5.1 The Food Assignment

Although photographing food can seem pretty straightforward, to do it properly takes a lot of attention to detail. For food assignment photography, we are often working in similar situations as location portraits. For a certain style of editorial photo, I will use a more mobile kit. But for a more higher end editorial photo, I will use more substantial setup with strobe heads. Food photography can be tricky. The key is to make a simple, yet interesting composition that highlights the food. This may seem obvious but often it's easier said that done. Working with a macro lens will allow for some interesting different composition. Most lenses lack the ability to get extremely close with the focus, keeping you at an uninteresting distance from the food. A good food photo doesn't only capture the food and skills of the chef, but creates an atmosphere. If you are shooting food, most likely you have been assigned to shoot photos of the restaurant's interior. Architecture photography, like food photography, can seem pretty straightforward, but it is extremely easy to mess up. In architecture photos, it is important not to use a wide angle lens that creates distortion of lines. This is something easy to do, and looks very amateurish. Using a solid tripod for food and architecture photography can be extremely helpful. Also, I dislike ball head style tripod heads, and prefer this micro-adjustable version from Manfrotto. It's a little bit extra, but it's worth the investment. And like food photography, look for nice light and create simple compositions of the space you're in. Shoot a wide variety of shots in these situations, it is very helpful in finding that exact, perfect angle, and editors really appreciate it. Next, we're gonna go through some of my food and restaurant assignments.