Food Photography: All About the Angle

Byangela @marathonsandmotivation
49 Comments

All About the Angle: How to Find the Perfect Angle to Capture Your Dish

When it comes to food photography, one of the most important things to take into consideration is the point of view the picture is taken from. By simply adjusting the angle of the camera, the image captured can be altered in so many ways to achieve the specific look and feel desired. One of the best parts about this tool is that it is free for photographers at any skill level. It is a fun way for beginning food bloggers to experiment with photographing their dishes. In this module of Food Photography, I will review four powerful camera angles and their impact on the image.

The Overhead View

I have to admit that I am starting off with one of my favorite angles for food photography. It is when you hold your camera directly over top of the food, at a 90 degree angle, and shoot straight down. I am partial to this view because it allows several ingredients to be shown. It also eliminates the depth of the photo, which makes getting the "right look" easier for many simple recipes. Another thing I would like to mention here is that using the freshest possible ingredients is essential for a desirable picture. For example, I only use Eggland's Best eggs because they arrive in stores within 72 hours of being laid which makes them super fresh and in turn assures me that the yolks will be pretty!

The ¾ Angle

This angle is a great place to start if you are not sure how to take your shot. Hold your camera at about a 45 degree angle in relationship to the food to take the picture. It should capture the front, top, and sides of the food, but not the back. In other words, ¾ of the actual image. This is a beautiful way to relay a story to your readers about a meal or show all the ingredients in a recipe.

The "Head On" Shot

In a "Head On" shot the camera is looking straight at the subject or at a zero degree angle. This point of view is looking directly at the food and will only show the front of it. It is a dramatic angle to use when you want to only feature the finished food item.

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FREE Food Photography Course

Would you like to learn more about the "Right Angle" for Food Photograpy? Sign up for the FREE class offered by Fit Approach in partnership with England's Best here:  Fit Approach Food Photography Course

Course lessons include:

  • No gear required: how to take amazing photos with just your phone, by Jennifer from Fit Nana.
  • When fake is good: staging a beautiful backdrop by Kristin from FoodFash
  • Lighting perfection: How to get the best natural light to capture the shot, by Ashley from Fit Girl in Flight
  • All about the angle: how to find the perfect angle to capture your dish, by me!

Have you ever taken a Food Photography Course? Will you be signing up for this awesome free class? What is your favorite angle to take pictures of your tasty creations?

Thank you so much for stopping by! As always, I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. Happy Thanksgiving!

 

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49 Comments

  1. What a very cool and helpful post! I do photography as a hobby but I realized how food photography can be very difficult to do even if the subject remains stationary. The reason is that you have very little control of the lighting ambiance. Thanks for sharing this. Will think about signing up for that free class!
    Reply
  2. This is great! I generally shoot from 3/4 angle because I feel like it's the hardest to mess up, lol. The one thing I struggle with for the overhead shot is getting everything in focus with my DSLR - I think I need to shoot with an overhead arm tripod so I don't get the slight hand shake.
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  3. Interesting post! I do not do hardly any food photography, so I never really thought much about what makes a good pic or a bad pic when it comes to food.
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  5. Awesome tips. I'm slowly learning to take better pictures. Hoping to get a new lens to make it easier too.
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  10. It's hard for me to be looking at all the different angles. I'm too busy looking at the cookies :)
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  11. I struggle with food photos, which is why I rarely post them. I try to make my smoothies look appetizing but it's a tough challenge. I can use all the help I can get!
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  12. This is so true! It is all about the angle (sing to: It's all about that base) and I have learned to try EVERY possible angle.
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  14. True, its all about the angle and also the timing because sometime the camera blurring and we have to time good. Great tips!
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  15. I am loving all of these great tips! I take food photos once in a while and when I do - I find it hard to get the right pic! Your tips are helping me a lot
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  16. I hear you I spend long hours doing my photography to get the best shot. Appreciate the tips and the advice.
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  19. Great tips and such beautiful photos. I help out my daughter with her edible printed wafers for desserts, and I appreciate new ways to present her products. Thanks!
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  20. I totally know what you mean, getting the perfect shot. I like your tips. All my friends laugh at me, cause I spend an hour or more shooting a recipe LOL. I guess food bloggers get this.
    Reply
  21. This is so handy! When I was learning photography I researched so much and read through so many helpful guides. I wouldn't be where I am now without posts like yours! And the angle really does make such a difference; it's the first thing I think of when setting up a shoot!
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  22. I shoot most of mine at the 3/4 angle or above. I haven't quite mastered the straight on. These are awesome tips!!
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  23. thanks for this. I am trying to improve my photography skills, and this came at the right time. Will check out that free course as well. Blessings!
    Reply
  24. I’m partial to the overhead shot. I also like experimenting with different lighting and angles. I’ll think about taking your Free class, thank you!
    Reply
  26. I agree 100% with you that it's all about the angle to really capture a great tasting dish. Thanks for the tips, I'll be sure to use them and pass them along as well ; )
    Reply
  27. Great tips Angela. I love playing around with lighting, composition and textures with photography. If only I had more time to do it.
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  28. I have really been trying to get serious about perfecting my food photography lately. So much to learn!
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  30. My favorite is the overhead view. Everything looks good! Light is the biggest thing though. I only shoot with natural light!
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  34. I took a photography course for food but I don't seem to be getting it. I'd love to use your tips with my next food photos to see if I can improve the look of foods.
    Reply
  37. I have been trying to figure out which angle I like best. Usually, I take photos of my final food product in all of these angles so I have them, and then decide later which looks best for the food. I am signing up for your course, though, to hopefully learn more!
    Reply
  39. It's all about those angles! YES!!! Same goes for photographing people too. It's important to have them right for each body, each product and the lighting as well! Such great information. XO! Happy New year!
    Reply
  42. Learning about product photography is so interesting. Also, learning from you is awesome too. I love all your pictures.
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  43. There is so much to learn about photography! People make it look so easy, but I've found it's quite difficult. Thanks for the tips!
    Reply
  47. Oh this is so wonderful! I have been learning how to do more photography so thank you for sharing this. It's a great help.
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  48. I really do agree with this. It wasn’t until this post and trying things myself that I learned how to capture food correctly. Thank you for sharing this great tip!
    Reply

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