Food Styling for Photographers

SETS AND SETTINGS

Here’s a quick color lesson. Th e three primary colors are

red, blue, and yellow. Th e three secondary colors are

purple, orange, and green. Tertiary colors result when a

primary color is mixed with a secondary color. Diff erent

shades of colors are the result of mixing a color with

white or black. Colors that are on the opposite side of

the color wheel are called complementary. For instance,

purple and yellow are complementary, as are blue and

orange, and red and green. Th ese colors contrast with

each other, yet at the same time make each other more

active and exciting to the eye.

As a general rule, lighting, focus, and color will make the

focal point of your shot pop. A combination of these

three elements can be used to enhance the objectivity of

your shot, both the food and the story. Th ere are plenty

of examples in this book. Each full-page image went

through a creative process before the fi nal capture was

made. Th e photographer and I were the creative team.

We used the questions I’ve mentioned in this chapter as

tools to help us reach decisions about the set and setting

for the food in all our images.

If the set is full of lively colors, chances are the food will

not be the focus. Choosing colors for the set that are

pleasing to the eye but not brilliant with color is a good

idea. Using diff erent shades or tints of the same color in

the set helps to ensure that the food will be the focal

point. Diff erences in texture of items in the same color

family, and lighting of the set, will create a pleasing envi-

ronment for the hero food. To draw the viewer’s eye to

the focal point food, keep more colorful items near your

food rather than at the perimeter of the shot.

All this having been said, don’t be afraid to experiment.

Break the rules if you want because you may be very suc-

cessful. Try using surfaces with your food that are not