Food Photography Behind The Scenes

How do you take your food photos? It's one of the questions that I get asked most frequently by other bloggers. There are several important components, but I can't stress enough that it's virtually impossible to take appetizing food photos without great lighting.

For some of us, beautiful light can be found by propping a table up near a window. Even if you're using your cellphone to snap a pic of your latest recipe, natural light will give your photo dimension and make it look more true-to-life.

Here in lies the problem for many of us. What if we cook in the evening? The sun is usually down when I'm ready to serve dinner. This is what fueled my desire for an artificial lighting setup.

It was important to me that this setup be inexpensive, small enough to fit on my dining room table, easy to setup/ put away and that it was made with items that I could repurpose.

I was lucky enough to take a food photography course where I gained some great tips from my very talented instructor. Today I'm sharing what I've learned coupled with some of my own ideas that have worked well for me.

This lighting setup should take about 10 minutes to assemble, has only five components and costs less than $50! Here's what you'll need:

1.) 500 watt halogen work light. Most home improvement stores carry these for around $10.

2.) 5-in-1 reflector. I purchased mine here for under $20. You could also make a diffuser using things in your own home like a white bed sheet or t-shirt. I chose a 5-in-1 because I could use it for other photography purposes.

3.) Muslin clamps. They carry these at most home improvement stores or you can buy them here.

4.) White foam core board.

5.) Duct tape (I find myself constantly in awe by its limitless uses).


How to setup:

I use my dining room table, but any table large enough for what you are photographing would suffice.

1.) Set up two chairs (or anything sturdy and free standing) against the table. Put the chairs about the width of the diffuser apart. Clamp the diffuser to the chairs.

Hint: The diffuser is the inside part of the 5-in-1 when you unzip the reflector.

2.) Place the work light on another chair or step ladder behind diffuser (careful not to put it too close).

Tip: Experiment with the direction of light. Changing between backlighting and lighting from the side changes the feel and quality of light on your food. I usually do a variety of set ups for each dish so that I have more to choose from.

Caution: The work light gets very hot while on. Be careful not to touch it or to put it near anything flammable.

3.) Make reflectors out of foam core board and duct tape. Do this by cutting the foam core board in half. Reassemble the foam core board by wrapping it on the inside seam with duct tape (like a book). This will allow you to bend the foam core board and to use it as a free standing reflector (see picture above).

Tip: Experiment with how raising and moving the light may cause shadows and/or may change the way the light hits the food. I usually find myself moving the light around a little bit to get it exactly where I want it. Sometimes I stack a couple of books underneath it to get it at the proper height. If you see any unappealing shadows on your dish or on the table, adjust the placement of your foam core board reflectors.

4.) Set up food and props on table, turn on light, arrange reflectors where appropriate and get snapping!
 

Bonus Tips:

Once you've taken the leap to create a lighting setup, there are several things that you can do that will improve your food photos. I totally understand that not everyone has the budget for the list below. I took these things on over the course of two years, so please don't let this list overwhelm you:

Shoot in manual mode. Nothing gives you more creative control. If you shoot in auto your camera may expose the image based on the light coming from the window or from your work light. This can make your food underexposed/ dark. Check out my tutorials on shooting in manual here, here and here. There are tons of great YouTube videos out there that should get you started.

Start collecting food related props. I buy vintage cooking utensils at thrift stores and dishes that I love at places like Target and Homegoods. I collect cloth napkins and fabric scraps to fold to look like napkins. Different place mats are a great way to add texture to a photo. I recently purchased faux wood table tops on Amazon and am happy with the way they have changed up my photos.

Get creative with styling. I usually saturate my mind with food images that inspire me. This means visiting some of my favorite food blogs and looking at magazines and food photography books. I study what it is about the image that I love and think of ways to use them as inspiration moving forward. I plan on sharing more about styling in a future post.

Edit your photos. I know everyone doesn't have the budget to purchase editing software but, If you're ready to invest some money into creating quality images I suggest using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. I took a fantastic online course geared towards Lightroom that really took my editing to the next level called, Super Photo Editing Skills.




I packed in a lot of information, so please feel free to comment with any questions that you might have.

DSLR Photography: Understanding ISO

The next segment of DLSR photography that we will cover is ISO. If you missed them, you can learn more about exposure and aperture by clicking here and shutter speed by clicking here. I highly recommend reading those posts before continuing.

ISO stands for the International Organization for Standardization. ISO is the sensitivity of the camera's sensor to light. ISO numbers usually start at 100 and can go up to 12,800 or higher. My camera allows me to put my ISO as high as 6400. 

The lower the ISO number, the less sensitive to light the camera's sensor will be. The higher the ISO number, the more sensitive to light the sensor will be. If ISO is set to 100 there will need to be more available light, or the aperture and/or shutter speed will need to be manipulated to let more light in.

It is tempting to crank up the ISO when more light is needed. Avoid this pitfall at all costs. The higher the ISO is cranked, the more camera noise can show up on an image (think of a grainy, or less crisp and clear image). The amount of noise created by cranking the ISO depends on what camera is being used. With my camera, I start to notice noise once my ISO is set to 800 or higher.

I always look at the situation I am photographing first to determine which element of the exposure triangle is most important for me to focus on. For example, if background blur is the most important element that I want from a given image (I use this alot in food photography), I will set my aperture first. Next, I will move to setting shutter speed. I always try to use any combination possible between shutter speed and aperture to get a properly exposed image before I increase the ISO.

A different situation may call for my shutter speed to be the most important element. This would be any instance where I want to either show or stop movement. For example, if I am shooting photos of my dog (she is always moving - and fast!) I would need a fast shutter speed. In many situations where my shutter speed is very fast, even with the aperture open all the way up (to let more light in), I still do not have enough available light to achieve a properly exposed image. This makes boosting my ISO necessary. Increasing ISO is fine and often necessary, just try not to use it as a crutch. Boost ISO when all other options have been experimented with. 

(Note: Ultimately, the effective amount of noise in the final image is up to you. In some situations you may decide that you like the look of noise/ you may want a grainy photo to give a certain mood. If you are not enlarging images and are using them in a small format on your blog, noise may not be a big factor. Therefore, increasing your ISO would not cause a problem with the final output of your image.)

Below are the steps to change ISO on my camera, most Canon DSLRs have similar steps.

1.) The image Below is where ISO is shown on the home screen. It can also be found when looking through the viewfinder, on the bottom right.

2.) To change ISO hit the ISO button on the front of the camera (location below).

3.) This will prompt the ISO screen to pop up (or will make ISO the highlighted option through the viewfinder).

4.) Move the front dial (pictured below) to select which ISO number to use.

There are many ways to create a properly exposed image. Any single setting is usually interchangeable with another setting to create the same exposure. Basically, it is all about playing around with your camera, shooting a lot, and comparing images to decide what works best for you.

I hope that the exposure triangle posts have helped you to get started. I plan to continue photography tutorials here on the blog... 

Is there anything that you would like me to cover next?

DSLR Photography: Understanding Shutter Speed

The next segment of DLSR photography that we will cover is shutter speed. If you missed it, click here to learn more about exposure and aperture.

Shutter speed is literally as it sounds, the length of time that the camera's shutter is open. Think of the shutter as a curtain inside of the camera in front of the sensor that opens and closes. The amount of time that the shutter is open determines how much light is let into the camera and how much movement can be captured in a photograph.

When you set the shutter speed, you determine how long the shutter will be open and how much light can make it to the camera's sensor. A fast shutter speed (think of the curtain opening and closing quickly) will only let in a small amount of light. A slow shutter speed (think of the curtain staying open for a longer amount of time) will allow plenty of light into the camera.

Your camera will record any movement within the frame for the entire length of time that the shutter is open. If you use a fast shutter speed you can stop action (this is useful for sport's photography or any action shots that you want to freeze in time). Conversely, a slow shutter speed will capture all movement within your frame (see image of metro train below).

Shutter speed is measured in seconds and fractions of seconds. One would think that a fraction of a second is fairly fast, but you would be surprised at how much movement can be captured with a shutter speed of 1/30.

The image below illustrates where the camera's shutter speed is displayed. You can also see what the shutter speed is through the camera's viewfinder by pushing the shutter button half way down. The larger the denominator (bottom number) of the fraction, the faster the shutter speed is.

To change your camera's shutter speed, simply put your camera in manual mode and turn your camera's front dial (pictured below). 

Keep in mind, it becomes difficult to get a crisp shot when hand holding a camera and using a slow shutter speed. In many cases, using a slow shutter speed requires the use of a tripod. If you don't have a tripod with you, leaning against or propping your camera on something stable can help to reduce camera shake. 

A good tip to reduce camera shake, is to have the denominator of your shutter speed meet or exceed the number of your focal length. For example, if you are using an 18-55mm lens and are zoomed in to 55mm, your shutter speed should be at least 1/60 if hand holding your camera. Similarly, if you are using a 100mm lens/ focal length, you should try to keep your shutter speed at or above 1/125.

The picture below is one that I took in D.C. using a slow shutter speed in order to capture the movement of the incoming train. The man in this photo was standing still. If he would have, for instance, raised his hand to itch his head - the movement of his arm would be captured in this photo due to the fairly long shutter speed used.

As we discussed in last week's post about aperture, there is a semi-manual mode for shutter speed as well, called shutter priority mode. Shutter priority mode is TV on Canon and S on Nikon. Shutter priority mode allows you to set your shutter speed and ISO and the camera will compensate by setting the aperture automatically, to get a properly exposed image.

If you have time this week, try working with a moving subject (i.e. people, an animal, vehicles, running water etc.). Change up your shutter speed and take some time to look at what impact this has on your photographs.

Please feel free to leave a comment with any questions that you have or anything that you would like for me to cover in a future post.

DSLR Photography: Understanding Aperture

I have been getting quite a few emails and comments asking about my photographs (thank you!). A lot of you want to to know what type of camera I use and would like for me to share some photography tutorials. I have added additional lenses to my arsenal since I posted about my camera, but you can find out some of what I use here. I appreciate all of your feedback. I am still fairly new to photography myself, but would be happy to share some of the things that I have learned with you.

I use a Canon - therefore, the tutorials posted here will mostly be geared towards Canon users.

The goal of these tutorials will be to get you to move out of auto mode, and to gain some creative control over your images by using manual and semi-manual modes.

Photography literally translates to, "To draw with light". Learning how to work with light is critical to create a successful photograph. There are three main camera settings that control light and must be balanced in order to get a properly exposed photograph; ISO, aperture and shutter speed. Today we will discuss aperture.

Exposure is indicated by the exposure meter in the middle of your LCD screen (circled in red below) or along the bottom when you look through the camera's viewfinder and hold the shutter button half way down.

Notice that the exposure indicated above is in line with the zero (the small rectangle below the 0). This tells us that the photo about to be taken will be properly exposed. As you head into the +1/+2 range your photograph could turn out too bright and will be considered overexposed. As you head into the -1/-2 range your photo could be too dark and considered underexposed. In some situations you may want to over or under expose an image, but for the sake of a beginner lesson, do your best to line up with the zero. By learning the exposure triangle and all of it's components, you will be able to get a perfectly exposed image.

Today, we will focus on learning aperture.

Aperture (f-stop): Aperture is the size of the opening in a lens that allows light to pass through it and into the camera. By controlling your aperture, you can determine how much light reaches the camera's sensor. Think of an aperture as a circle that can open wide or close to a small size. When opened wide, the aperture can let in a lot of light. When tightened to be small, the aperture lets in very little light. The size limit of the aperture is determined by which lens is being used.

Another important feature of aperture is that it controls the depth of field. Depth of field is how much of your image is in focus. Many people new to the DSLR world are especially enamored with the ability to blur a background, but to keep a specific point in focus. This is controlled by the size of the aperture (as well as the focal length and distance from your subject - which I will cover in a future post). To get a shallow depth of field (blurred background) the aperture opening will need to be large and opened wide (small f-stop number). To get a large depth of field (i.e. for a landscape where you would want everything to be in focus) the aperture opening would need to be rather small (large f-stop number).

To set the aperture, you will select an f-stop number. One of the more confusing aspects of aperture is that the smaller the f-stop number, the larger the actual opening of the aperture is and vice versa (the larger the f-stop number is, the smaller the actual opening of the aperture is).

You may need to check your camera's manual to find out how to change the aperture on your model - but, I will show you how it works on my camera model.

To change your aperture, put your camera into manual mode (m on the mode dial). Hold down the Av button (located to the right of  your LCD screen) while turning the front dial (located directly above your shutter button). You should see the number preceded by an F change when you do this. You can view this through your viewfinder or on your LCD screen.

Review: While in manual mode (M) hold down Av button  and turn the front dial. You should see the number proceeded by an F change.

DSLR cameras also offer semi-manual modes, which I think are a great way for beginners to learn how to control their cameras. A semi-manual mode that allows you to have control over aperture is the aperture priority mode or Av (A on Nikon) on your mode dial.

The aperture priority mode allows you to select your aperture and ISO while the camera compensates by setting the shutter speed for you, to get a properly exposed image. When in aperture priority mode, the front dial will now change your aperture, and you will no longer need to hold down the Av button.

Before this post gets out of control long (I may have already crossed that line), there is one more thing that I would like to share with you. Be aware that the lens that you choose determines how large your aperture can be. This is indicated in the name of your lens. For example, many beginners may use an 18-55mm f 3.5- f 4.6 lens. What this means is that when you are zoomed all the way out (18mm) your maximum aperture size is 3.5 and when you are zoomed all the way in (55mm) your maximum aperture size is 4.6.

When I first got my camera, I found that the kit lens that came with my camera did not allow me to get the background blur that I wanted to achieve in my photos. If I can recommend one thing for every beginner to purchase, it would be this lens (Nikon has a version as well). It is one of the least expensive lenses out there and allows you to open your aperture all the way to 1.8. You can't find a faster lens for the price! Also, it is the perfect lens to learn on and to be creative with without breaking the bank.

Our next lesson will be about shutter speed. In the meantime, practice using aperture. Take photos of the same subject at different f-stops and get a feel for what it does to your photos.

I hope that you found this tutorial helpful. Please feel free to comment or email me at brhea.koneman@gmail.com with any questions that you have. Now, get snapping!