faces the back off -camera part of the

burger. Gently spread both sides of the cut edges of the

tomato apart. As you spread the tomato apart, keep

looking at the camera side of the tomato to make certain

the movement isn’t creating any ripples in the edge. You

can only push apart the tomato wedge so far before

aff ecting the front. If it ripples, you may have to discard

that tomato slice and select another. Using toothpick

halves, pin each side of the tomato through the cheese

and the meat patty to hold it in place. Snip any toothpick

ends that extend more than 1/8 inch above the tomato

surface. You will need to occasionally brush the edge of

the tomato with an artist’s brush wet with water until

fi nal photography is completed.