FOOD

Food is one of my favorite things to photograph. There are so many different types of cuisine. From French food and delicious pastries to classic American dishes to savory Asian dishes and many more. I think one of the reasons why I really enjoy it is because it is a challenge to make food look good.

 

So many times I see pictures of food that my friends post to Facebook or Twitter and they look unappetizing because of the wrong light, wrong angle. What could be a very tasty dish doesn’t look appealing because they don’t have the right tools. Food photography is an art. When photographing food, the first thing I try and do is picking a canvas. It could be an interesting texture, patterned tablecloth, solid backdrop or location. Many times I see photos of food with distracting elements, like half drank beverages, dirty plates or stains in the tablecloth from already eaten food. After picking out an appropriate canvas, I prefer a plate that compliments the food. Then I will ask the chef to place the food down. If I’m working with a stylist, this makes the job even easier, but food photography is really about the details and timing. Usually the chef will plate the main entrée and appropriate side items and any garnishes. To finish off the setting, a glass of wine or cabernet and some complimenting utensils look excellent paired with a centerpiece. Centerpieces could consist of candles or perhaps a vase of flowers. I prefer to keep a clean canvas. Even if one is photographing food at a restaurant, I would recommend not including distracting elements such as drink rings, used napkins or half-eaten plates of food. Try some artistic cropping. If the table is distracting, find a texture in the food that is interesting and photograph a portion of the plate. A shot from the side showing the location is always nice, preferably without people. Natural light works well if you have a decent camera, but always adding some extra light from an LED light or a camera phone works too just to add texture or dimension. Try adding light from the right or the left or at 12’o clock pointing toward the food. This works especially well to accent the food with a pure white light source, separating it from it’s surroundings. It’s always nice to include some candlelight.

 

I have been inspired to capture the best images of food because if it tastes good, it should be photographed in an appetizing manner. Some of my favorite restaurants I’ve visited include Ad Hoc, Bouchon Bakery, and Addendum in Yountville. I have also had the pleasure of going to Gordon Ramsey’s restaurant, The London in New York City and Thomas Cohen’s Scarpetta in Las Vegas at the Cosmopolitan. These restaurants took extreme measure when presenting the food. Their attention to detail is what set them apart to me from all the rest of the restaurants I’ve tried. I feel like good photography should stand out from all of the iPhone pictures.

 

In Greensboro, NC I have had the pleasure of photographing food for Sweet Basil’s restaurant, Josephine’s, the Filling Station and Southern Root’s in Jamestown, NC. When photographing the food at each of these restaurants, I made sure and did some research on my end. I visited each establishment and made mental notes of  their décor and style. I wanted the food photos to contain some of these elements, but those would be side notes and the delicious food would take the center stage. US Airways Magazine liked the photos I took from Southern Roots so much, that they used them in their write up. The O. Henry Hotel magazine has also featured my food shots for Josephine’s. I would love to work with an Asian cuisine, such as Bida Manda, in Raleigh in the future.