---
type: "Article"
title: "14 photo tips for food bloggers"
description: "If you are an aspiring food blogger, you'll find answers here to the basics of food photography. Rule of thirds included."
resource: "https://travelmemo.com/photograph/14-photo-tips-for-food-bloggers"
author: "Walter Schaerer"
publisher: "Travelmemo"
photo_count: 18
tags: ["photography", "Photography"]
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  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/travel-photography"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/culinary-tourism"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/restaurant"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/design"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/nature-tourism"
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  - "https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer"
generated: { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer", at: 2026-07-04T13:16:44+00:00 }
verified:
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sources:
  - id: photos
    resource: 14-photo-tips-for-food-bloggers.md#photos
    title: "Original photography by Walter Schaerer"
    author: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer"
    last_modified: 2017-06-20
timestamp: 2026-07-04T13:16:44+00:00
---

# 14 photo tips for food bloggers

> A practical guide offering 14 photography tips for food bloggers, covering composition principles such as the Rule of Thirds and Golden Ratio, camera angles, lighting, depth of field, color management, and storytelling techniques.

## What to do
- **Apply the Rule of Thirds** — Position subjects off-center in a 1:2 ratio to create visual tension rather than placing them in the middle of the frame.
- **Choose your camera angle** — Shoot from directly overhead (flat lay) or at roughly 30–45 degrees (spatial perspective) depending on the dish and personal preference.
- **Clip plates in flat lay shots** — Let round plates extend partially out of the frame to make proportions more legible and create tension with the edge.
- **Use soft sidelight** — Sidelight produces shadow nuances that add depth; avoid direct flash on food as it rarely produces good results.
- **Control depth of field with aperture** — A low aperture number (e.g. f/3.5) creates a large opening and shallow depth of field; high numbers (e.g. f/16) keep more of the scene in focus.
- **Capture motion or action at the plate** — Keep a video option ready for dishes that lend themselves to moving impressions.
- **Incorporate a second plate** — A companion dish can serve as an additional compositional element; ensure it does not distract from the main subject.
- **Use diagonal elements** — Diagonal lines in a composition tend to make images look more dynamic and lively.
- **Add eye-catcher objects** — Supporting objects that distract slightly can guide the viewer's eye toward the main subject.
- **Arrive at the restaurant early** — Early arrival allows location shots before other guests are present, avoiding copyright or privacy issues.
- **Apply a vignette** — Reduce brightness or saturation around the edges of an image to draw focus toward the center.
- **Match color palette to the subject** — Choose or adjust the photo's color scheme to complement and enhance the food being photographed.
- **Tell a story** — Build a narrative arc through both text and images to make content more engaging than a terse description.
- **Photograph the menu for SEO** — Shooting the menu helps you remember dish names for accurate image file naming, improving search engine discoverability.

## Good to know
Yellow color casts common in restaurant lighting can be corrected in Adobe Lightroom by adjusting the white balance slider; highlights such as candles can be dimmed and images rotated if the orientation is slightly off.

## Photos

```yaml
photos:
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/image_14-photo-tips.png"
    caption: "Golden proportions of the Fibonacci numbers"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Laos-cuisine-11.jpg"
    caption: "Ban Anou night markets in Vientiane"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Laos-cuisine-13.jpg"
    caption: "Super-friendly chef at the Ban Anou night markets"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Pha-Tad-Ka-botanical-garden-Laos-13.jpg"
    caption: "Boats by the side of the Mekong"
    keywords: ["Laos", "Mekong", "Pha Tad Ka", "botanical garden"]
    captured: 2017-06-20
    geo: {latitude: 19.8765, longitude: 102.0977}
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Laos-cuisine-19.jpg"
    caption: "The Blue Lagoon in Luang Prabang"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Laos-cuisine-21.jpg"
    caption: "Dinner at the 3 Nagas, Luang Prabang"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Laos-cuisine-22.jpg"
    caption: "My favourite dish at Parasol Blanc was vegetarian spring rolls in rice paper with chilli and garlic dipping sauces"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Laos-cuisine-16.jpg"
    caption: "Street food in Phou Khoun"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Laos-cuisine-1.jpg"
    caption: "Fisherman"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Walter-Schaerer-travelmemo-Fb-Banner.jpg"
    caption: "Walter Schärer Atacama desert travelmemo.com"
```