Hey there! If you’re in the food business, you know how important food styling is to keep your customers hooked. In today’s world, flaunting your delicious food and appealing restaurant ambiance through pics is significant for great reviews. A well-presented dish can impact the success of your business.
Food and culinary myths passed down through generations are integral to a society’s food culture. These myths represent popular beliefs and legends about eating habits, food items, and even food styling perpetuated over time.
Here are seven common myths about food styling that I found:
The food used in commercials is fake:
This is not always true. It is the biggest misconception among many people. The fact is, this isn’t true most of the time. Mostly, the food you see in food photography is original and edible. The cooked food makes sure it still retains its shape. Sometimes stylists use fake food for certain difficult-to-shoot items, like ice cream, yet most food you see in food photography is not fake and edible.
Food is undercooked:
To make food look good, food stylists often prefer undercooked food to prevent it from looking overdone in photos. Coordinate with the chef; you can discuss the stages of cooking and the look you want to create. Usually, the food is cooked al dante while sometimes it needs a helping of shoe polish, deodorant, spray color, oil, and water to bring out the shine.
Food in commercials is not what it appears to be:
While food stylists may use many techniques to enhance the look of food, they try to recreate food closest to what you want it to appear.
Have several food styling props:
It doesn’t make sense to go out and spend a lot of money on props for the beginner food stylist. There are several DIY projects to help you create stunning backgrounds for food photography. In the beginning, hunt for the props around you. These may be a piece of jute or rag, a checked cloth, a marble slab, a couple of books, a solid tablecloth, a satin napkin, or maybe a potted plant from your garden. Just google your eyes around.
Imagine the scene and the mood it wants to set in. A mood board before beginning makes the selection easy. Read how to create a food photography mood board.
You must have a studio for amazing food photographs or videos:
“We eat with our eyes first”; so professional quality photos are a must investment that a restaurateur must make.
Lighting is the key in the setup to deal with overcast and undercast shadows. Scout the appropriate source of light. Natural light is preferable to artificial light in food photography. Your studio can be wherever you want, but the camera should be placed where you get adequate natural light.
A place where you have the best natural light or can maneuver and get around there quickly and easily can be an ideal spot to set up your studio.
Fancy camera equipment is a must for food photography:
The need for fancy camera equipment has diminished with the high-resolution cameras and filters available in smartphones. Truly said, the best camera is the one you have with you. Exploring different camera angles, lighting techniques, and props can lead to creating distinct and imaginative photographs. You will love these tricks for professional food photographs with mobile.
These 6 most effective strategies for professional flat-lay photos are definitely a great help in your journey.
You must have a lot of food styling experience:
Proper training and consistent practice can make you great at composing beautiful pictures, even if you don’t have years of experience. The practice would improve your styling and photography skills. Your dedication to the art is the foremost requirement. With proper training and practice, becoming a great food photographer is achievable even without years of experience to enhance credibility.
Food styling and photography are teamwork. A food photographer may not be responsible for the look of the food. Styling and designing require different skill sets and should not be mixed.
