So you are about to photograph food, and you are not sure what looks best: a close-up or the whole plate. And what is going to be in focus? Everything, the front of the plate, the middle of the plate...

Personally, I prefer a very small depth of field.

There are cases where you do need to see the whole plate and sometimes the whole table and even the background! Even in those cases I like to keep it to the minimum acceptable by the client or the Art Director. I always feel that the smaller depth of field is more interesting, as it brings in the viewer. It attracts the viewer's eyes in a specific area that you chose.

In a case where there is only one product, make a test where you choose a part in the middle of the product, another test where you choose the very beginning of the product and one more where you focus at the very end of that product and compare the 3 pictures. See what each of those different pictures convey.

If you have a plate that consist of a great cut of meat, some vegetables and some rice or potatoes or mashed potatoes, again try different areas of focus:you will see a big difference between different areas of focus and realize that some view points are much more appealing than others. As an exemple, compare different images on my Food website " cuisinecaptured".

A good professional Food photographer has already experienced those differences and already knows what will look best, depending on what the client or art director is looking for. That makes the professional photographer so invaluable to the whole process of a successful Food Photography session and a successful Advertising campain for a restaurant, a food company or an article in a magazine.

As an assignment to yourself, try different areas of focus for a single piece in a plate, and then try different pieces in a plate, and then try different plates on a table set for a special occasion like Thanksgiving or Christmas or a birthday party or even a romantic dinner for two. See for yourself how interesting certain areas of focus are compared to other areas of focus or too much in focus. Isn't it more interesting to look at a picture when there is a very specific area of interest?

Feel free to leave comment and ask questions and follow the blog on my cuisinecaptured site.

Have a good day,

Pierre