Some of my favourite pictures I have taken are of baby corn masala, heart-shaped cookies, and I love the lighting in this dry aloo gobi recipe.
Now here is a picture of spicy baby potatoes that uses a slightly different recipe but captures the same subjects - potatoes and masala.
There are several things I changed in the second picture.
1. Pic 2 was clicked near a window, indoors whereas Pic 1 was clicked by putting the dish on a plate in the balcony. The light was harsher in the first case.
Understanding the right amount of light needed and placing your dish at the right spot to photograph is most often the first step.
2. I used a different bowl for Pic 2 that was wider and could hold more of the dish. This is not always necessary but having a good set of plates and bowls goes a long way too. That was one of the first things I realised and now I can safely say I am addicted to cookware. I pick up cheap yet pretty bowls wherever I go.
3. I used a red chart paper as the base for Pic 2. This helped enhance the colour tone of the picture and match the colour of the bowl. I am still working on this aspect of food photography - choosing a good base and background for my pictures. I don't have that many props yet but next time I go to India, I intend to pick up some cloth material and kitchen napkins that will give me a nice solid base and background for the pics.
4. I clicked Pic 2 in a different angle. This is pretty much up to you. Most of us are comfortable with taking a shot from above, since we don't do elaborate setting for our pictures and if we take a shot at eye-level, we are going to capture some unwanted things around the dish or in the background.
I am normally very lazy to do any setting for my pictures. The most I end up doing is to place some coriander leaves around the bowl or wrap my brown kurta around it to enhance the dish. You can still get some pretty pictures this way, I feel.
5. I did some very basic editing for Pic 2 using Google Picasa and Photoshop. Its okay if you don't have photoshop. You can still make your pictures look much better with some basic tweaking with Picasa.
And I will share the tips I know with you in the next post in the series 🙂
Disclaimer:
- I am NOT a food photography expert or a professional photographer. Since that comprises most of us out there, I am hoping you can relate to my posts as a normal food blogger who just wants to take better pictures of her/his food.
- The posts are written in the assumption that you don't own a fancy camera or lights or elaborate setting for your pictures. If you do, then you wouldn't be reading this post anyway 'cuz in all likelihood, you already take great pictures.
- There are no ugly pictures. Or bad ones. There are just different pictures. I know of people who like my pictures better than the ones you see on some professional food photography websites. This post is dedicated to them 🙂
Umm
Hi Nags,
Truly helpful tips for first timers like me with no experience in Food Photography. I am so eager to give it a try but son's exams going on and so submitting the chicken recipe and photographing will have to wait for a while. Your Paneer Butter Masala for dinner tonight and i must say its yummmm. My son gets his fav dish more often these days.... thanks to you.....
Subrata Majumdar
Hello Nags: Rarely does one come across someone who posts as sincerely on food as on photography. My wife - Irin - is a big fan of your food writing and I of your photography tips.
I recently wrote a post on our blog on the travails of a food photographer. Written partly in jest, there is a practical side to it about the dish getting unappetizing as one spends time photographing it (http://tothesenses.com/on-food/how-many-roads-must-a-man-walk-down/). Read it when you have the time and let us know what you think.
And please keep up the great work you are doing. Respect.
Regards
Subrata
Nags
Thank you so much for your kind words Archana 🙂
Archana
Thanks to Mythreyi I have sat and read this post and thanks to you I have dropped the idea that I need a better camera. I will be bookmarking these posts.
Kankana
This was very useful .. specially for me . a new born food blogger ! 🙂
Ally
this is good info...thanks for sharing!:):)
Nags
I have seen a couple of them Ann, but mostly you need a high end camera to put those features to use. I just thought I will share my experience with the most basic point and shoot.. and also what I learnt in Picasa 🙂
TBC
My P&S camera has served me well over the years, and continues to do so. I only take pics with it though we have a SLR camera too.
Those are some useful tips.
Shareshtha
Hey Nags,
Just wanted to tell you that you have been a great help...I follow your blog avidly and this photography posts really helped me...I clicked a few pictures yesterday and tried doing what you had suggested...will you please check my blog out and suggest what you think...Cheers!
Nags
Thanks Neeta! I am so glad you find the food photography basics easy to follow 🙂