Food photography tips for bloggers
Food photography is a still life photography genre used to create attractive still life photographs of food. It is a specialization of commercial photography, the products of which are used in advertisements, magazines, packaging, menus or cookbooks. Professional food photography is a collaborative effort, usually involving an art director, a photographer, a food stylist, a prop stylist and their assistants.
Tips for taking great food photos
1. Be authentic.
Post about what you love and produce the best content you possibly can.
2. Don’t give up.
Blog growth is slow at first and gains momentum as time goes on, assuming that you stick with it and do your best.
3. Post original content.
If visitors like what you do, they will keep coming back for more.
4. Show your personality!
Enthusiasm is infectious, so don’t be afraid to show it. One of the coolest things about blogging is that you can connect with people who share your undying love for, say, avocado on toast.
5. Make friends and help each other.
In other words, network! Connect and cultivate friendships with other bloggers who share your interests. Leave thoughtful comments on their blogs, chat with them on social media and promote their content.
6. Make yourself accessible.
Be present and responsive on social media as best you can.
7. Keep your site design clean and easy to navigate.
Clutter detracts from your content.
8. Make it easy for visitors to follow your blog.
Place links to RSS/email subscription and social media prominently on each page.
9. Make it easy to comment on your blog.
No CAPTCHAs or required logins, please. Find a way to let your commenters know that they are appreciated, whether that’s by emailing them privately, responding to their comment publicly or by commenting on their blogs.
10. Make it easy to share your content.
Provide social media sharing buttons at the end of each post. Say thank you when others promote your work.
11. Post fantastic recipes only.
You don’t want visitors to invest their time and ingredients into a recipe and end up disappointed, right? Better to let the blog go quiet for a few days than to post a recipe you can’t stand behind.
12. Cite your sources.
Always. Not cool: reposting recipes verbatim, posting other bloggers’ photos without permission. Cool: original recipes, sharing links to your inspiration, linking to further resources on the subject at hand.
13. Don’t sell out.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t try to make money off your blog, but don’t align yourself with a brand or project that isn’t a good fit. You are the company you keep. Focus on producing your best content and building your audience and the opportunities will come.
14. Post on a regular basis.
Whether that’s every day, once a week or once every other week, don’t let your blog look abandoned.
15. Get your own domain name.
If you want your blog to be taken seriously, just do it.
16. It’s all about the light! My best tip for beginners is to become aware of the intensity of the light and how it hits the food, and learn to adjust accordingly. Here are some tips for getting started.
17. Take photos under natural light. Do not use overhead lights or lamps or your built-in flash. Ever!
18. Move around to find the best light source. Don’t feel confined to taking photos in your kitchen. Perhaps the light is best in your bedroom in the morning, and in your living room in the afternoon.
19. Try taking photos from multiple angles. Some plates of food look better from above (like, pizza), or from the side (burgers), or at a 45-degree angle (drinks). Try moving around the plate and taking photos at various angles so you can pick your favorite later.
20.Minimize clutter. If that spoon, napkin or busy background doesn’t add to the photo, it detracts from the photo. Focus on what is most important, but don’t zoom in so close that viewers can’t tell what the food is.
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” ...
