7 Food Photography Composition Tips

If you have been thinking about starting a food blog, or if you are already blogging and want to improve your photography skills, then this article is for you. Food photography composition is an art form in itself and there are many things to take into consideration when creating the perfect shot. In this article we will go over some of the most important aspects that should be taken into account when planning your shots so that they come out perfectly on camera!

Make sure you check out the other basics of food photography:

Do you want to take better pictures of your food?

Food photography is a tough business. You need to know how to compose the perfect shot, use light and shadows, and get that one-of-a-kind angle. But don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with this cheat sheet containing 26 proven compositions for taking flawless photos of your favourite dishes.

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With these tips, you’ll be able to capture stunning shots of all your culinary creations in no time at all! And if you’re looking for more inspiration on what’s trending in the world of food photography, check out our blog where we share some great ideas from around the web every week.

Planning and sketching

To make the most use of compositional theory , we must understand how our eyes move through an image. We read images the same way we read anything else, however there are a few composition tips that help lead the viewer. The type of dish as well as the props often dictate the angle you choose. So choose the perspective that supports the appeal of your main subject.

How To Create a Focal Point to Emphasise the Main Subject

The focal point in any photo is the most important part of a composition. This can be anything from an animal to a tree, but it must always stand out above everything else in your frame.

You should start by considering what you want to focus on and then decide where would be best for that object to sit within the rest of the frame. Plan your composition before you start shooting by sketching out the different angles and focal points to help plan what can be achieved.

Use Diagonals and Layers to Create Balance

A diagonal line leads the eye across the photo-frame, which creates a sense of balance in your image. You can further emphasise this by having an element in one part of the background that connects with another object on the opposite side of your frame. This helps create depth and heightens the drama of your photo.

Negative Space to Create Balance

In a composition, negative space is anything which does not have your focal point in it – this includes empty areas or even objects that do not have any importance to what you are trying to convey. Negative space can be used for balance by giving equal weight on both sides of the frame.

Layers to Create Depth

Making use of layers in your composition is a great way to create depth and introduce more interest into your photo. You can achieve this by for instance, having an object on one side that has some sort of reflection or refraction from another object in the background behind it. This creates a sense of depth in the photo.

Repeat Patterns to Create Interest

Repeating patterns is a great way to create interest and texture within your composition. You can place objects that are similar on either side of the frame, or use an object as a focal point while repeating it behind for additional impact. This will make your food photography more interesting and engaging.

Visualise your composition with crop guides

This is a great way to see how different cropping techniques will affect the overall look of your photo. You can simulate this by using Lightroom’s Crop guides, by pressing Shift + O in Lightroom.

The Rule of Odds

In any composition, it is important to create balance in the frame. To achieve this, you must use the rule of odds which states that if there are three items on one side then put two on the other side for a sense of symmetry. This will make your food photographs more balanced and pleasing to look at.

We’ve taken a deep dive into the composition of food, and we hope you found some new information. If you want to learn more about how to put this knowledge in action for yourself, check out Flawless Food Photos or the other food posts we have. Our team is always happy to answer any questions about food photography.

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