--- title: "Angles For Your Food Pictures - Experiment!" url: https://www.cookingandme.com/angles-for-your-food-pictures/ date: 2009-03-17 modified: 2015-11-23 lang: en author: "nags" description: "I have been lazy and unwell over the weekend. Well, mostly Sunday. So meals over this weekend were mostly comfort food, like dal chawal - the everyday yummy yellow dal..." categories: - "Food Photography Tips" - "Uncategorized" image: https://www.cookingandme.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/3358793619_f7c18557a0.jpg word_count: 811 --- # Angles For Your Food Pictures - Experiment! I have been lazy and unwell over the weekend. Well, mostly Sunday. So meals over this weekend were mostly comfort food, like dal chawal - the everyday yummy yellow dal recipe that I use and use and use again atleast once a week. I also made pepper rasam, lots of it, and it was so good for my sore throat. After making the **[dal tadka](https://www.cookingandme.com/2009/04/yellow-dal-dal-tadka-recipe.html)** for our dal chawal on Sunday, I realized that I have never posted the recipe here. In fact, quite a few of my friends, especially those who are abroad, have emailed me asking for basic yellow dal recipe or dal-chawal recipe. It just seemed too simple to post here but I now I know better. I don't know why I went yada-yada over the recipe so much because I am not going to post it now :D I just wanted to share the pictures I took of the dish and the various angles I tried. Ok so, first, I transferred the dal to two of my white bowls. I was a bit eager to use my napkin papers from Ikea so I took out the bright blue ones thinking they would make a good combination with the yellow of the dal. Blegh. How boring is that? Really! [![](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3419/3358793619_f7c18557a0.jpg?v=0)](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3419/3358793619_f7c18557a0.jpg?v=0) *Rotates the napkin to try a different angle* [![](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3653/3359611974_5b3ae0d892.jpg?v=0)](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3653/3359611974_5b3ae0d892.jpg?v=0) still, very meh. Whatever. The dal looks dull in this one. Not excited at all. Looks like the napkin has to go. Sigh.. [![](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3627/3358793665_751dc75169.jpg?v=0)](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3627/3358793665_751dc75169.jpg?v=0) Its definitely an improvement but what's that bright shot of light from the top left doing in the picture? *Walks over and closes the window* *tap tap tap* Two bowls of dal feels like an overkill. After all its a simple dish so why not go for a simple look? Hmmm.. Just one bowl, overhead shot, no colours or fancy napkins, nice and comforting, just like the dal. What say? [![](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3553/3359612082_692a265343.jpg?v=0)](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3553/3359612082_692a265343.jpg?v=0) Hmm.. naah! Too boring. I have done a zillion shots like this, I need more in the picture. Something's missing! Last chance with both bowls. Different angle this time and maybe I can blur off the bowl in the background later. [![](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3617/3358793781_cfb48203d3.jpg?v=0)](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3617/3358793781_cfb48203d3.jpg?v=0) YUCK! No! Two bowls is not an option. Discard idea. Dis-caaaaaaard!!! *tap tap tap* Ah! The messy look! I haven't experimented much with this. How about that? Messy dal! Everyday yellow dal that's also messy! Like so. [![](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3595/3359612152_f246be3f66.jpg?v=0)](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3595/3359612152_f246be3f66.jpg?v=0) Hmmm.. not bad. I do like it but don't feel like this is it. Since I tried the messy look, how about also giving the 'holier-than-though' look a shot? *Quickly licks spoon* Yumm. Good thing I have another bowl of dal ready. *Switches bowls, messy for non-messy* [![](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3598/3359612200_b235bb4704.jpg?v=0)](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3598/3359612200_b235bb4704.jpg?v=0) Ah.. that's nice too. Simple and neat and nice. A little unhappy with the glaring light on the spoon. Quite pleased with the 'licking job' though ;) Ok hold on! What about the 'bowl-in-bowl' look? Ahh! That could look good too. *Rushes to clean the bowl that featured in the messy-look picture* *Click* [![](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3576/3359612220_4c9556db00.jpg?v=0)](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3576/3359612220_4c9556db00.jpg?v=0) Oooh, nice. Quite classy. The shadows are not too bad. Should I fit in the spoon there? Hmm.. nah! This looks fine. This could work. *Smiles* But wait, what about the same thing on my wooden sticks coaster? [![](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3587/3358793861_3312ff151f.jpg?v=0)](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3587/3358793861_3312ff151f.jpg?v=0) Even better! This one wins. Congrats buddy, you get to go on the post. And maybe even to Click - Wood if nothing else works. This would be a lame entry but what the heck! Am feeling adventurous ;) Which pic(s) did you like, if any? Do you try out different angles, backgrounds and set ups too? If not, what's stopping you? Go on, play! > I also have one exercise for you guys. Here's what you need to do: > > > > > 1. I want you all to pick 5 of your most favourite food blogs, especially the ones you admire for their photography. Make sure you pick food blogs and not food photography blogs. > > > > > 2. Go to their oldest set of posts, using their archives link or something. The longer they have been blogging, the better this would work. > > > > > 3. Look at their first few pictures and be amazed. Be prepared for some serious jaw-drops, in most cases. > > > > > Moral of the exercise: We all start somewhere. Its okay to take so-so pics initially as long as you have the interest and the determination to learn. Some take their pics and recipes and templates to the next level in a few weeks' time, some take months and a few, even years. There is no right time or too much time, its all decided by you. PS: If any of you take a look at my old pics, you'd be quite amazed too :) Not that I am spectacular now, but trust me, you will see a lot of difference! PPS: I need some ideas for posts in the photography series. Otherwise you are going to be bombarded with posts like this one. Consider yourselves warned!