Your food photographs should tell a story.

Your food photographs should tell a story. They should Inspire.

I’ll totally admit it… I’m a cookbook snob. I’m a firm believer that cookbooks and food magazines should have photos- beautiful, captivating photos. Each month I look forward to the crisp, glossy copy of Bon Appetit magazine in my mailbox; the exquisite photos capturing every detail of a dish and luring me into the kitchen to test out another recipe.  And of course each new recipe.. is another photo opportunity.

When I found out that the Austin Food Bloggers Alliance (@atxfoodblogs) was hosting a Food Photography workshop, I jumped at the chance to meet other local food bloggers and work on my food photography skills. We met at Aviary Lounge (@Aviarydecor), a whimsical home décor store and wine bar located in South Austin. Aviary’s owner, Marco was a gracious host and cheerfully stepped in as a food stylist.

The Workshop Leaders included: Marshall Wright (@MarshallWright), Matthew Lemke (@SnapMatt), Loren Root (@TheLeftOverChef), Peter Tsai (@SuperTsai), John Knox (@Windaddict), and Don Mason (@AngrySong). The photographers and bloggers were grouped by interest - creating a home studio, working with natural light, getting the most out of a Point & Shoot, and shooting with a dSLR - allowing each blogger to choose their interest.

I spent my afternoon working with Marshall Wright and fellow blogger Ginny (@Kaupilimakoa), focusing on capturing images with natural light. We worked with a challenging Charcuterie Plate until we convinced Marco to step in as a food stylist and rearrange the plate for us… then eventually hijacked another group’s food.  I’d call it being an opportunist…

Reoccurring Themes for the Afternoon:

Look for beautiful Light. Look for a spot by the window where there is plenty of natural light. Use a white foam board to bounce light onto your food. This will keep the light soft and keep the food looking natural.

Don’t be afraid to play with your food. Change up the food placement and take photos from multiple angles to come up with different compositions.

If you have a tripod… USE IT.

Tweet