We’ve talked before about food photography in the summer. But here, on Thanksgiving, food really takes center stage. After spending that much time preparing and gathering your Thanksgiving feast, why shouldn’t you want to photograph it? Here are our tips for making your food pictures capture all that deliciousness!
Food Photos
Texture
Plates and tables can be flat or uninteresting. Add some texture with napkins, paper or cloth on the plates, and other decorations on your table or around your plates.
Contrast
Find ways to make your background work with the food on your plate. White on white can be interesting if done right, but generally you’ll need ways to help some part of your photo stand out. For example, if your food is pale, put it on a pale plate and give it a dark background. Brighter foods–like a red sauce or a vibrant pie slice–should get a simpler and lighter background.
Minimalism
Don’t crowd your plates with food. Focusing on a single serving or on a smaller portion looks better than trying to show everything at once, or a plate packed with an over-filling meal.
Let it get a little messy
Food is messy. And while you want your photos to be neat enough to look composed, a little mess isn’t a big deal. Let the soup slosh a little, or let your garnishes spill off the plate. This lets movement and life–the most appealing parts of a photo–into your image.
“Yum” factor
What makes your food really appealing? Is it the gooey cheese, the sizzling steam coming off the meat, the flakiness of your rolls? Try to work that into your shot. It’ll make your photos all the more mouthwatering–just think of all those Pinterest pins that make you want to lick your screen!
Other Tips
Check out these blogs for getting the most of your Thanksgiving photos!
