Every food subject has a hero side. A side that is more flattering and appealing. One of the simplest tricks to improve your composition and food photos is to present the food at its best, by finding the hero side!
How to Find the Hero Side of Food
To find the hero side of food, you need to look at every side from every angle. The quickest way to do this is to put your food on set and spin or turn the plate or bowl. From the camera side, look at the dish to see what looks best. When you think you’ve found the best side, position that side so it faces the camera. It’s super important to also look at the food through the camera to find the hero side of food. Because what the camera sees is different from what our eyes see.
Example
Because we’re visual learners, let’s look at some examples of how we got to the final shot for these croissants and how we saw the hero side and created magic. Key elements include:
Make sure propping isn't overpowering the subject
Consider angle when determining the hero side
Adjust lighting accordingly
The Camera Sees Differently
Now that we’ve found the best-looking side, it’s time to test that side through the camera lens. To further make sure you’ve got the most flattering and appealing side of food, test a few angles and rotate the food as necessary. Changing your camera angle by 10- degrees each way can help you find little adjustments that make the food look 10-times better.
Can you see the difference just a little rotation makes? Find the hero side and your customers will be clamoring for your food! Interested in speaking with us about a photo project? Click here to get in touch with the Deforest Group team!