#9. Composition Matters in Food Photography

Written By Chip Weiner
The subject of this shot is the Bucatini Alla Vaccinara in the bowl, but moving it over and including flat ware makes the dish look ready to eat. Using the rule of thirds added interest and context.

The subject of this shot is the Bucatini Alla Vaccinara in the bowl, but moving it over and including flat ware makes the dish look ready to eat. Using the rule of thirds added interest and context.

​Should your subject go in the middle of the shot (not usually), be shot from above (see tip #8), or shot using the rule of thirds or other compositional elements? Along with the angle at which you shoot, placing the elements in the frame to make an interesting composition takes some experimentation, and experience . Do you want to shoot the dish alone, with flatware in the shot, or with a glass of wine in the background? What story are you trying to tell?
Create leading lines by putting subjects diagonally across the image. Is there a reason to put the subject in the middle ( I call it shooting bullseye)? Usually not. Experiment with composition!

Using the rule of thirds- e.g. putting your subject like this Boba tea into the right third of the image (off center) can make for a more interesting shot

Using the rule of thirds- e.g. putting your subject like this Boba tea into the right third of the image (off center) can make for a more interesting shot

Shooting your subject on a diagonal creates a leading line. It brings your viewers eyes into the photo

Shooting your subject on a diagonal creates a leading line. It brings your viewers eyes into the photo

What do you want to include in the frame? It ALL matters! Just the dish? The entire setting? The whole table? Do you want the entire restaurant in the background? Think before you shoot!

What do you want to include in the frame? It ALL matters! Just the dish? The entire setting? The whole table? Do you want the entire restaurant in the background? Think before you shoot!

What are you putting in the background? Do you want to get aspects of the restaurant in your shot? The name of this place was Fire Bar and Grill. While it didn't stay open long, it made sense to include the fire colored lion fish on the wall, emblematic of the name.

What are you putting in the background? Do you want to get aspects of the restaurant in your shot? The name of this place was Fire Bar and Grill. While it didn't stay open long, it made sense to include the fire colored lion fish on the wall, emblematic of the name.

Even though the plate is usually delivered with the long edge parallel to the edge of the table, I rotate it to a diagonal to put the main subject in front and make the shot more interesting. Then I may spin it a different way just to see how it looks.

Even though the plate is usually delivered with the long edge parallel to the edge of the table, I rotate it to a diagonal to put the main subject in front and make the shot more interesting. Then I may spin it a different way just to see how it looks.

One of the reasons to "bullseye" an image (center the subject) is to create symmetry, especially if the subject is round. Notice the 3 and 3 make up of this shot.

One of the reasons to "bullseye" an image (center the subject) is to create symmetry, especially if the subject is round. Notice the 3 and 3 make up of this shot.

Including table tools, in this case a wooden mallet, delivered with the stone crab adds an interesting element to the shot

Including table tools, in this case a wooden mallet, delivered with the stone crab adds an interesting element to the shot

Chip Weiner
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#8. Get The Correct (Not Always Right) Angle
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#10. Don't Take Diagonal Shots!