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FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY 101

Learn from the expert, Lakshmi Harilela, on how to properly photograph food

With the advent of food bloggers and social media such as Facebook and Twitter, there's no denying it: everyone is a food critic. And if that is not disconcerting enough to restaurateurs, there is also the visual element. Time after time, we have seen plates of beautifully plated and visually attractive food reduced to a smudged blur on someone's Facebook profile, essentially reducing the chef's artwork into a children's painting. This has proven so galling to some top chefs such as New York's David Chang that he has banned picture-taking in his restaurant, Momofuku Ko.

Here are some of her top tips:

HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH FOOD

You don’t need fancy equipment, the best equipment is the stuff you have on hand. It is very easy to buy all this equipment that is expensive, only to find yourself not even using it. The best way forward is to use the basics and build up from there.

Here are some of my pro tips for pro photos;

BACKLIGHTING FOR MOVEMENT

There is a misconception that food should be lit from all areas. But actually back or side lighting helps to define to movements of smoke or other details.