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Maki at i was just really very hungry posted a great guide on how to take food photos in restaurants and other public places. A prolific blogger and writer, she has extensive experience and, judging from her photos, is good at what she does. Now, with some practice (and a good camera), getting quality photos at home isn't too difficult because you have the control over the lighting and there is not time pressure because there isn't anyone at the next table peeking over to see what you're doing.
Restaurants can be challenging places to shoot if they're dark, quiet or crowded, and because they are places of business, it is important to be unobtrusive. Maki uses three different cameras, ranging from a professional model to a camera phone for taking her photos. While she prefers to use the pro camera, there are situations were the other two are simply more appropriate, such as trying to be discrete with a camera in a restaurant. Beyond camera selection, here are a few of her tips for taking good food photos away from home:
- If there is any doubt in your mind as to whether it is ok to take photos, ask. If you are asked to stop, for some reason, then stop.
- Always turn off the auto-flash, no matter what the lighting conditions are, and turn off the shutter sound, too, if your camera has a digital one. This will prevent you from annoying other diners.
- Try to get the best lighting you can, perhaps by requesting a window table.
- Use the table to steady your hands, especially for low-light/long exposure shots and push the food somewhat away from you to give yourself more room to set up the shot.
- Take as many photos as you can, increasing your odds of getting a good one, and invest in some photo-editing software if you plan to record your fine dining experiences frequently.
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6-21-2006 @1:02PM John said... I have done promotional/press photography for restaurants and food distributors. Often, these places will be more than happy to allow a photographer to take pictures of their products, for reviews in publications (and, presumably, on weblogs, although I have never tried that!).
Usually, just asking the proprietors for permission is all it takes. They'll often accomodate you by allowing you to work during "off-peak" times, and/or arranging for a table near a good light source. If they say "no", then it's back to the more covert methods.
It's best to photograph restaurant foods in their own "natural" setting, so the images that people see will truly represent the restaurant's offerings.
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