Much of our lives revolve around food. We need food as sustenance. We need the vitamins and minerals from food to keep our bodily systems running efficiently. We celebrate with food. We socialize with food. We scout for romance with food, by meeting up with new people for lunch, dinner, or coffee. We use food to comfort ourselves by eating our favorite meals during the cold, dark winter, or curling up on the couch in the evening with our favorite snack and favorite TV drama. People welcome you into their homes with food. Food permeates every aspect of our lives. A food photographer brings food to life in a picture. They are a commercial photographer who visually captures the taste, the color, the smell. A food photographer captures the very essence–the juiciness, spiciness, sweetness, bitterness, creaminess, richness–of the food for menus, cookbooks, magazines, billboards, and other advertisements.
Style
Food photography includes setting up, or styling, the picture in an artistic manner. The photographer may be encouraged to use his/her creativity, or it may include the usual plate setting with silverware, plates, and glasses on a dinner table. Creative styling may involve any sort of background, props, and colors. Styling can involve using food stand-ins because fresh food does not stay fresh for very long, especially fruit, i.e. apples begin to brown virtually as soon as you slice them. Sometimes glycerin is sprayed on the vegetables and meats to create the appearance of juice or dew drops, or hot, wet cotton is placed behind the food to produce steam.
Lighting
Lighting is an important aspect of any photograph. It can make things look appealing or it can work in the opposite manner. When working with food, soft lights usually create the best effect. Soft lighting can reduce glare, and the right lighting can bring out subtle details such as the juiciness of a burger, the smoothness of baby spinach, or the richness of a chocolate cake.
ABOUT YOUR DALLAS, TX, PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER:
Doug Davis has been producing professional, engaging videos and product, food, and lifestyle photography from his Dallas, TX, studio for more than 20 years. D-Squared Studios is located at 4312 Elm Street, Dallas, Texas, 75226. Contact our office at (214) 746-6336 or email Doug at doug.davis@d2studios.net.