“Food brings people together on many different levels. It’s nourishment
for the soul & body. It’s truly love.”
~ Giada De Laurentiis ~
Food is not just a sustenance, it’s a celebration of our cultural diversity and way of life. Every bite tells a story, from the apple orchards of New York State to the olive groves of the Mediterranean. It’s the universal language that connects people and & place. In short… It’s the joie de vivre that makes our hearts sing.
Food also has a vital role in the world of travel photography. It’s usually not the main attraction, but an important ingredient that shouldn’t be ignored. How do you photograph New Orleans, Paris or Rome and not reserve part of the imagery to the food & wine? Every morsel & grape reflects a bounty of pride.
I don’t believe I fully understood the value of food imagery as part of a culture. Call me a slow learner, but I think I’m starting to see the light. Sure, I always snap a few frames of food/wine/beer while on vacation, but I’m not a ‘foodie’ by nature. As such, I’ve often missed the fine details of French pastry or the vivid colors of Italian gelatos as I’m not conditioned to look for them.
I only recently learned in an episode of Emily In Paris the value of Michelin Star ratings. Okay, this is an exaggeration… sort of… but, I think you see my point. The finer elements of food and wine often sprint past me and my classic navy blue sport coat. Even a handkerchief in the pocket doesn’t help my ignorance.
In her excellent book, “Picture Perfect Food: Master the Art of Food Photography with 52 Bite-Sized Tutorials” author Joanie Simon details some of the best kept secrets to capture the tantalizing side of food. Whether you’re a food blogger, aspiring commercial photographer or travel photographer looking to enhance the story (ie. me!), there are plenty of ways to expand your creative vision and dazzle the senses.
As I started deploying some of her techniques, I quickly realized how difficult and time consuming food photography can be. Seriously. All the basic rules of photography are still apply, but food & beverage images have subtle nuances that can only be obtained with experience.
For example, to get the best possible images of golden brown pancakes with silky maple syrup running down the stack, you shouldn’t use your favorite brand of syrup as it’s easily absorbed into the pancakes and doesn’t produce the best outcome. Instead, a blend of maple & corn syrup heated to 240F (116C) will allow the heated mixture to pour with more fluidity and not get absorbed by the pancakes. Who knew? The blend will run down the stack in a slow deliberate manner. While this concoction does absolutely zero to enhance the flavor or dining experience, it has everything to do with capturing a brilliant image. Further, it is often advised to add accessories to the frame to complete the scene; a cup of coffee, napkin, glass of orange juice, cutlery and some tooth picks on the backside of your pancakes may be required to keep everything up right and in place.
When it comes to presentation… perspective is everything. The two most popular camera angles are from above and in front (often referred to as the diners perspective). The overhead angle makes it easy to display shapes, patterns, sizes, colors and design. It’s aesthetically pleasing and easy on the viewers eyes. The latter pertains to the perspective of the person eating the food. The old adage about put the viewer in the drivers seat is readily apparent with this angle.
Now that I’m equipped with a few new creative skills and more common sense, I’m ready to incorporate food photography in a more tactful manner into my travel photography. A few extra calories may be consumed in the process as I move along the learning curve, so a few more trips to the gym may be required as well.