Monthly Archives: July 2016

Food is the one topic that all people can relate to and agree on. I mean, come on, who doesn’t love food!? I love all foods, and I also have grown to love photographing food as well. Now, I’m not a pro at this, but over the years I have learned a few thing that have improved my eye for food photography. Something I do quite often is pick up the food magazines in the check out isles at the grocery store. I usually will feel quite inspired by these pictures on the covers and throughout the magazine, so I go home and try to imitate the meals. Before I eat, I always make sure to get a picture of my somewhat masterpiece. I have figured out some ways to make your food look more appealing while also looking fun and creative.

First off, like I’ve said before, natural lighting is key. If you have natural lighting in your kitchen by a window, set your food on a table in that area. Or if you are outside, and you don’t want the sun to wash out the picture, find a nice shaded spot under an umbrella. The natural lighting helps to give your food that crisp color it’s credited to. After you get your lighting down, you can always enhance your photographs color and contrast to make it even more appealing.

Secondly, besides capturing just the food, try and capture a background image as well. For example, if you’re photographing a refreshing drink, place it in a clear glass with someone holding it. Get this persons hand in the shot and maybe if they’re wearing a bright colored shirt, get that as well. Let’s say you’re photographing a colorful salad, have it on a colorful plate then look for a wooden table to place it on. The wood in the background is going to help the color in your food stand out as well as make it look like a modern and rustic shot. Also, if you’re working with a drink, try and add some fresh cut fruit to the glass, some whole ice cubes, and a straw with some sort of pattern dimension. Almost all of the drinks advertised in food magazines include on of those three, and the drinks look very appetizing!

Lastly, try to garnish your food if possible. Fresh chopped herbs and spices look great on hefty foods like meats, eggs, and vegetables. If you’re photographing some sort of dessert, try and drizzle something light on top, like melted chocolate or a fruity syrup. This just makes the image look more appealing over all.

Since 4th of July weekend starts tomorrow I’m sure all of you will be feasting on some colorful and delicious food! Before you dive into your meal, think about taking a fun photograph. This holiday is a great one to look back on, plus with all of the bright colors involved, you have a great shot at getting some exciting photographs!

Having the privilege to photograph everyday life is probably one of my absolute favorite things to do! Capturing the little moments from our everyday lives can mean so much, especially down the road when we look back on them. It’s crazy how times have changed from the film era to now what is digital, where we can delete what we don’t want from our camera role and there’s no worry about wasting film! Here are some of my thoughts on lifestyle photography and tips to encourage you to do some of your own!

I am constantly taking photos. Seriously, no matter where I am, if I see something that I feel is the slightest bit interesting, I snap a picture of it. I try to bring my DSLR with me every chance that I get. Whether it’s to the park for a walk, or to a family gathering, there are always moments to be captured. I make sure to have it in a comfortably smaller bag, this way I don’t feel like I’m lugging anything around heavy.

Here is a photograph I took with my DSLR at a family gathering last weekend. Just a sweet mother and her daughter enjoying a cannoli together. See how special, little moments like these can truly be? I’m sure everybody out there can relate and appreciate the little moments like this in life.

I know I sound like a broken record when I say be creative, but go on and use your imagination! Also, don’t be afraid to be weird. If you see something you feel like capturing, don’t hesitate. Work on getting different back drops and angles with objects, this way they stand out and make others take a second look. Don’t be afraid to zoom in either! Take your time to capture the little details, especially of the things that you love most in life. It could be something as simple as a Starbucks cup with lots of foam at the top, or a close up of your beloved dog’s nose. When you zoom in on an object, it really enhances the meaning of that object, and shows others how passionate you were about that shot. It also helps them to see things from your perspective.

I was walking around a “pizza bar” last weekend, just looking for things to photograph, when I came across these very interesting breadsticks. I immediately thought to get this shot because, where else are you going to find cool food like this? The angle is what makes this shot one of my favorites. I also helped myself to one of these breadsticks after taking this and I have to say, it tasted quite interesting as well.

Lastly, express your personality through your images. Whether it’s through objects, colors or scenery, people will have a better understanding of who you are and the things you appreciate the most. I love to take pictures downtown and in little street markets. This is where I find the most character within a shot, as well as that rustic environment everyone loves. Also, if you don’t own a DSLR or don’t plan on buying one anytime soon, don’t fret! iPhone’s work for lifestyle photography just as well as a digital camera does. There are also miniature lenses you can buy and place right over top of your existing lens! Here is a link to a page that specifies in iPhone lenses, and it’s quite fascinating!

thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-lenses-for-iphone/

This photograph I took using my iPhone 6S. I had just gotten done buying some beautiful flowers downtown, when I spotted and brick alley way across the street. I made my way over to the alley and snapped this colorful photo!

Always have some sort of camera on you, no matter where you go because you never know what might catch your eye! Lifestyle photography is one of the best types of photography because years down the road you have the privilege to look back on the little, fun moments you once captured, and hopefully that brings a big smile to your face!