Beata Lubas - How to Photograph Food: Compose, Shoot, and Edit Appetizing Images

I believe that creating beautiful images is a skill everyone can master. Not convinced?

Below is one of my very first artistic food photos. Ohdid you think I had a natural knack for photography?

The truth is, photography didnt come easily to me, and I took a lot of bad photos along the way. But Ive always been stubborn, and I believe that being stubborn in honing your craft is far more important than natural talent. Sure, talent might help, but it wont take you as far as your creative ambition will.

I want you to know that I am SO excited that youve picked up this book and I cant wait for you to dive deeper into it. You really dont need a massive studio, a ton of expensive equipment, or to be an expert in camera-club jargon to take appetizing pictures of food. All you need is to let your imagination off the leash, learn a few simple techniques, and take the time to put them into practice.

If you are hungry to learn more about food photography, then this book is for you.

Here, I spill my photography secretsthings that Ive learned from years of troubleshootingso that you can learn from my mistakes. If you feel that food photography is complicated and overwhelming, thats exactly how I felt when I first started out. There are a lot of decisions to make when you create a food image from scratch. Over the years, Ive found my own process and I want to share it with you in this book, so that you can put my favorite tricks into practice too.

In the following chapters, Ill take you behind the scenes and show you, step-by-step, how I compose my images. And I wouldnt be me if I didnt invite some of my favorite people to talk about their unique approaches to food photography too; I am a huge believer that learning from more than one person makes you a better photographer.

Your creativity is at the heart of this book, so you wont find any strict rules in here. You can dip in for ideas and tools that will strengthen your frame, take and try what you find inspiring and helpful, and leave what doesnt work for you. Follow your own path, at your own pace, and make your own discoveries along the way. We all work in different ways and that should be something we celebrate.

It all begins with the decision to show up, roll up your sleeves, and work on your craft. And dont forget to give your skills some space to grow. Taking great images doesnt happen overnight. It happens when every day you get a little bit better than the day before. It happens when you fail but dont lose your enthusiasm. It happens when you persist.

I believe that great photography involves a combination of technical knowledge and personal vision. Technical know-how is important to empower your creative vision: it adds quality to your work, gives you confidence, and speeds up your working process. Without vision, however, technical skills wont take you far. Its your imagination that makes your work stand out from the crowd.

But when I studied great photographers closely, I noticed there is one more thing they all have in commonsomething that often gets overlooked, and what I want to bring to the table in this booka strong mindset.