Imagine the aroma of freshly baked bread wafting through the air, the vibrant colors of a beautifully plated dish enticing your senses, and the anticipation of that first delectable bite.
As a beginner in the world of food photography, you have the power to capture these mouthwatering moments and share them with the world.
In this article, we will embark on a culinary journey together and explore eleven invaluable food photography tips that will help you elevate your skills, capture stunning images, and make your audience crave the flavors you so brilliantly portray.
So grab your camera and let’s delve into the art of food photography.
We’ll be covering the following topics (click on a bullet point to jump to that section):
11 Food Photography Tips
These ultimate food photography tips for beginners we have listed here will hopefully give you some pointers to improve your game.
1. Shoot With Natural Light
A lot of beginner food photographers prefer to shoot with natural light.
This is a good thing if you can use a large window along with some white translucent cloth and some white reflectors.
The white translucent fabric will ensure that the light is soft. The white reflectors will take care of the shadows.
The only problem is natural light will change throughout the day and that means you will have to keep adjusting to it.
2. Invest in Some Good Quality Artificial Lights
The unpredictability of natural light is what drives professional food photographers to use artificial lights.
Artificial lights are stable and predictable and you can shoot with them for as long as you want to without having to worry about the changing nature of the light.

3. Continuous Lights or Strobes?
Continuous lights are well, continuous and they make it easier to set up and check how the shot will appear even before you press the shutter release.
The only problem is continuous lights are not as powerful as strobes.
So, the coverage of the lights is not that great.
You can go for larger continuous lights but then it will mean issues with space and set-up. Alternatively, you can opt for multiple continuous lights.
On the other hand, strobes are more powerful. They produce a lot of light.
You can use the light to bounce off of a card or a modifier (such as an umbrella) to expand the throw of the light and cover a larger area.
We recommend using strobes. Smaller strobes or flashes as they are more popularly known are the best solution for beginner food photographers.
4. Experiment With the Lights
Artificial light is an integral part of the whole food photography equipment stuff.
But refrain from using the lights straight up or from the sides only.
Experiment with your food photography ideas by altering the position of the lights. If you have more than one light, use one to light up the broadside, the side facing the camera.
Use the second light to fill in the shadows. Remember the three-point lighting setup:

Those who have a single light to work with can use the front lighting technique. This will put a lot of light onto the front of the food and even with a single light, you will be able to get a proper photo.
We would still recommend using some reflectors or whiteboards which you can use to reflect the light and bounce it around.
Food photography results are the best when there are not too many shadows in them.

You could experiment with the background and use something dark and exaggerate the food. But having harsh shadows don’t work well.
5. Camera Angle – The Top Straight Down Shot
The camera angle is also very important. There are some cliched angles that everyone uses, for example, the top-down view.

You can try that one as a starting point. You will need a small ladder.
Set up the food on a table, complete the presentation, and get the ladder as close to the table as possible. Use a zoom lens to shoot straight down.
6. Shoot Up Close
This is one angle that we encourage every food photographer to try. You don’t even need a macro lens for this.
You can use a zoom lens and take the images from a little further away.
The idea is to get a close view that fills the frame. For example, a burger that shows the layers one after the other.

The ingredients, the juicy tender chicken, the fillings, the lettuce leaves everything should appear fresh and enticing as if you can almost smell them.
7. Fill only 3/4ths of the frame
Sometimes it is not necessary to fill the entire frame with the food plate.
You can simply fill 3/4ths or less and leave some negative space around.

It serves two purposes:
- Sometimes hotels and restaurants want to have some copy with the food and leaving some space around helps them to do that.
- The second reason is compositional. It is simpler, clutter-free, easy to understand, and draws the attention of the viewer straight to the food.
8. Work on the Rest of the Frame
The rest of the frame in which you put the food plate is important too. We recommend that you experiment and see what works in the specific case.
Some food has a lot of color in them. Check if a cluttered background works better or a simpler one.
Ensure that the focus should not shift from the background to the food.
Let’s say that you want to capture the ingredients that go into preparing a dish. So, the final dish is served on a plate and the ingredients are both going to be in the image.
In this situation, a cluttered frame cannot be avoided. And as a matter of fact will look interesting.
9. Experiment with the Background and the Backdrop
Most entry-level food photographers would feel that the background of the dining table or the kitchen table on which the ingredients are mixed is fine. It works depending on the color and texture of the food.
Let’s say that the food has a single dominating color, in that case, a simple solid background can work.
In other situations, a textured background works better.

Pro tip – various kinds of tabletop flat lay backgrounds are available. You can get them from hobby stores or online.
Having a few with you every time you shoot food photography can ensure that you have some options to experiment with.
10. Take as Many Images as you Can
Once the lighting is set up and the food is on the table, make the most out of the setting by taking as many pictures as you can.
Take a top shot, a side angle, a 3/4th shot, and even a close-up.
Experiment with the rest of the frame and the background.
Once the plate is in position and the food is fresh make the most of the time you have before the food starts to appear getting stale. To make the food appear fresh even after a long time has passed photographers use many different techniques.
But ideally, you shouldn’t get into that situation. 15 mins for each food plate is more than enough time to capture the best images.
11. Keep the Post-processing Tasteful
Ensure that the post-processing aspect is as simple and as tasteful as possible.
Don’t overdo the highlights and don’t try to overdo the saturation and contrast sliders.
Try to keep things normal and believable. It is very easy to go overboard with the sliders on your favorite photo editing software.
To further explore the subject of food photography tips, we also recommend this video by Rainbow Plant Life:
What is Food Photography?
Food photography is a still art photography genre that involves capturing photos of food in different forms.
It is often said that if you can choose only three things in life those would be good food, good wine, and good friends.
In this article, we shall talk about the first. More specifically about food photography tips.
Many beginner food photographers feel that to take food photos all you need is a plate of food and a camera. You just need to aim and shoot.
Nothing can be simpler. Right?
Well, this is where you are off-target. Food photography is an art.
And just like any other art form, it requires a patient understanding of the elements that go into making great food photos.
What Makes a Good Food Photographer?
Apart from a keen sense of lighting, and exposure a food photographer needs to have a good understanding of how to present food.
Food presentation is a critical aspect of the whole food photography sub-genre.
Just like a good chef must know how to present the food on the plate and in front of the customer, similarly, a food photographer needs to have the same knowledge.
This is why expert food photographers employ the services of professional food presenters who know how to present the food to the table.

How Can You Improve Your Food Photography?
As a beginner food photographer, you might be doing some simple mistakes in your composition, lighting, and presentation.
Correcting these simple mistakes can add to the overall value of your production.
We have detailed some tips below. Hopefully, these tips will help you to produce get food photos.
How to Take Photos of Food

Food photography is a blend of artistry, creativity, and technical skills. Here are 5 steps to take photos of food.
Tools
- Camera
- Lens
- Tripod
- Diffuser and Reflector
- Backdrops and Props
- Artificial Lighting
- Editing Software
Instructions
- Set Up Your Scene: Choose a suitable backdrop and set up a scene that complements the food you are photographing. Consider the style and mood you want to convey—whether it's a rustic wooden table for a cozy feel or a clean and minimalistic background for a modern look. Pay attention to the props, utensils, and linens to enhance the overall composition.
- Plan Your Composition: Compose your shot carefully, considering the placement of the main dish and any accompanying elements. Use the rule of thirds as a guide, positioning the food and other objects along the intersecting lines or at the points of interest. Experiment with different angles, such as overhead shots, 45-degree angles, or close-ups, to capture various details and perspectives.
- Pay Attention to Lighting: Lighting is crucial in food photography. Whenever possible, utilize natural light by setting up your scene near a window or shooting outdoors. Soft, diffused light works best, so consider using sheer curtains or a diffuser to soften harsh sunlight. Avoid direct, harsh lighting that can create unappealing shadows or blown-out highlights. Experiment with the direction and intensity of light to highlight textures and create depth.
- Style and Arrange the Food: Take the time to style and arrange the food in an appealing manner. Use garnishes, sauces, or props to add visual interest and create a story around the dish. Consider the color palette, textures, and shapes of the ingredients, and arrange them thoughtfully to create an enticing composition. Pay attention to the details, such as clean plates, wiped edges, and neatly arranged cutlery.
- Fine-Tune Camera Settings: Adjust your camera settings to achieve the desired outcome. Use a small aperture (higher f-number) to ensure a larger depth of field, keeping the entire dish in focus. Consider shooting in manual mode for full control over settings, or use aperture priority mode if you prefer to prioritize depth of field. Adjust the white balance to ensure accurate color representation, or shoot in RAW format for flexibility during post-processing.
Final Remarks
Food photography is a highly gratifying genre. It takes very little to get started.
Most of the things you need you already own them. The only major investment is in a couple of strobes/flashes and light stands with softboxes.
These would not break the bank but will help you shoot other genres of photography as well.
The trick to shooting great food photography as has already been expressed before is to pay attention to the presentation. Ensure the light is soft, experiment with the camera angles, and finally, use subtle post-processing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best camera setting for food photography?
When it comes to camera settings for food photography, it’s recommended to use a small aperture (high f-number) to achieve a larger depth of field, keeping the entire dish in focus. Additionally, using a low ISO setting helps maintain image quality and reduces noise, especially when shooting in well-lit conditions or using artificial lighting setups.
What is the most important thing to remember when taking food photography?
The most important thing to remember when taking food photography is to showcase the food in its best light and make it look appetizing. Pay attention to composition, lighting, and styling to highlight the textures, colors, and details of the dish, enticing viewers to crave and savor the food through your photographs.
What color temperature is best for food photography?
In food photography, it’s best to aim for a color temperature that closely resembles natural daylight, around 5500K to 6500K, to ensure accurate representation of colors. However, keep in mind that the ideal color temperature can vary depending on the desired mood and style of the photograph, so feel free to experiment and adjust accordingly to achieve the desired look and feel.

Rajib is an avid travel photographer and an overall shutterbug. The first time he ever clicked an image was with an Agfa Click IV back in 1984. A medium format film camera. From that auspicious introduction to photography, he has remained hooked to this art form. He loves to test and review new photography gear. Rajib travels quite a lot, loves driving on Indian roads, playing fetch with his Labrador retriever, and loves photography. And yes, he still proudly owns that Agfa Click IV! You can find my Model Mayhem profile here.