How are different items of food photographed?

Food photography is unquestionably one of the unsung arts. For all of its traditions in the still life paintings of many centuries ago, continuing into the early photographic age in the 19th century and more recently the worlds of Instagram and smartphone cameras, food photography is rarely explicitly recognised.

Perhaps the most seasoned and capable food photographer is a victim of his or her own success in presenting food in an attractive way that places the focus firmly on it, rather than on any photographic or preparatory tricks or techniques. Much of the success of a good food photographer is in simply having the right equipment and preparing well. For example, a working kitchen in close proximity to the studio is a must, with a range of props and backgrounds and the latest cameras also making a big difference.

However, various styling techniques have also had a big part to play in making food photography so engaging down the years, whether it is witnessed on an advertising billboard, online, in a catalogue, on packaging or as part of an editorial feature. The food photographer may use cool air nebulizers or  a combination of chemicals that give off smoke to create the illusion of steam, while certain liquids - such as water or corn syrup - may also be sprayed on the food to keep it fresh in appearance.

Cooked meats and poultry may have their brownness enhanced by a range of browning agents, while there's also the age-old problem of cereal too quickly becoming soggy in milk, which can be solved by switching from milk to heavy cream. A food photographer may also ensure the freshness and crispness of salad greens by misting them with cold water before composition, and herbs and spices may also be sprinkled over a wet salad to give it the appearance of dressing, given that actual salad dressing can make the food difficult to style.

Other foods that can lose their visual appeal quickly, and hence pose a particular challenge to the food photographer, include hamburgers - given the tendency of the buns to easily dent - and sandwiches. The assembly of a burger for photography may therefore involve toothpicks being used to hold the ingredients in place, while bread may be prevented from drying out with the use of wet paper towels.

These techniques as used by a food photographer can complement such methods for drinks photography as applying dulling spray to create the effect of condensation on the outside of a glass, as well as the use of artificial ice cubes rather than real ones, which would - of course - melt. Such approaches are all to the end of the excellent overall result that creates desire in the consumer, as is the aim and routine achievement of any highly rated food photographer - like Graham Precey of Precey.com.

Editor’s Note: Precey.com (http://www.precey.com) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

A short history of food photography

Almost for as long as there has been food, there have been ways of depicting it that seek to bring out its best qualities. One only needs to look at the still life paintings from many centuries ago of artists like Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, to appreciate where today's food photographer - like Graham Precey of Precey.com (http://www.precey.com) - derives inspiration.

These painters were concerned with so many of the aesthetic aspects that today's food and drink photographers now use to considerable advantage, including composition and light, as well as allegory, which might be thought to have fallen out of favour. That is not to suggest, however, that today's food and drink photography does not reflect an interest in meaning, with certain foods remaining synonymous with certain social classes, lifestyles and aspirations.

In a time long before photography, some of the world's most renowned painters were eager to highlight their technical panache and ability to arrange items, in the depiction of naturally beautiful food. The realism of these portrayals of food mark them out as real predecessors to today's more commercial photography. Then, as now, so much of the point of such depictions was to make the viewer salivate, and feel that they shared a room with the food.

It is thought that food in art dates back to the ancient Egyptian era, when its representation in tombs reflected a belief in its availability in the afterlife. The Romans, meanwhile, had a penchant for decorative mosaics that flaunted the food of the upper class. However, when food photography finally came into being in the 19th century, it was still life paintings that exerted the greatest influence.

Early 20th century food photography was characterised by experimentation with repetition, diagonals, close-ups and cropping. But by the latter half of the century, food photography had largely become full-blown commercial and advertising photography, used by manufacturers throughout cookbooks and magazines.

In the process, there wasn't always much respect shown for the most natural appearance of food, the '60s and '70s being the era in which one would add shine with a toxic product like glycerine, or perhaps keep morsels rooted to the spot with hairspray, or even simulate the 'straight from the oven' look with cigarette smoke. Even better known was the widespread substitution of milk for glue.

Back then, in an era of 4x5 film cameras with long exposures, the lighting techniques used resulted in a consistent, rather than imaginative look. Flash and tungsten were in vogue, and in-focus topshots were favoured over all other formats. It's a far cry from the present fashion for much more natural, albeit still appetising food photography that reflects the skill of the cook.

Today, Graham Precey of Precey.com (http://www.precey.com) is a leading food photographer in London showing the possibilities of this art form in the early 21st century. Contact him at his studio in the capital to learn more about how he can provide the highest standard of photography for your own organisation's requirements.

Editor’s Note: Precey.com (http://www.precey.com) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.