Students around school are capturing delicious photos of dishes
Food is essential. Eating food helps us grow big and strong, gives people energy and sometimes, it tastes pretty darn good. Food photography is a way for people who appreciate food to share it with others. As more and more people take photos of their food, social media has exploded with intricate, detailed and delicious looking images.
An elaborate, perfectly taken picture of a dish can deceive a person into thinking that the food tastes or looks much better than it actually does. Before even meeting the chef or person who made it, a viewer can tell how much energy, time and respect the chef has put into the dish. Photos of a specific dish can shed light on where someone is eating the food, and the origin of the food they are eating.
Food photography is a great way to combine one’s skills in taking photos with the expression of what they might be eating at a certain time. What intrigues many of us about taking phtots of food is the great opportunities which one has to photograph dishes in Seattle. Our city is full of great restaurants and up and coming chefs both of which create a great environment for food photography.
Photos of food depict a sense of elegance, chic and prestige. Food photography has many stereotypes and assumptions that come with it. What makes a stereotypical good photo of food?
Junior Morgan De Lancy said, “I really like food just in general. I think it’s a shame that the beauty in well prepared or plated food is often only appreciated for a second or two, so that’s mainly why I like to photograph it.”
A major part of food photography is not only capturing food, but also telling a story between when and where the food is being eaten. “Sometimes I’II zoom out a little to capture the atmosphere or the setting a little more. Capturing the sunglasses, and plant also on the table, the amazing view behind the food, or the person sitting across from me all help to create a fuller visual,” said De Lancy.
When taking photos of food De Lancy said, “I tend to be drawn to photos with lots of contrasting colors and textures.”
There are many different do’s and don’t’s in food photography. “If I’m at a nice restaurant, I’ll restrain myself [from taking a photo of the food] because it’s not with being that person.”
De Lancy also threw a ‘pro tip’ when you are taking photos of food. “People really hate it when you make them wait to eat ‘til after you’ve taken a photo.”
Senior Lauren Braun also “really enjoys taking picture of food because it is often super playful, fun and simple in contrast to what [she] normally does as a photographer.”
“I would say first and foremost lighting and composition are key, as they are for all types of photography,” Braun said.
Braun’s biggest don’t’s when taking photos of food, “If you have eaten half of your meal already, nobody is going to enjoy that kind of photo! Don’ts are [also] having a distraction surface or tabletop, bad lighting, and bad composition,” said Braun.
When taking photos of food, keep in mind some rules and guidelines. Creativity and “taking the road less traveled” are key.
By Gus Coluccio