JOURNAL | TRICKS OF THE TRADE

And photography, when done right, divulges so much – it shows us how food should be prepared and served; reveals the appetising textures and colours; and at its best, has us imagining the flavours.

So for those of you that are starting brand new in this exciting field and are seeking expert guidance, we’ve partnered with one of our favourite food and lifestyle photographers, Mowie Kay, to bring you some top tips for taking fabulous photos. Mowie has shot features for esteemed magazines, cookbooks and companies – Food and Travel, The Times, Saveur, Gourmet, Waitrose, Pizza Express, et al. – runs his award winning blog, Mowielicious, and is also currently shooting his second cookbook, due out in 2013.

Here’s what Mowie has to say about food photography:

What set up would you recommend to a novice food photographer?

I would highly recommend an entry level DSL camera. Compact cameras are convenient and packed full of features, but can be quite limiting in comparison to a DSL camera, and will limit your progression in food photography. It’s important to have some reflectors too, and for that you’d need some white foam boards (available at most art stores) and small mirrors or metallic cardboards (the ones in packs of smoked salmon work wonders!). And of course a good, stable tripod for sharp images. 

What camera and lens do you use? 

I use a Canon 5D Mark II, usually either with my 24-70mm lens or with my 50mm lens or 60mm macro lens.

Could you tell us about the role of lighting in photography?

Lighting in food photography is very important. It can either make or break the final image. Once you’ve understood light, you’re half way there. Shadows are just as important as highlights as they create depth and drama in food images, and you can have lots of fun adding shadows to different parts of your image with pieces of card, glasses or bottles. Natural light is always best for food, as it shows off the colours and textures in a more natural and appealing state. It’s important not to have very harsh lighting as that can overexpose your images, so morning or afternoon light is best, and if you’re indoors, it’s best to shoot by a window, otherwise if outside, under a shaded area should be good. If you can’t avoid harsh lighting, it’s important to diffuse your light, and you can easily do this with some sheer curtains or netting. This softens the light, again resulting in much better images. 

Any tips on framing?

Composition is always a personal thing, but it’s got a lot to do with feeling. You have to look at the final composition and feel that it looks right, and this can take some time as you try shooting from different angles and levels. Familiarize yourself with the rule of thirds and the golden rule, practice these a lot, then start breaking the rules.  

What is the best program to edit with? And what are your top three tips for editing?

For me personally, I shoot tethered into Capture One Pro, do a little editing in there, then export the images into Photoshop CS6 for final adjustments. Top three tips:

(1) Don’t overdo it! It’s very easy to get carried away, but what you’re trying to achieve is make the image look as close on screen to what the actual food in front of you looks like.

(2) The crop tool is your friend: once you’ve taken the shot, and you find you haven’t framed it properly, cropping can breathe new life into your images.

(3) Create ‘Actions’ in Photoshop. These basically record what you’re doing to one image and save those ‘actions’, so you can apply them to 100 or more images in one go, saving you lots of time! 

How much does styling have an effect on the photo?

I always say that both food and prop styling are something that defines a food photographer’s style – it can become their signature. As a professional, working with really good food and prop stylists is very important, as most have distinct styles which may or may not conform to the story you’re trying to tell, or the feel you’re aiming for with the final shot. If you’re just starting out in food photography and doing the food and prop styling yourself, take your time with it, it’s something you have to practice until you decide what you like the look of, then go with that.

Any extra equipment one should have on top of a camera and lens? 

Good knowledge of how to use your camera, lenses and software. Always be open to learning – education is one of the most important things about making it as a food photographer. The more you learn, the more you know, and the more you know, the more control you will have over what you are doing, which will always result in better photography. And of course: practice, practice, practice!  

www.mowiekay.com

www.mowielicious.com

Twitter: @mowiekay

 

By Rosa Park

Images by Mowie Kay

 

And photography, when done right, divulges so much – it shows us how food should be prepared and served; reveals the appetising textures and colours; and at its best, has us imagining the flavours.

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