The Fit Foodie’s top tips for food styling
Like dancing, contouring and creating a coffee with the perfect amount of milk, a talent for finding the fine line between absurdity and accuracy is required when it comes to…
Like dancing, contouring and creating a coffee with the perfect amount of milk, a talent for finding the fine line between absurdity and accuracy is required when it comes to food styling.
We at Soulara believe that nourishment, health and happiness are at the heart of every good meal, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have time for presentation and curation!
To learn the art of food styling and what makes the perfect shot to go with it, we reached out to The Fit Foodie, aka Sydney food stylist Sally O’Neill to learn how to style our favourite Soulara meals.
All Soulara meals are delivered fresh, ready-to-eat and are 100% plant-based to make your transition to clean, plant-based eating simple and scrumptious!
Plan Ahead
To get your creative juices flowing create a mood board on Pinterest and select photographs that will inspire the dishes, colourways and props you wish to use on your own.
Add notes to your Pins to quickly reference what inspired you from each individual image and source your props from sites such as Etsy or eBay for one-of-a-kind finds!
The secret to food photography and styling is centred on capturing the light, not the food itself! This is to try and make your food appear more 3D and lifelike rather than flat and lifeless.
To enhance the look of your food, always shoot in natural light where possible and use tricks like putting plates against a window as the closer you are to a light source the sharper the contrast will be.
How To Pick The Perfect Plate
Use plates and props that are of a similar colour or tone to your background as this will ensure they don’t distract from the food! Non-reflective items are a must, so look for matte plates and cutlery – op-shops often have some great finds!
Editing 101
Find a program/app that you like and know how to work to edit your photos – a personal favourite of mine is Lightroom! Play with contrast and hues to bring out the best in each image, like changing the shade of green in your food to a more peppermint colour to make the food look fresh and inviting.
Hot tip – if you’re shooting on a light background, use a brush with reduced saturation to wipe over the background – this will ensure you have consistently white-whites when you post to the ‘gram!
The Art Of Storytelling
Every photo tells a story and invites the viewer to become a part of the narrative and setting.
For example, are you setting a breakfast scene with a Soulara meal? Shooting in soft morning light will really set the tone. Styling a summer dish? Hard warm light might add a hint of the season and ensure you take time to think about what scene you would like to set based on the type of food you’re shooting.
Produce Perfection
Your photos will only be as beautiful as the food you choose to use in the shot! Along with your Soulara meal of choice, ensure you get the most of your photos by picking products to go with it that are fresh and full of vitality.
Use garden herbs to amplify freshness, a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper and chilli flakes will go far to give texture and draw the eye. For example, Soulara’s Paleo Peanut Butter Cups will look really sweet arranged with edible flowers, so don’t be afraid to think a little left of field and play with your product of choice.
Happy styling!
Image credit: The Fit Foodie
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