Food Styling for Photographers

(Dana P.) #1

SETS AND SETTINGS


BASICS TO CONSIDER WHEN PLANNING
FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY
An empty plate can be beautiful. But let’s assume you
have a plan to photograph food on that plate. You’ve
looked at tear sheets, thought about the food, and made
some decisions. Maybe a specifi c food item is the driving
force for your planning. You are ready to start choosing
a plate, its color and pattern, the arrangement of food
on the plate, and the set surface. What about a napkin,
textures, colors of the set, etc.? Do you want fl atware in
the shot? Glassware? Flowers? Do you feel a little over-
whelmed? Don’t. Asking yourself some specifi c ques-
tions will take the guesswork out of your planning and
give you a specifi c direction for your project.

WHAT’S THE POINT OF THE SHOT?
First of all, what’s the point of the shot? Is it to sell a
specifi c food or to sell plates or fl atware? Are you more
interested in an artsy editorial shot? And my favorite
question: Is the shot you are planning going to be used
strictly as a portfolio piece? I love asking this question
because I have seen so much portfolio photography that
was well executed and beautiful, but the shots didn’t
have a point. I have to admit that I committed this
crime myself back when I was starting my career. I
worked with photographers on portfolio shots and the

goal was always the same: to achieve a beautiful shot.
Now when I see such shots, they don’t appeal to my
emotions, my intellect, or my appetite. After being in
the world of food and food photography for over 30
years, I fi nally get it.
If you are going to spend time creating a beautiful pho-
tograph, make sure you can identify a focal point for the

It’s someone’s birthday!
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