Tasty Food Photography Tips from Tara Milk Tea

Instagram star Tara Milk Tea is the unofficial queen of food photography. Recently at The Grounds of Alexandria she showed off her food photography skills with her trusty EOS M6. She also graciously shared these helpful food photography tips, which will come in handy next time you're in the mood for a food shoot. Bon Appétit!

1. Lighting is key

Good lighting is essential when taking photos. Avoid shooting in direct sunlight or at times when there will be harsh shadows. Afternoon window light in summer is one of my favourite times to shoot. If you are shooting outside, dusk is one of my favourite times.

2. Get up high

Use a step or stool, or even a chair. If you've styled on a table, taking a photo from an above angle can make for a great hero shot. Make sure you can safely get above your set up otherwise you might be missing out on a good shot! The 180 degree tilt screen on the EOS M6 makes seeing what I'm shooting while doing this much easier.

3. Play with framing

My style of food photography is 'more is more'. I like to half crop food out of the shot, to give the illusion that a feast is happening. Play with framing that works to your style. Maybe less is more for you, so you might want to add more of the background in to your shot to achieve this.

4. Ask a friend

I always like to get a second opinion. Maybe a friend will notice something you didn't, or give you a tip that can help improve your shot. Seeing from other people's perspectives can be one of the best things in photography.

5. Edit

While taking the shot is one of the most important steps, editing is just as important. Use tools to edit like Lightroom. Play with colours, exposure and contrast to get your shot looking like how you envisioned it. If you are on the go, and want to edit on your phone, use apps like VSCO, Snapseed or Colorstory– those are my phone favourites!



About @taramilktea:

Tara Whiteman (@taramilktea) is a design and travel creative from Sydney, Australia. Her work is dedicated to documenting her daily lifestyle as Tara Milk Tea. This mostly includes her latest travel adventures, showcased through food, places and people. Her images are usually portrayed through a kaleidoscope of colour, as she seeks out the most beautiful and brightest places around the world.