How to Shoot Food Like a Pro: a Tutorial by Top Photographer

In the noughties, "things" happened in basements, nowdays "things" have migrated to roof-tops. Which I suppose, is a blessing when it comes to a food photography tutorial as roof-top = Light.
On my way to a promising evening of Rosé D'Anjou tasting and food photography tutorial on the Queen Hoxton's roof garden, I wasn't expecting much more than talk of light.

You see in my experience, professional photographers always start a talk with, "The light" followed by "more light". Instinctively, you'll know it's the end of the seminar when you hear "....and don't forget the light."
I, for one, often have more interest in the origin and make up of a subject than in the light on it. For this event, put together by Douglas Blyde, a man with many strings to his blow, sommelier and food writer among other talents the subject or rather the object of interest was Rosé D'Anjou.

The evening started pleasantly with canapés under the canopy as June had began with a downpour. A glass of rosé d'Anjou in hand we gathered to hear what Paul Winch-Furness, one of the best known food photographers on the scene had to tell us. Not wanting to appear rude I stayed at the back, I knew I was going to retreat to my imaginery world at the first evocation of the L-word.

Looking a little shy, our fame photographer broke in with "L..ove", he told us, "You have to love what you do otherwise it will show in your pictures".

By the time I had registered, that the man actually had something interesting to say,  I was making furious mental notes and here is what I recall of

Paul Winch-Furness' advice:
-A dish doesn't live in isolation. Your picture needs to tell the whole story, capture the atmosphere. don't hesitate to use your phone it keeps it real.

-Don't tinker with your pictures. People will easily spot when a picture had been touched up in photoshop and will associate it to fake.

-To publish on the web, landscape is a better format than portrait.

-Get close to your subject, a dish has many sides, capture its best side.

-Kill the flash or the flash will kill your food picture. If it's very dark use a white source behind the dish: white paper, plate.

-Stage your dish a little but not too much, keep it simple. Don't shoot pictures on a dirty work top.

And don't forget the light........get it from the side or shoot into it.

For More information:

Want to see more about the event? here is the video
Remember the entire Pebble Soup team attended. Did you spot us?

There was a lot of talent around that night, read an account of the evening by Being Erica: Heaven is a Rooftop Rosé Garden
Amy laughinghouse reveals How to Taste Wine Like a Pro.


Credit: He attended the evening, all photos on this post are his

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