In the world of instant gratification and social media marketing, we want to produce nice images that will capture our viewers’ attention for those three seconds while they scroll by our web pages. It's important to have eye-catching images and to have images that we can update daily so as to continue to build our presence and audience.
That's where I come in! As a food photographer and food stylist, I'm often asked how to capture images when I am not there. The good news is, there way to capture amazing pictures of your food with your very own smartphone!
Lighting, composition and posing are all principles you want to apply, even when using your phone; after all, those elements make for a good recipe. My smartphone has a grid on it. Use yours, as a guide when you start. It will assist you with proper composition.
I prefer using natural light as light source for this cupcake. This was shot in an actual bakery in West Reading, PA, Ady Cakes LLC. At this bakery, the sun comes into the west side of the store. I love soft light and gentle shadows, so I set up in the front, facing west. The sun moves around throughout the day, so be selective in choosing your shoot time. Harsh sun will cause overexposed images and you will lose details on your product. This is why I chose not to place it directly in front of the light, and more angled to create soft shadows.
When you decide what you want to stand out of your image, don’t be shy; go as close as you can. These models normally don’t mind! Many people don't know this, but the best way to get a depth of field on your image (in a smartphone) is to simply touch the screen on your camera (where you want the focus, and it will highlight that particular area and allow the proper focus to be on your image).
Take different angles, shoot close-up, and then more faraway, this is to ensure that you have enough space around the image in the event that you want to write some text on it.
The cameras on these phones are relatively sharp and clear. There are some great editing tool applications. However, just like a fine recipe, season to taste. Be light-handed.
I feel that when you are shooting food, you should stay away from filters. They change the appearance of your food and can dull the amazing colors in your creations. Have fun while shooting with your smartphone and finally remember this recipe:
R- Right light
E- Every angle
C- Creativity rocks
I- Increase your audience
P- Pose, practice and post
E- Eat the subjects when you’re done- that’s the best part!
