FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS FOR BAKERS
You've spent hours perfecting your baking and refining your decorating skills. And if you have a business, you've spent time nailing your branding, style, marketing, etc. There is nothing more heartbreaking than seeing photos that don't do justice to all your hard work and talent! With this in mind, we asked Cat Main from CM Props & Backdrops to give us her top food photography tips for bakers. We use their vinyl backdrops in our photos and love how easy they are to use (and clean!). Thanks for sharing your wisdom with us Cat!
Tips for great Food Photography for Bakers
- A well lit area is key: Natural light, coming from the side, works well with decorative cakes and baking, to highlight the texture created by the decorations and icing. Fill in any dark shadows on the opposite side by using a white board to bounce light back in.
Photo credit: @k.ferg_studio
- Have an uncluttered scene so it's clear that your product is the intended focus of the shot: Using a simple backdrop can transform your tight, cluttered space into a bright and airy studio in seconds! Vinyl backdrops are perfect for bakers because they are not marked by grease and can be easily wiped down after use (https://backdropsnz.nz/
collections/backdrops ).
- If you want to use props, make them relevant to your product, for example lay strawberries by the side of strawberry cupcakes. Another great use for props is by elevating small items such as cupcakes and biscuits on stone or acrylic risers, so they appear more dominant in the scene (https://backdropsnz.nz/
collections/props ).
- Use camera angles that show the best part of the product. A cake for example, maybe best shot from straight on, to accentuate its height and grandeur. Or, if the most decorative part is on top, then directly overhead could be better. Remember you do not always need to show the whole cake, a close up of its best feature works well.
- Use negative space (the area of a photo not taken up by your product or props): Blank space gives the viewer room to relax and place all their focus on your food. It de-clutters the scene and stops our eyes flitting around.
Photo credit: @sweetbabykitchen
- Crisp images are vital, with camera shake in low light being the main culprit for poor blurred images. Support your phone on a 5-way phone stand (https://backdropsnz.nz/
collections/accessories/ ) or your camera on a tripod. It is even more important for your camera to stay still when the light is low.products/5-way-phone-stand
Follow @cmbackdrops and make the most of the photography tips Cat shares. You can see all of their NZ made vinyl backdrops and props at: https://backdropsnz.nz
