Not that anyone asked, but I thought Id share what photography equipment I use and some tips that have helped me along the way. I by no means consider myself an expert, more of an advanced hobbyist so take what I have to say with a grain of salt. But I hope this encourages everyone that you too can take awesome pictures of your food! Everything Ive ever learned about shooting I learned from Rachel and Ted Linczak. They inspire me daily and I wish I had even a microgram (haha, nerdalert) of their talent in my pinky finger. I study many many photography blogs in order to continue to learn. And shooting is always the best way to get better! Just get out there and do it!
Camera of Choice: Well, maybe camera of choice is a bad term since if I had my choice, I would upgrade to a full frame Canon 5D Mark II or higher. But the camera I shoot with the most is my Canon 40D. I got it used a few years ago from a professional photog who used it as his backup- ie: it had hardly been used so I got it about 75% off! But you dont have to have an expensive DSLR to take great food photos. I will post a tutorial for taking awesome shots with point and shoot cameras later this summer.
Camera of Choice: Well, maybe camera of choice is a bad term since if I had my choice, I would upgrade to a full frame Canon 5D Mark II or higher. But the camera I shoot with the most is my Canon 40D. I got it used a few years ago from a professional photog who used it as his backup- ie: it had hardly been used so I got it about 75% off! But you dont have to have an expensive DSLR to take great food photos. I will post a tutorial for taking awesome shots with point and shoot cameras later this summer.
Lenses: For a while, I only had a 50mM 1.8 lens. It's a great workhorse lens and I was pretty attached to it because of its versatility, the bokeh (that pretty blurred background stuff) and its cheap cheap cheap price (most run about $90!). But then I realized how limiting a 50mm lens was. I then invested in a 24-70mm which I recently sold because although it was a versatile lens, I had a sort of love hate relationship with it. I upgraded to a 70-200mm which, while expensive, is my current obsession. I also invested in a 35mm lens last fall which is probably now my most used lens. But for shooting food, I find myself going back to my 50mm time and time again. Im sure that as I continue to mess around with my new 70-200mm it will become my go to lens but most of last years pictures were taken with the 50. Although I dont presently have a full frame camera so Im not getting the most out of my lenses, glass holds value far more than bodies do. So while I had the cash, I invested in lenses until I spot a 5D Mark II full frame on sale (probably used!).
Lighting: You may or may not notice that I rarely, if ever use my external flash. I just dont like the way it makes things look and I much prefer natural lighting. This sometimes means I have to put my plate (or subject!) in strange places to get the best light. But if you shoot tight, sometimes you dont notice I actually took some of my pictures on top of my bed near a window. And other times, the unique locations make for great interest in the photograph. One of the things that has made the greatest difference in my photography is figuring out how to set a custom white balance. It helps the camera calculate colors based on what white/gray look like in your light. It basically adjusts for any weird casts to the light etc. You can easily shoot a wall, a plate, a shirt, etc as your white sample image. But I invested in a "pocket rocket" and have never looked back. Some PAS also have a custom white balance feature which I encourage you to experiment with- it will make a HUGE difference in the quality of your images.
Tips: Shoot multiple images from several different angles. Move around your plate (or subject) to get different perspectives and make your photography interesting. Make your food look pretty- certain foods will photograph better than others, but by taking the time to set up your plate nicely or taking your food closer to a window to get better light. I cant emphasize the importance of lighting enough- bad lighting can make food look unappealing just like taking a portrait of someone in poor lighting can make them look bad. Experiment and have fun.
