Professional food photographers are experts at capturing the fine details of fine dining, but to what extent does this come from knowledge of the culinary arts?
A skilled food photographer is extremely good at finding the best way to frame a dish in order to make it look as appetising as possible.
This usually requires knowledge in composition, framing, tone setting and prop selection, as well as knowledge in food styling to ensure that the multisensory experience of a delicious meal is conveyed purely visually.
One question that is often asked by both clients and people new to food photography is whether you need to be skilled at cooking in order to be great at taking great pictures of food.
The short answer to this is “yes”, whilst the long answer is that anyone who wants to take excellent photographs of food that convey a story, fit a style and sell a meal to a customer will require enough of an understanding of food and food styling that they will invariably be a better chef as a result.
The biggest reason why is that proficient food photography is about storytelling. It is not enough to simply take a picture of a steak, a roast dinner or a souffle; a photographer needs to convey how it will make someone feel when they take a bite.
This includes plate presentation, making suggestions for modifications in order to allow finer details to appear more prominently on film and styling a dish in such a way as to make it as photogenic as possible through the use of garnishes and props.
It can also incorporate actions and dynamism, such as seasoning a steak or dusting a cake with icing sugar, both techniques that can require a little training or practice to effectively pull off.
Finally, different culinary traditions benefit from being showcased in different ways, and understanding how to cook in different styles will give a photographer a greater understanding of which particular aspects of a dish they need to convey through photography.