This is the 4th edition of this series and slowly but steadily we are delving into the fundamentals of photography, with a special focus on how to capture food.
You can catch up with the previous numbers here:
I always love knowing your input so I can write about topics I am positive you’ll find useful. Some of you previously mentioned you’d love to learn more about which are the best angles to photograph in and here we are!
Let’s make a clarification before we move on. When we say “angles” we refer to the specific position from which the camera takes a photo of the subject. Imagine a camera on a tripod. Is it facing the subject (ex. cake) right in front? Is it on top of it? Is it pointing down to it? Those are the angles we talk about, and the same applies if you are just holding the camera or phone free-hand.
Top-down
This is perhaps the most used camera position in food photography and there’s a good reason why: it offers a very special perspective that we don’t usually get to see in real life.
It’s often also called “bird’s eye” because the camera is directly above the subject, so when the photo is taken we see the perspective that a bird would have if it was looking down. It’s really special and if you take the photo from quite far up, you can photograph a full scene and even the full length of a table!
Other names for this angle are: “overhead” or “flat lay”. And it’s technically a 90° angle.
How-to
If the scene or subject you want to photograph is not very large, you can take the photo free-hand positioning your phone or camera right above the subject. It’s important to try to have the camera as straight as possible because otherwise the image will be appear to be leaning to one side missing the important effect of a flat surface.
If it’s possible, it’s best to use a tripod. You’ll have more control on levelling the camera/phone and it’ll also give you the option to have your hands in the scene, making it more personable.
When-to
This perspective works best when you have a more complex scene with lots of elements. Imagine a tablescape or the ingredients of a recipe. The viewer will be able to identify all the elements at once and get immersed in the storytelling.
It also works very well when the food you want to capture is flat or has it’s most interest on the top. Think of chocolate cookies, a pizza, soup, crepes or a charcuterie platter.
As the image will appear flat, you can try to play with dimension creating visual layers. This can be done with textiles, plates and objects that frame the dish. And also positioning various objects in different heights that would be out of focus but create a sense of depth.
Straight-on
This angle is achieved when the camera is directly positioned in front of the subject. In fact, it would technically be a 0° angle.
How-to
If you are holding your camera/phone with a tripod, set it so the subject looks straight in front of it, as it was standing up. If you are holding your camera/phone free-hand try to find the same position paying attention to the surface. We don’t want the table to be leaning, it needs to be completely straight.
When-to
This angle works best when the food you want to photograph has many layers and it’s best seen from the side rather than the top.
Imagine a burger, a sandwich, a cake, a yogurt in a transparent vase with layers of jam and granola, a trifle, a bubbly drink, a stack of pancakes…
None of the latter would make any sense photographed from the top because you’d be missing the interest of that specific food. You’d be photographing the top of a bun instead of the layers that compose the burger!
45° Angle
This final camera position is actually a gradient of angles. It’s best known for the 45°, which would mean looking down at the subject, but it can be anywhere from 25° - 75°, depending on what’s most flattering. Remember, nobody expects you to use your high school protractor. It’s not about the angle but about trying to capture the food in the best possible way.
This angle(s) is very versatile because it captures the front of the dish as well as the sides.
How-to
Position your tripod or yourself in front of the scene and tilt your camera towards the subject as if you were looking down at it. Be mindful to focus on the food and not too much on the bowl or plate. Adjust your angle slightly if necessary to capture the best of your dish.
When-to
This angle works really well when you want to show the texture of food. Most of the dishes you can photograph with a top-down you can also capture at a 45° angle, and here you have the advantage to capture how the leaves of a salad curl, the texture of the brownies and the reflection of the backlight on a syrup.
Indeed, this angle is fantastic to capture backlight. If you don’t know what I am talking about you can read my piece on Tips for taking better photos: Understand Your Light. To sum it up: normally food scenes are captured with the light coming from one side, this way you get light hitting the dish on the left, for example, and shadows on the right; backlight is when the light source is at the back of the dish.
It’s a bit tricky to work with it because if your subject is big and solid, you would be illuminating its back (which wouldn’t be in the photo) and the front would be in shadows. *But* if your camera is not straight-on but at a leaning angle, that backlight could bring amazing reflections on the surface of your subject, creating a magical effect. One that would make the viewer stop and stare!
A little exercise
How many of these angles can you identify?
My favorite tripods
As I mentioned, having a tripod gives you many more options than taking a photo free-hand. I do both; it’s for sure not compulsory to have a tripod to take a beautiful shot, but it just gives you more creative options.
This is why I am sharing my list of tried and tested tripods. These are the ones I use and have served me well for years.
Manfrotto tripod with 3-way head and centre column. Great to change your camera from vertical shots to horizontal shots. The column would be for top-down shots but it only works if your scene is very small. If I had to buy it again perhaps I’d consider this one with a ball head.
ARKON phone tripod. It also holds a tablet in case you want to use it as a monitor to see the scene. I don’t use the lights it comes with but they could be good if you want to film yourself and illuminate your face a bit. I use it mainly for videos when I want my hands in the scene.
Neewer C-Stand. I use it to hold my camera for top-down shots. It is much sturdier than a tripod and you can elevate the arm much higher to capture larger scenes.
There are many specificities about the tripods. Let me know if you’d be interested in knowing more on this topic and I can put together a newsletter on this with examples and uses.
To wrap it up
To wrap it up, here’s a summary of what we’ve been talking about:
Choose your angles taking into account how your food looks best.
Top-down for larger scenes and for food that is flat or has lots of details on the top.
Straight-on for tall food with layers.
25° - 75° to capture details, textures and backlight.
Extra tip: Avoid slant positions. You always want to keep your horizon/table straight!
Have fun experimenting and tag me in your photos so I can see them!
This is my favorite series Elisabet! Do you ever have trouble with the shadow of your hands/phone showing up in a picture?
What a generous post, Elisabet! Thank you for sharing your knowledge!