6 BASILARI TIPS
1. Choose the right angle.
The ideal height would be the horizontal one to you (that is, sitting ready to eat what is on the plate).
If you want, you can also tilt the plate a little (of course if the content allows it! )
helping you with a spoon or saucer placed under the plate.
This will enhance the effects of depth of field, giving the shot games of fire / blur.
The top shot can also be interesting.
Generally when the plate has volume then it is preferable to take it perpendicularly or from below.
If you can, choose the rule of thirds (you can read the entire article on composition of a photograph in my blog).
2. Turn off the flash
Don't use your smartphone's flash!
The flash can help but not the one built into the smartphone but others to be placed in strategic points of the composition.
If natural light (always preferable) is not sufficient, you can use a fixed LED light but also the light of another mobile phone to direct it wherever you want.
However, natural light is much preferable, especially if you are next to a window.
Never use artificial kitchen light!!!!
3. Equip your photo set
In an article that you will find in my blog, you will be able to read analytically, how can you equip yours photographic set.
Let's imagine here that you are in a restaurant. For sure you will have a white tablecloth and a white napkin. Well, the napkin use it as a reflective.
You will have your plate in the center, on one side the light of a mobile phone and on the opposite side the light, the white napkin. In this way, the white of the napkin will reflect the light of the mobile phone and create a more diffused light.
Of course, take a good look at what's on the table. It removes the “disturbing” elements of the scene from the composition ( bottles, dirty cutlery, breadcrumbs, etc).
A cell phone adapter might be useful…
4. First floor
Smartphones typically have a wide angle lens. When you photograph the scene, everything will be in focus. Something not always desired, especially in food photography. How to do? You can put your phone in Portrait mode and you will see that the background will be blurred.
I do not recommend zooming in with your mobile phone because the image that will come out will not be the best.
5. Pay attention to colors and contrast.
Do not use the filters offered by the various apps or your mobile phone too much because they alter the colors of the food too much, which must be as natural as possible!
Often, the plate is white while the food is colored. You don't have to do anything else. What you can do is play on the complementarity of colors (green basil leaf on red sauce, for example), but always try not to overdo it.
6. Lifting
Of course, you can always do a little facelift with the applications offered by your mobile phone and the various apps ... but always sparingly!
The best apps for food photography with your mobile.
A brief overview.
Even if I photograph with my reflex, I did a search on existing apps, free and not. I have tried some and they are quite good, others are so-so…
Here are some interesting applications for editing your photos (the former are food photo apps, the others are good for all types of photos):
FOODIE. It is quite an application easy and intuitive. It has predefined filters for food photography and is free.
VSCO: there are many presets to download online such as "VSCO RECIPES". To make the most of this app, an annual subscription is required.
LIGHTROOM (free): Very good for editing photos, especially if I have problems with the light (if it is too light or too dark).
PHOTOSHOP EXPRESS (free) Very good for editing photos but I won't go into it because everyone knows Photoshop!
CAMERA RAW
CAMERA PLUS You can rotate the image, adjust the contrast, the luminosita', etc.
Some are only for Android others are only for Iphone but most are fine for any system.
I recommend you try them by going to GooglePlay!
