How to shoot food with a mobile phone

Lead: For me, the protagonist of food photography is the food itself, so it is very important to observe what is special about a food (a place worthy of being photographed and presented to people) before taking pictures. Because only by understanding the essential characteristics of the subject can we decide which techniques and composition methods to use to shoot.

1. 45 degrees from top to bottom

When the distance is closer, patting the food from top to bottom at a 45-degree angle can usually show the natural texture and delicious taste of the food (for example. The bright caramel skin of braised pig scalp oil, the dark sauce shining under the light, and the golden crisp surface of fried shrimp? )

Most mainstream food newspapers and periodicals use this angle, so the mistake will not be too big (but for me, some things are not suitable for this method, such as a bowl of brown soup, which can't be seen at the moment, but will be misunderstood as a mottled bowl of kitchen waste. Therefore, the food with clear cooking methods and materials is more suitable for this angle), but compared with other composition methods, the 45-degree angle will be a bit boring, which is a safety card in the safety card.

Shoot down from directly above the dining table

I think this shooting method is quite difficult because there are many factors to consider. Basically, the table is used as the canvas, and then food, tableware, light and shadow are used to form a pleasing scene. Therefore, photographers must have certain aesthetic ability and know how to use the elements at hand to shoot successfully. This kind of photo usually doesn't give the viewer "looks delicious!" "The idea, but give a person a kind of" beautiful! I really want to go to this store to order these things! "Mind.

But not all food is suitable for this shot. If there are two plates of jiaozi with minced meat on the table, if you photograph it from above, it will look like two little things with no features, no meaning and no aesthetic feeling. But flat, large-area food is quite suitable, such as pizza covered with ingredients, or a bowl of yogurt mixed with various fruits, which will feel very colorful from the top.

In addition, this method is also very suitable for presenting before and after effects. Sometimes I feel that the scene of messy cups and plates after dinner has a different aesthetic feeling, and then I shoot it vertically.

Horizontal shooting

Shoot foods suitable for stacking and layering with horizontal eyes, such as layered muffins, tiramisu, or gradually mixed drinks.

It should be noted that if the background is too messy (the background is a whole restaurant guest or a pile of sundries on the table), this photo will look out of focus.

With people

I like this kind of shooting very much, because by linking food with people's actions, it will create a story and vivid sense of interaction after the photo, and it will also create a sense of time flow, so that food will no longer be frozen in a static space. For example, taking an ordinary Japanese-style tea-soaked rice looks more interesting and delicious than taking a picture of the process and moment when hot soup is poured on white rice. Or instead of making a complete pie, it is better to cut off one or two pieces and put them aside. The pie with missing corners will look more vivid and interesting.

If you can cook at home, sometimes it is more interesting to take semi-finished products and process notes than finished products. For example, shooting a dish of Mapo tofu alone looks boring, but when cooking this dish, you will need a lot of materials, such as green onions, red meat and white tofu. It will be more interesting to line up these materials, deconstruct the food and record it with the lens.

In addition, I like to put the hands of friends or family members into the picture (for example, the moment when friends cut the cake with a small silver fork). For me, such photos are not only beautiful, but also have the value of commemorating and recording events.

5. Side shots on the dining table

From the side of the dining table, it seems that the food has become a supporting role. But the environment and atmosphere around the dining table set off the preciousness, uniqueness and delicacy of the food. This kind of shooting is often seen in Kinfolk magazine or the blog of food writer Ye Yilan.

This way of shooting attaches great importance to our surrounding environment. Imagine a small table and several plates of food in a seaside restaurant with a light blue sea in the background. Food looks fresher and richer unconsciously. Atmosphere? .

In some restaurants, lights will be hung directly above the dining table. At this time, no matter what angle you shoot, there will be a shadow of your hand and mobile phone projected into the picture. In order to avoid this situation, I will turn to the side-shooting technique at the dining table.

6. Use props flexibly and creatively

Using props will increase the interest of the picture. The silver knife and fork at hand, beautifully colored napkins, crystal clear goblets, your mobile phone, watches and accessories, and even the business card of this store (many restaurants or cafes now make beautiful business cards) can all be your tools.

Many Japanese bento artists often use some homemade props to make cartoons and artistic bento, which has changed from ordinary to extraordinary.

7. Color matching

Although I have a weakness for color, and my observation of color may be very weak, I still want to remind you that color collocation is the key point that is easily overlooked. If you look around, if there is "does this photo feel orange?" The idea of ""means that the color scheme of the picture may be unbalanced. If foods of the same color are crowded together on a plate, or the color contrast on the dining table is unbalanced, the picture will not look beautiful.

One color matching technique is to study the color wheel. Usually on the color wheel, the color directly opposite to one color will be the contrast color, and the two contrast colors will look more balanced and beautiful together.

8. Late application

Everyone's later style is different. My most commonly used APP is the famous VSCOcam. I will write another article next time to share my experience in researching and using this APP filter.

9. Others

I think natural light is the best light source for photos, so if I have a window seat when I go out for dinner, I must move there at once. There are many professional food photographers who use artificial natural light or reflectors to create natural effects, but it is more convenient for us to choose a good seat for fun!

In addition, it is recommended not to be too greedy and want to put everything in one picture. Sometimes when a big table is heated, the scene looks imposing, but if everything is crowded together, it will only look messy and unfocused. Might as well find a better angle to shoot.

There is also a traditional nine-grid composition method, that is, three horizontal and three vertical nine-grids. When you take a picture, imagine that the picture is cut by these nine squares. You can put the protagonist of the photo on the intersecting nodes or lines, which can create an unexpected effect more than putting food in the middle of the grid!

When shooting delicious food, we should also pay attention to prime time. For example, if the milk on the cappuccino is soaked for a long time, it will start to collapse and sink. At this time, it will be ugly to shoot again. So, you have to be quick and accurate when taking pictures!

Finally, getting along with friends and family is always more important than uploading an Instagram photo. Therefore, I will definitely restrain myself from taking pictures for two minutes at most, so as not to hinder my friends from eating, and I can also exercise my quick judgment ability in taking pictures.

Professional photographers have more skills, such as carrying a spray on food to make it look fresh, or putting a steaming basin behind food to make it look hot from the front? These are more? Advanced? I won't talk about it here, because I think it is very valuable to have experimental spirit. Sometimes you have to look away from professional photographers or masters to see the wider world.