Food photography tips: making dishes look delicious

Food photography is about appetite. The viewer should want to taste the dish.

Light from the side or behind

Side light and backlight reveal texture: the crust of bread, steam from a soup, the gloss of a sauce. Window light with a reflector is ideal. Avoid flat light from the front.

Pick the right angle

• Overhead: flat dishes, pizzas, tables of shared plates
• 45 degrees: how we see food when seated, good for most plates
• Straight on: tall foods like burgers, cakes and drinks

Styling

• Use small plates so food looks generous.
• Add garnish, sauces and crumbs for realism.
• Cook food slightly underdone so it stays vibrant.
• Brush with oil for shine.

Work fast

Food wilts, melts and dries quickly. Set up the scene with a stand-in plate, then bring the real dish when everything is ready.

Yucatecan cuisine

Cochinita pibil, papadzules, sopa de lima and marquesitas each have textures and colors to celebrate: the bright pink of pickled onions, the green of habanero, the orange of achiote.