5 pro tips for killer vacation food photos

©Martha Williams

Whether you’re feasting on roast pheasant at a classic Parisian bistro or snacking on grilled cuy high in the Andes, your meals are as much a part of your vacation as your monuments. Professional food photographer and world traveler Martha Williams offers five quick tips for capturing your food memories while away. Plus: 5 tips for dropping the “souvenir 6,” aka those extra vacation pounds.

1. Use natural light whenever you can. Turn the flash off and find a window. To avoid camera shake, rest your elbows or the camera on a solid surface.

©Martha Williams

2. Pick the right dish. While your stewed lamb might taste amazing, it looks like cat vomit. Stick to colorful, well plated dishes. If you must have a photo of an unattractive dish, pull back and capture scene and/or the table setting.

©Martha Williams

3. Try the salt shaker perspective. Hold your camera at a low angle, on the same level as a salt shaker. This works especially well with food that has some height.

©Martha Williams

4. Alternately, build a graphic shot from above. This is great for dishes that are flat, or in a bowl. Add interest by neatly arranging the elements semi-symmetrically.

©Martha Williams

5. Create makeshift studio lighting. If you’re in a dark restaurant, get creative with finding light. Have a friend light the scene obliquely with their camera phone’s flashlight. Try placing the camera flashlight on either side of the subject or directly above to get more interesting light. You could also use the candles on the table to bring more light into the scene. As a last resort, use your camera flash.

©Martha Williams

Tagged: Photo essay