Niammy Blog

iPhone has greatly contributed in bringing revolutionary changes in still life photography. Social media platforms including Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc. are brimming with mouthwatering amateur food photographs taken from iPhone. Such advanced still life photography has blurred the distinctive line existed between professional food photographers and amateur ones. However, learning stunning photography is not all about taking snaps of your foods while you are dining out. 

It’s time to step up your photography skills to capture stunning food photos for your dream blog. Following iPhone photography techniques will enable you to take food photographs for your blog like a pro. 

Fresh Foods with Natural Light

Stunning food photographs never miss out to capture these two essential factors:

1) The freshness of foods

2) Natural light

At the time of capturing pictures of the food, if natural light is available, consider turning off the flash. Natural light truly brightens up your foods; a harsh light produced by the flash makes it hard to capture real freshness of the cuisines. While photographing in a day light, consider placing the food as near as possible to a bright window. 

Also try to take snaps of the foods while they are optimally fresh. For instance, after a certain time, a freshly cooked juicy steak looks dried out; so take immediate snaps while its juiciness is still tempting. Same goes for herbs, garnish them fresh before they get spoiled and become wilted.  

Shadow: An Essential Companion

The importance of shadows cannot be ignored in photography as they add much needed depth to your food snaps. They deepen visual interest, but you need to make sure to allow them in moderation as large shadows can ruin the picture. 

Shadows can be softer or hard, depending on the type of light. If you are taking snaps in an overcast day, you will get more diffused light and softer shadows. Dark shadows are mostly there on bright sunny day. Allow shadows to cast in a way that can enhance the image quality and frame interesting shapes; that way, shadows can add to the overall composition. Try to avoid harsh shadows as much as you can as softer ones are much more flattering to their surrounding objects without overly dominating the picture. 

Get It under Control

In case of iPhone photography, sometimes people find it hard to get control over the camera. The flexibility in iPhone is less as compared to DSLR camera. The best way to control the focus is to tap your iPhone screen over your primary food item as the camera will automatically focus framing on that part. Also you can take snaps from a bird’s eye view to avoid the problem of depth; just place your iPhone straight overhead to capture a compelling, dramatic image. 

Use a Reflector 

A reflector such a white napkin greatly helps in eliminating dark areas and also focusing light at primary food areas. This reflector technique is also helpful in softening the effects of direct sunlight and avoids its harsh effects on your photos. While taking snaps at home, you can also use a white curtain or bed sheet as a reflector. 

Search for the Best Angle

Gorgeous food pictures that you see on popular food blogs and websites are taken from the angle that unveils the hidden beauty of the prepared foods. Foods served in a colorful bowl or plate look simply delicious when captured from straight up. However, for many other cuisines that accompanies certain decorative pieces such as a glass of wine or fruit juice, a shot from side/cross angle is the best choice. Aim at producing a balancing and strong composition to allure your target audience.