How to Shoot Food for a Cookbook

We’ve joined food-lover and photographer Allan Ezial in his journey of shooting dishes with hipstamatic for an upcoming

cookbook release. He’s captured these dishes in ways that make us drool. Maybe you want to document your own food journeys or just brag about your incredible meal last night. Whatever the reason, follow his tips on how to capture food so that it looks as delicious as it tastes.

Slow things down:

Look at what you’re about to shoot, and pause. Think about what it is that makes you want to take this shot of a particular dish. Work on your composition, and snap away.

Experiment with B&W:

If the lighting is right, you can shoot food in B&W. It’s not often done because color is what draws you in to food, but when done right, it can be captivating and provide a unique style.

All in the details:

Shooting food doesn’t always mean you should capture the entire plate or item. Pay attention to the details of the dish, the unique shapes and textures that distinguish themselves. How they interact with another can be intriguing in a photo.

Shoot what you like:

When I shoot food, it’s usually food that I’d like to eat. If it makes me hungry, then the photo is halfway there. Lucky for me, I like a lot of different things!

*Editors Note:

We’ve created the incredible Foodie SnapPak in partnership with food photographer David Loftus that makes your dishes look amazing. Using the Loftus Lens and dc Film, it focuses on the details that Allan mentions, creating a photograph worthy of cookbooks.