Essential Food Photography Props That you need

Published on
May 30, 2022
1:01 PM

It doesn’t matter how good your food tastes, if it doesn’t look good visually then people won’t buy or care to even look at it. For any kind of food business, it is crucial that you have amazing looking photos taken.

One great way to make your food photography look visually appealing is by using props. So, as a photographer it is important that you have access to variety of props that you can use in different situations.

Therefore, we have compiled a list of props that will enable you to take visually appealing food photographs.

Where do you Find Props?

If you don’t want to spend a ton of money, you can go to any kitchenware shop that sells secondhand props. You can also try to make your own props with the house hold items that you can get your hands on.
The best option I think will be is to buy new props. It may cost you more money, but it will be well worth it. There are lots of places where you can find good props.
Try searching in these online sources to see if you find the ones that suites you the best.

Pottery Barn
Crate & Barrel
Pier 1
Anthropologie
Sur La Table
World Market
Mud Australia
Canvas Home

Choose the Right Background

This one is not necessarily a prop, but it is very important aspect of food photography, so we are including it. Your background is what sets the theme and mood for your audience.

Try to choose a neutral background like white, grey or light brown. These works well with various types of food. For example, if you have a white marbled background, it gives a sense of modern, sleek vibe to your photo. Similarly, wooden surface will give a classic old vibe.

Get Beautiful Linen Cloths

Linens are a must have for food photography. These makes your photos look more appealing to eyes. Even you don’t have that much kitchenware, we recommend having variety of fabrics for your food photography, these alone can change the looks of your photo.

When considering fabrics, be aware of your style of photography. Some linen fabrics are too colorful and some have very distracting patterns. Think about the theme of your photograph before buying linen fabrics.

Have Wooden Items for Props

Wooden elements can create a rustic atmosphere to your photos. Use wooden chopping board, these are popular among food photographers and video content creators. Don’t use plastic boards as they look very cheap.

You can also use wooden spoons and other wooden props to add more rustic feeling.

Use Stump Planks

An alternative for wooden cutting board is to use Stump Planks. If you don’t want to spend money on cutting board then use a Stump Plank. It can make simple dishes stand out. For those who knows how to cut trees, can make these on their own.

Marble Boards

Similar to wooden board, marble board can also bring a lot of feel to the photograph. Everything looks great on marble boards. You can have simple dishes as well as complicated setups, and it will still look stunning.

Use the right Dishware

Using Plates and Bowls in the wrong way can ruin your photograph, so choose the ones that match your theme. One of the biggest problems when doing food photography is the reflections that you get from the plates and bowls. Try to use ceramic or matted plates, it will eliminate reflection. Ceramics also tends to give a natural feeling to the photo. You can find various appealing ceramics in sites like Etsy. They have a ton of collections.

Use Silverwares

These are probably the most common items that can be found in everyone’s house. These can add a ton of details and feel to your photograph. But be aware to use the ones that matches your style of photography. You can use some old silverwares if you want a firm house look. Use shinny and clean silverwares for more elegant look and also try using gold colored props to add more character to your image.

Glass, Bottles and Jars

Having different shaped glassware is a good idea. Bottles and jars will add a more layered effect in your background, it works great to frame up your subject. Also keep in mind when using glasses, different type of glass is used for different type of drinks. Like, for wines you will require a stemless glass and for juice tall or punch glass is more appropriate. Be sure to do your own research on the type of glass you will require. Using the wrong glass may ruin your aesthetics.

Using the Correct Knife

Similar to glasses. Different knives have different purpose. Don’t use chef’s knife when shooting dish with bread. Keep your knives organizes, this way you won’t forget which one to use for which purpose. You can search online to find some visually appealing knives, and add those to your collection.

Plates with Beautiful Patterns

You can bring some extra looks by using plates that have unique rims, and patterns. Try using flower patterns for a floral vibe or add one with golden rims. People looking at your photo will consider taking a second look to appreciate the design. You can find a lot of artistic plates online.

Clean and Simple Trays and Pans

Experiment with different sizes, shapes and colors and see what suites your needs. Figure out whether you like rounded, rectangle or squared. There are a lot of options for it. These will help to keep your audiences focus on the food.

Use kitchen Utensils

Use kitchen utensils to fill up the frame of your image. Kitchen utensils comes in various shapes and sizes, so you can basically add these anywhere in your frame. These are also very popular among photographers as they use it to maintain balance in their photos. You can use these to feature food items, such as, putting spices in spoons.

Glass Salad Bowls

Glass salad bowls are simple and very effective way to add more environment to your image. Because of its transparency, you don’t need to mess with the camera angle to display it. We recommend getting a smaller bowl, as you will have more free space for something else.

Parchment Paper

These papers tend to work well on pastries and fast-food items. It is popular for adding special wrinkled textures. You will often see these papers when you visit pastry shops. Even if the food doesn’t taste good, they still use it to make it look pretty. You can use these papers to add volume and texture to your photos.

Cake Stand

These are a must have if you are shooting dessert items. It will make your dish stand out visually. You can get these at cheaper prices in amazon. It is recommended to use cake stands with larger deserts. Displaying smaller deserts may not work well.

Conclusion

Finding the best props is all about experimenting, you need to see what works best for you and what doesn’t. There are a lot of choices that you can make. Go online see what other people are doing and if possible, contact them and ask for suggestions, don’t feel shy.