Tips for Stunning Food Photography with TopWithCinnamon | Sorted Food

Summary

In this informative session, food blogger Izzy from 'Top with Cinnamon' shares the fundamentals of food photography. She emphasizes the importance of natural light for its color and directionality, and how to achieve diffused light with simple techniques. Izzy also discusses the significance of camera angles, backgrounds, and the three key photography settings: ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. She highlights the benefits of shooting in RAW for post-editing flexibility. The session concludes with a nod to Izzy's engaging presence on her blog and social media.

Takeaways

• 🌞 Natural light is crucial for food photography as it provides a nice color and directional quality, avoiding harsh artificial lights that can cast unwanted color tones.
• 💡 Diffused light, such as on a cloudy day or using a bed sheet next to a window, helps to soften shadows and enhances the visual appeal of the food.
• 📸 Two main shooting angles are recommended: top-down for a bird's-eye view, which is great for phone cameras, and the 3/4 angle for capturing the full scene and details like textures.
• 🍫 Focusing on textures and details, such as dripping chocolate, is important as it helps convey the sensory experience of the food.
• 🎨 Using different backgrounds or fabrics can add variety to food photography, but the food itself should remain the main focus.
• 👀 Ensuring the food looks good to the naked eye is fundamental, as post-editing can only enhance what is already visually appealing.
• 📈 Understanding the three main camera settings for food photography: ISO for light sensitivity, aperture for focus control, and shutter speed for motion control.
• 🔍 A low ISO setting (around 200 or 400) is preferred to minimize graininess in the photos, especially when using natural, diffused light.
• 🌀 Adjusting aperture allows for creative focus, with a lower number resulting in a shallow depth of field and a blurred background effect.
• 🏞 Shutter speed can be managed with a tripod in low light conditions, ensuring stability for slower speeds without blurring the image.
• 🖼 Shooting in RAW format preserves more detail and information in the photo, allowing for greater flexibility during post-editing.

Q & A

What is the name of Izzy's food blog?

Izzy's food blog is called 'Top with Cinnamon'.

What is the significance of natural light in food photography according to Izzy?

Natural light is important in food photography because it has a nice color and provides a good directional hit, which can create a side or back light effect on the food, avoiding the harshness and color casts of artificial lights.

How can one achieve diffused light for food photography?

Diffused light can be achieved by shooting on a cloudy day or by hanging a bed sheet next to a window to soften the light and reduce strong shadows.

What are the two main angles Izzy recommends for food photography?

Izzy recommends shooting from a top-down angle, which works well with phone cameras, and a 3/4 angle, which allows capturing the full scene and composition of the dish.

Why is it important to capture textures in food photography?

Capturing textures in food photography is important because it helps convey the sensory experience of the food, including its appearance and how it might smell or feel, which are key aspects of food presentation.

What types of backgrounds or fabrics does Izzy use for her food photography?

Izzy uses different pieces of wood that she has found and put together to create various backgrounds for her food photography, enhancing the overall aesthetic of the photos.

What is the role of ISO in food photography?

ISO determines the camera's sensitivity to light. A higher ISO makes the camera more sensitive but can result in a grainier photo. Izzy suggests keeping ISO low, around 200 or 400, to avoid graininess in natural, diffused light conditions.

How does aperture affect the focus in a food photograph?

Aperture controls the depth of field. A lower aperture number (like 3.2 as mentioned by Izzy) results in a shallow depth of field, focusing on the foreground and blurring the background, creating a visually appealing effect.

What is the purpose of shutter speed in photography?

Shutter speed determines the duration the camera's sensor is exposed to light. A slower shutter speed can be used in low light conditions with a tripod for stability to avoid photo blur.

Why is shooting in RAW format beneficial for food photography?

Shooting in RAW format provides larger file sizes but retains more details and information from the original photo, allowing for greater flexibility and quality during post-editing.

How can one find more of Izzy's work on food photography?

To see more of Izzy's work, one can visit her blog 'Top with Cinnamon' and her profile on Sorted Food, with links provided in the video description.

Outlines

00:00

📸 Mastering Food Photography with Natural Light

In this paragraph, Izzy, a renowned food blogger and author, introduces the basics of food photography, emphasizing the importance of natural light for capturing the best colors and directional effects. She advises against artificial lights due to their harshness and potential to cast unwanted color tones. Izzy suggests shooting near a window for diffused light or outside on a cloudy day for a soft, even illumination. She also touches on the significance of food presentation, stating that if the food looks appealing in person, it will translate well to photos, and any post-editing will only enhance its appeal.

📐 Exploring Angles and Composition in Food Photography

Izzy discusses the two primary angles used in food photography: the top-down view, which is ideal for mobile photography, and the 3/4 angle that allows for capturing the full scene and composition of the dish. She explains how these angles help to showcase textures and details, such as dripping chocolate, which are crucial for evoking the sensory experience of food. The paragraph highlights the importance of background and fabric selection to complement the food and fill the camera frame without overshadowing the main subject.

🔍 Understanding Camera Settings for Food Photography

This paragraph delves into the technical aspects of food photography, focusing on ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. Izzy explains that a lower ISO setting minimizes graininess in photos, while aperture controls the depth of field, with a lower number resulting in a more blurred background. She recommends shooting at an aperture of around 3.2 for a balanced focus. Shutter speed is discussed in the context of low light conditions, with the suggestion to use a tripod for stability when shooting at slower speeds. The paragraph concludes with a mention of shooting in RAW to preserve detail and flexibility in post-production editing.

Keywords

💡Natural Light

Natural light refers to the illumination provided by the sun, which is essential in food photography for its pleasing color and directional quality. In the script, Izzy emphasizes the importance of natural light over artificial light to avoid harshness and unflattering color casts. She suggests shooting near a window or outside on a cloudy day to achieve soft, diffused lighting that enhances the appearance of the food.

💡Diffused Light

Diffused light is a type of lighting where the light source is softened, reducing harsh shadows and creating a more even distribution of light. In the context of the video, Izzy recommends using a bed sheet next to a window to diffuse the light, which helps in achieving a more flattering look for the food photography by providing soft shadows and a balanced exposure.

💡Top-Down Angle

The top-down angle, also known as the bird's eye view, is a photography technique where the camera is positioned directly above the subject. Izzy mentions this as one of the main angles used in food photography, particularly suitable for phone cameras, as it allows for a comprehensive view of the dish and its composition.

💡3/4 Angle

The 3/4 angle is a photographic term for a viewpoint that is slightly off-center, offering a more dynamic perspective than a straight-on shot. Izzy describes using this angle to capture the full scene of the dish, showcasing its composition and allowing viewers to see the textures and details of the food more effectively.

💡Texture

Texture in photography refers to the visual and tactile quality of a surface. In the context of food photography, capturing texture is crucial as it conveys the sensory experience of the food. Izzy talks about the importance of showing details like dripping chocolate to give a sense of the food's appearance and appeal.

💡Backgrounds/Fabrics

Backgrounds and fabrics are essential elements in food photography to provide context and aesthetic appeal. Izzy mentions using different pieces of wood as backgrounds, which not only fill the camera frame but also complement the food without overpowering it, enhancing the overall visual storytelling.

💡ISO

ISO in photography is a setting that controls the sensitivity of the camera's sensor to light. A higher ISO makes the camera more sensitive to light but can result in a grainier image. Izzy suggests keeping the ISO low, around 200 or 400, to maintain image quality while shooting with natural, diffused light.

💡Aperture

Aperture is the opening in a camera lens that controls the amount of light entering the camera. A lower f-number indicates a wider aperture, resulting in a shallower depth of field. Izzy prefers shooting at an aperture of 3.2 to keep the foreground in focus while blurring the background, creating a visually appealing effect in food photography.

💡Shutter Speed

Shutter speed is the length of time the camera's shutter is open, determining how much light reaches the sensor. Izzy mentions shooting at a fast shutter speed, such as 1/100th of a second, to freeze motion and avoid blur. In low light conditions, using a tripod can allow for slower shutter speeds without introducing camera shake.

💡RAW

RAW is a file format used in digital photography that preserves all the data captured by the camera's sensor without compression. Izzy highlights the benefits of shooting in RAW, which allows for greater flexibility in post-processing by retaining more detail and information from the original image, ensuring the final photo stays true to the scene as captured.

💡Post-Editing

Post-editing refers to the process of altering and enhancing a photograph after it has been taken. While Izzy stresses the importance of the food looking good initially, she acknowledges that post-editing can further improve the photo. This includes adjustments to lighting, color, and contrast to accentuate the food's appeal.

Highlights

Natural light is crucial for food photography due to its pleasant color and directional quality.

Avoiding artificial lights is recommended as they can be too harsh or cast unwanted color tones.

Shooting outside on a cloudy day or near a window can provide diffused light, ideal for food photography.

Using a bed sheet to diffuse light from a window can soften shadows and enhance the food's appearance.

Two main shooting angles for food photography are top-down and the 3/4 angle, providing different perspectives.

Top-down angle is particularly suitable for phone cameras and allows for a full view of the dish.

The 3/4 angle helps capture the composition and details of the food, such as textures and dripping elements.

Different backgrounds or fabrics can enhance the visual appeal of the food in photographs.

The quality of the food itself is paramount; good natural appearance translates to better photographs.

ISO, shutter speed, and aperture are the three main camera settings to adjust for food photography.

A lower ISO setting reduces graininess in photos, ideal for natural and diffused light conditions.

Aperture adjustment controls the focus area, with a lower number creating a shallow depth of field.

Shutter speed affects the stability of the shot, with slower speeds requiring a tripod in low light.

Shooting in RAW format preserves more detail and offers greater flexibility in post-production.

Compression reduces file size but can compromise photo details, which RAW helps to avoid.

Izzy's expertise in food photography is showcased through her blog 'Top with Cinnamon' and her book.

For more insights into stunning food photography, Izzy's blog and Sorted Food profile are valuable resources.

Transcripts

here is our friend Izzy she runs an

incredible food blog called top with

cinnamon which is so good she turned it

into a book chances are if you search

for sexy looking food on the internet

you will have seen her work so therefore

we're here today to learn the basics of

stunning food photography now cooking

beautiful food is one thing but taking

beautiful photos is a whole another so I

don't know much about it I'm here to

learn what's the first thing we should

be looking out for well first off we

need to talk about

[Music]

light so natural light is the most

important thing because it has a really

nice color to it and also good kind of

like directional hit so you get a nice

like side light or back light to your

food also artificial lights can be too

harsh or else they can cast a kind of

like yellow or blue tone so you want to

avoid light bulbs and shoot outside or

by window yeah you can shoot outside

sometimes if it's like a nice kind of

cloudy day and you get diffused light

that way but otherwise I like to shoot

just right next to a window because

that's quite easy um but second of all

like I just talked about you just need

to have diffused light so a cloudy day

is perfect basically or else you can

take a bed sheet just like hang it up

next to your window it will diffuse the

light and kind of soften it so the

Shadows aren't too strong on the light

and then you'll just get a nice kind of

soft Shadow on your food and it will

look

[Music]

beautiful there are kind of two main

angles that I would use so either top

down where you're shooting with the

camera lens above the food that's really

good for phones because the camera works

really well with that kind of angle and

second of all I like to shoot kind of

straight on or just with a little bit of

an angle on it I call it 3/4 angle I'll

like pull out and then it means that

I'll have a nice big shot of everything

so you can kind of see the whole scene

and the different composition of mov of

the dish exactly and then you can go

straight in and get like Textures in the

actual food and see more details like

dripping chocolate or like which we know

is important with food it's all about

smell what it looks like and the texture

so you got to get that in the photo yeah

cool

you'll want to have different

backgrounds or Fabrics which you can

shoot on so I have lots of pieces of

different wood that I've just found and

just put together in a little square you

don't need that much to kind of fill the

frame of the camera at the end of the

day the food is the really important

thing you have to make it look really

good if it looks good to the naked eye

then it's going to look good on your

phone or on your camera you know any

post editing that you add later on is

just going to make it look better but if

the food doesn't look good at first

you're not going to make it look good

but just by like editing it later

on the three main things that you'll

need for food photography are ISO

shutter speed and aperture so first

we're going to talk about ISO which is

kind of how sensitive the camera is to

light so the higher the iso the more

sensitive the camera is to light the

only problem is the higher the iso the

grainier the photo will become so

ideally you want to keep the iso quite

low I like to shoot around 200 or 400 so

that's quite a good level and you won't

get too much grain in your phot and

that's if you're shooting with natural

diffused light like we SP before exactly

so aperture is kind of the one that I

really like to adjust because you change

how much is in Focus so if you have a

low aperture which is like a small

number then it means that less will be

in focus and I normally shoot at about

3.2 which means that you'll have like

the foreground in Focus but then things

in the background will be nice and

blurry so you get that like nice effect

shutter speed kind of is how far the

camera will take the photo so I shoot

around 100th of a second if you've got

quite low light then what you can do is

you can put your camera on a tripod if

you have one and that means that there's

more stability so you can have a slower

shutter speed and your camera your won't

like blur the photo so basically the

lens won't move as all the lights coming

in this takes me back to my pinhole

camera

days silence

Grandpa if you have a SL SLR one of the

really good things that you can control

is a thing called raw and it means that

the photos that you take won't be

compressed and compression is where

basically they take all the little kind

of details of your file and they smush

it up into one little ball so that it

makes it a smaller file size easier to

transfer yeah exactly and it takes up

less space on your computer and

everything but it means that you also

lose some of the kind of information

about the photo you've taken so if you

shoot in raw you'll have a really big

file size but it means that when you're

editing the photo later on you can do

more with it exactly and it kind of

stays more true to the image that you've

taken rather than adding a layer of

editing on top it edits the actual

information that you've got on the

camera Izzy thank you very much for

inviting us into your home and showing

us how food photography can be done so

beautifully if you want to see loads

more from Izzy check out her blog talk

with cinnamon we'll put the links down

below and check out her profile on

sorted food where you uploading amazing

stuff all the time