Photography News

Photo by Joshua Waller 

 

1. Shooting outside

When you're taking outdoor portraits in sunlight the results can be a little harsh with dark heavy shadows spoiling the image. As a result, a blip of fill-in flash is needed to balance the image. Many cameras when the integral flash is used have a fill in flash mode which forces the flash to fire. Adding a little flash can flatter your model's skin, remove deep shadows that can appear in places on the face such as under the nose and it will give your model catchlights in their eyes which is a big bonus. It's also useful on overcast days as it can breath life into dull portraits. You can also use a 'pop' of flash to highlight foreground interest in landscape shots.

 

2. Shooting into the sun

When shooting into the sun when your subject would usually be silhouetted, by exposing for the scene as normal then adding a pop of flash you'll lighten your subject without affecting the background. When exposing for the scene you need to find the right balance between the shutter speed, which you need to set so it adds enough ambient light, and the size of the aperture which you use to expose for the flash. You have to do it this way round as every time you fire the flash there will be the same amount of light so speeding up or slowing down the shutter speed won't make a difference.

Remember, though, that you cannot set a shutter speed faster than the camera's flash sync speed or the picture will be unevenly exposed. There are some camera/flashgun combinations that will sync at every shutter speed but these are usually top-end models. Check your instruction manual if you are unsure what is the correct flash sync speed.

 

Photo by Joshua Waller 

 

3. Should I use external flash?

Your camera's built-in flash can work fine for fill-in but you can do more using a separate flash used off-camera. Models are available from your camera brand as well as independent names. By using off-camera flash you can move it around the scene to help evenly light your shot. Off-camera flash used in dark conditions also has the advantage of avoiding red-eye. If needs be you can change the strength of your flash with flash exposure compensation if you're using the camera's built-in flash or one on your hot-shoe.

To maintain full flash automation when the flashgun is used off-camera you will need a dedicated cord, although some camera/flashgun combination offer wireless flash metering control. Wireless control can work fine but can struggle in bright daylight so you need to check how your DSLR performs before doing an important shoot.

Do be careful when using fill flash as it can make your portrait shots look a little artificial. Set a minus value on the flash exposure compensation control or turn down the output of the flashgun. It's important to remember that less is more and use fill flash to subtly lift your portraits.  

Ready to level up your photography in 2026? The year’s most significant creative jumpstart is happening at PPA’s Imaging USA, and you don’t want to miss it.

[ Read More ]

A lot of people are eyeing a smaller, simpler setup going into 2026, and the Fujifilm X100VI keeps coming up for a reason. If daily carry has started to feel like a chore, the question is whether a fixed-lens compact can get you shooting more without feeling like a compromise.

[ Read More ]

AI in Photoshop and Lightroom now comes with a meter running in the background, and it is easy to burn through credits without realizing which button did it. If you shoot and edit photos for clients or personal work, that uncertainty can change how you plan edits, what you try first, and what you avoid touching at all.

[ Read More ]

You keep chasing new locations, but the bigger lever is often the one you ignore: returning to the same place until it starts paying you back. Fritz lays out why a familiar spot near home can outproduce a “bucket list” trip once you stop treating it like a one-and-done scene.

[ Read More ]

There is a common assumption in our industry: if you want to turn your passion into a paycheck, you have to shoot weddings. It’s the "big machine" of the craft. It’s where the money is, sure, but it’s also where the burnout lives. I’ve often sat there—perhaps while nursing a coffee or staring out over a landscape that doesn't pay me back or pay the bills—wondering if there’s a way to be a "professional" without the high-stakes drama of a bridal suite at 8:00 AM.

[ Read More ]

When it comes to lenses these days, we are spoiled for choice. For crop-sensor shooters, Viltrox has just made the decision a little harder with the 56mm f/1.2 Pro.

[ Read More ]

  What's A Long Exposure?

Generally used in low light situations, long exposures keep your camera's shutter open for longer so more light can reach its sensor. If you're working when there's too much light around you can slow your shutter speeds down by fitting an ND filter to the front of your lens.

You will need a tripod when using longer exposure times as working hand-held will more than likely result in shake spoiling your shots.

Before you open your shutter, make sure your battery has plenty of charge, as you don't want to get halfway through an exposure to find your camera's no longer alive.

 

When And Where To Use Long Exposures

There are various practical as well as artistic reasons for using longer exposures but for this article our focus will be on using them to create more aesthetically pleasing, memorable shot.

 

1. Spooky, Atmospheric Shots

If the sea's choppy or you're out on a misty morning you can use long exposures to capture the movement of the waves and mist. Both will turn into a white, smooth blanket that circles any still objects it's close to. It can help create an eerie atmosphere that works just as well by the sea as it does in a graveyard or in the woods.

 

2. Northern Lights

Not many of us get the chance to capture the Northern Lights, however, if the opportunity does arise, long exposures or even a camera with a Bulb setting so you can keep the shutter open for as long as you see fit would be handy. By using longer exposure times you'll be able to capture some foreground detail in your shots which will add scale to your shot and really emphasise how big the aurora display really is.

  3. Blurry Water

We know it's something that's overdone but its popularity means it's something we can't ignore when talking about long exposures.

The slower the shutter speed, the more blur/softer the water's movement will be. The speed you need will change depending on how much blur you want, how much water there is and the distance between the camera and your subject.

Remember to meter carefully as large areas of light tones can fool the camera into underexposing your shot and slow shutter speeds will blur anything that moves not just water. To combat this, try taking two shots: one with the slower shutter speed then, the other with a speed that will freeze movement. You can then combine these in editing software such as Photoshop. You may also need to cover your eyepiece up to stop light flowing through it spoiling your shot.

Take a look at this tutorial for tips on using long exposures at the coast: Coastal Photography

 

4. Give A City Shot More Interest

The short days we have at the moment make it the perfect time to shoot some night shots in the city. Buildings dotted with lights and neon shop signs decorating the streets look good on their own but to add even more interest, use long shutter speeds to blur any moving subjects with lights into streaks of colour. It can work well with those giant wheels many cities now have as the white lights will be blurred into a circle of white light while its surroundings will remain static. Near round-a-bouts or in busy, built-up areas set up near or above a road to turn traffic invisible, leaving their lights as streaks of colour that circle the buildings nearby.

If you're in an area with lots of people you can use long exposures to 'hide' distracting crowds of passing people as their movement will mean they're not captured in your frame (unless they stop walking of course). 10-30 second exposure will capture the light trails but if you want longer shutter speeds, use the B setting. Use a remote trigger, cable release or self-timer to fire the shutter to minimise shake and use a small aperture to give you front to back sharpness.

 

5. Capture Movement

We know that stars, the moon and clouds move but have you ever thought about recording their movement? Long exposures mean you can capture star trails as they move across the night sky and turn white, dots of clouds into long fluffy lines sat against a blue sky. You can also do the same with storm clouds as they darken and approach from the horizon.

For tips on capturing star trails, have a look at these tutorials:

• Star Trails Part One
• Start Trails Part Two

  6. Paint A Scene With Light

Torches, LEDs, sparklers and even the light from your phone can be used as a 'brush' to paint lines of colour into a scene. You can use the light streaks on their own, writing or drawing images against dark backgrounds or you can use them to add an extra level of interest to a night-time scene. You can paint colour onto static objects, drawing the eye to them as a result or you can add light-painted objects and shapes, such as stick men, to your scene.

For more tips on light-painting, have a look at these tutorials:

• Spirograph-Style Light Painting
• Light Painting
• Writing With Sparklers

 

You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Photo Month Forum Competition  

Beginning landscape photographers get bombarded with tips and advice—some helpful, some confusing, some that just get in the way. Here are the five pieces I really wish I hadn’t taken so seriously when I was starting out.

[ Read More ]

Portrait retouching in Lightroom often stalls when you get stuck doing the same careful selections again and again. This video puts the spotlight on a faster path using Lightroom Classic’s built-in AI masking, with results that still look like a human made the calls.

[ Read More ]

 

Lens manufacturer Meike has announced the release of the SE Series 85mm f/1.8 Mark II full-frame autofocus STM lens for Canon EF mount, priced at $229.99 USD.

The new lens improves on the earlier Mark I version with reduced chromatic aberration, faster autofocus, enhanced image quality, and a closer minimum focusing distance of 0.65m.

 

Meike SE Series 85mm f/1.8 Mark II Specs:

• Model: EF 85mmF1.8 STM SE II
• Focal Length: 85mm
• Format: Full Frame
• Aperture Range: F1.8–F16
• Filter Thread: 62mm
• Diaphragm Blades: 11
• Minimum Focus Distance: 0.65m
• Lens Construction: 11 elements in 7 groups
• Angle of View (Full Frame): Diagonal 27.8°, Horizontal 23.4°, Vertical 10.8°
• Angle of View (APS-C): Diagonal 18.67°, Horizontal 15.53°, Vertical 10.38°
• Weight: about 346g

For more information, visit the Meike website where the lens is now available to purchase.

 

You shouldn't be without your camera during the Christmas season as there's so much going on for you to capture. So, with your camera in hand, let's look at how you can create a great Christmas photo.
 

 

Select A Mode

The first thing to do is capture the picture and most digital cameras make the job easy. If you're new to photography, simply select an Auto mode and the camera takes all the exposure technicalities out of your hands, leaving you to concentrate on the shot. 

 

Indoor Portraits

For indoor shots, compact cameras have the appropriately titled Portrait Mode. Do check your shots if the flash fired, though as it can be a little harsh so it might be worth trying to diffuse it slightly.

When photographing children you'll find they tend to smile unnaturally or pull a face when asked to pose, but there are ways around this to ensure you capture a more natural expression. Try and joke with them, making them laugh and smile in the process. Another approach is to shoot candidly so they don't get bored waiting for you to pose them. 
 

Red Eye

Many cameras have a red-eye reduction mode that fires a pre-flash to reduce the devil-inducing effect. Make sure this is switched on when you're shooting your portraits to reduce the chances of red eye spoiling the shot. 

 

Natural Light

You can also try turning the flash off (this mode appears as a small lightning symbol with line through it) and using natural light from a window or patio doors. Window light will cast a shadow on the unlit side of the portrait which can be reduced effectively with a reflector. If you don't have one make your own by using tin foil, spray mounted onto a large sheet of card. Position this reflector so it points at the subject from the shadow side. As you move the card you'll see light reflect onto the person and the shadows will disappear.

 

Making The Person Your Main Point Of Focus

With DSLRs you can go into manual or aperture priority and select a large aperture to reduce the sharpness of the background to make your subject stand out. With compact cameras, just switch to portrait mode for shots of people and macro mode for close-ups as this lets the camera know you want to use a large aperture to throw the background out of focus. 

Try using the camera's zoom at the telephoto setting to magnify the subject and home in tightly on their face. You'll fill the frame with their face ensuring they are the main focus of your photograph.

 

Understanding White Balance

If you take pictures using room lighting you may need to switch the camera to a different white balance setting. This is usually set automatically, but you can manually correct it by selecting the light bulb option when the pictures are coming out too yellow. You can also override auto to force a colour cast, if you so wish.

 

Snow Fun

The first sign of snow and children will be out sledging, building snowmen and throwing snowballs. Take this opportunity to get some great candid pictures. But watch out for the pitfalls, snow is very bright and will fool the camera into thinking the scene is a lot brighter than it actually is. To stop this, switch to a program scene mode called Snow which compensates automatically ensuring the snow appears lovely and white.

Keep an eye out for colour cast too as snow can sometimes end up looking a little blue. Changing to a different white balance setting should fix the problem quickly though.  

Happy Christmas Everyone! 

  

For years, the idea of a retro-styled Canon mirrorless camera lived in the realm of wishful thinking. Forum threads speculated. Rumor sites teased. And Canon stayed silent, content to let Fujifilm and Nikon own a market segment that seemed to grow more lucrative by the quarter. But something has shifted.

[ Read More ]

A new kit-style zoom always raises the same question: will it stay on the camera or will it end up in a drawer? The Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1 lens is pitched as the kind of light, compact choice that makes carrying a full frame body feel less like a commitment.

[ Read More ]

A clean “window” look in a home studio usually comes down to one thing: how you spread and soften flash before it hits your subject. In this video, the entire setup revolves around a big diffusion wall, and it answers a question you’ve probably wrestled with after a few too-contrasty test frames.

[ Read More ]

  1. Do Your Research

Knowing what wildlife will appear where and when will save you time and stop you walking around for a shot you may never find. Knowing what they eat is also important as, for example, it can mean you end up capturing a shot of a Blackbird rather than a Blue Tit in your garden.

 

Make sure you know how your camera and any other gear you have out with you works before you're outside in your hide. It may sound like a daft statement but knowing how to quickly adjust a setting can make all the difference when you only have a few seconds to take a shot.

2. Feed The Birds

Winter can be hard work for wildlife as they have to work harder to find food sources, but this can make them slightly easier to track down. In nature reserves, look for places you can set up near hedgerows used for feeding and back home you can set up your own feeders to attract birds who are still around for the winter months. Don't just suddenly start feeding them then stop once you have your images though.

Shots of birds on feeders are good but for more natural-looking images try placing perches such as branches or even a spade near the feeder which they can land on before going for the food. You can also put nuts, berries, seeds and fat balls in holes and cracks in trees to attract them to land.
 

3. Be Patient And Ready

Animals and birds scare easy so don't think you can just head outside, get your camera out and start shooting. Nature reserves usually have hides dotted around you can use and when you're out in the field or in your own garden, set up a portable hide. Once your hide is up, be prepared to wait a while before any wildlife comes your way as it'll take them some time to realise you're not a threat. Although in nature reserves and parks where wildlife is more used to human contact you probably won't have to wait quite as long. Don't make any sudden movements and take some time to just look at the scene around you instead of getting your camera out straight away. By doing so your subject is more likely to return and you don't have to spend as much time out in the cold.

If you're working at home and have a window you can shoot from, set up inside and either shoot through the glass (make sure you're close up to the windowpane to cut down on reflections) or open up the window if you can. You can then stay warm with the heating on and still get the wildlife shots you're looking for.
 

4. Gear Choices 

Longer lenses (400mm is a good place to start) are generally a must, however, you can use slightly shorter lenses it just means you have to work harder at getting closer to your subject. When using longer lenses and sitting, waiting for long periods of time you don't want to be holding your camera so take your tripod out with you. If you're out walking a monopod is a worthwhile consideration as they're easier to manoeuvre, however, a tripod will work just fine if you don't own one. Of course, if you can remotely trigger your camera via your Smart Phone or other trigger devices, you won't need a lens that's quite as long. 

 

5. Be Quick

Wildlife doesn't hang around for long and some, such as hares, move quickly so quick shutter speeds are needed to freeze movement and to capture skittish behaviour. If your shutter speed is too low there's a chance your shot will have blur in it as they move quicker than you think, especially birds who quickly turn their heads into different positions. To get the quicker shutter speeds you'll most likely need to crank up the ISO but as most digital cameras now cope with ISOs up and beyond 800 without noise becoming too much of an issue, you shouldn't have any problems with doing that.

6. Backgrounds And Composition

No matter where you're shooting your wildlife shots you need to have a good look around the viewfinder to make sure there's nothing in the background that will distract the viewer. Throwing the background out of focus can look great, however, this can cause parts of your subject, particularly when working with small subjects such as birds, to also go out of focus. If this happens try using a slightly smaller aperture as getting the subject sharp is what's more important.

You may have to work quickly but this doesn't mean you should forget about composition altogether. Do give your subject space and try not to capture them when looking out of frame as your viewer will follow their gaze and move their eyes out of shot. Do shoot while they're in different positions too as you may find a side profile shot works much better than one where they are head-on, for example.
 

7. Be At Their Angle

A low position gets you down to the animal's level and can help avoid messy backgrounds. Out in the field, this could mean laying on the ground to get a shot of a squirrel foresting for food and in your garden, you could end up placing feeders lower than you first thought so your lens lines up with them more easily.
 

 

 

8. Shoot When It Snow

Not that many places in the UK have had much snow as of yet but when a bit of the white stuff does fall it gives photographers the chance to shoot against clutter-free backgrounds that really create the essence of winter. Snow also gives you the chance to find tracks wildlife have left so find a well-trodden path and set up nearby. Dawn and dusk are good times to be out but do wrap up warm and take a head torch with you so you can see what you're doing. Pay attention to where the wind is blowing too as wildlife are good at picking up scents.

Do be aware that snow can confuse your camera and you can end up with shots that are underexposed. Keep checking your histogram to make sure the exposure's OK and use exposure compensation if needs be to brighten your shot.

9. Popular Areas

There are places in the UK and right around the world that are more popular than others for wildlife photography. There's nothing wrong with visiting these popular places but please respect the wildlife and don't overcrowd them. You may also want to spend some time finding places you can shoot in closer to home as not only do they stand the chance of not being as popular, you don't have as far to travel which means you can spend longer brushing up on your technique rather than travelling.

 

You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Photo Month Forum Competition  

Photo by Joshua Waller 

 

City streets, particularly at this time of year, are an abundance of jewelled lights from traffic, shops, and festive bulbs. Their colour and a good bit of sky detail make city locations perfect for urban winter shoots. Dramatic clouds or the subtle gradation of twilight hues make good backgrounds for winter lights but as the light fades and your background turns black, you can turn your attention to the Bokeh effect to really make your urban work shine.

When out-and-about, focus on your subject from about 10 feet away with a long lens and a wider aperture and your background lights should glow like coloured jewels in the night.

As it's dark you'll be using a slower shutter speed so a tripod or monopod are an essential item. Applying a gentle touch to the shutter button and remembering to take your shot when you've exhaled and not while you're holding your breath will also reduce camera shake and help you produce a shake-free, perfect image. A good lens is always useful too and using a lens with a focal length of 70-200mm or above will help ensure those backgrounds are out of focus and the lights are twinkling.

 

Photo by Joshua Waller 

 

Once you're set-up and your picture's framed, take a look at your white balance settings. Auto white balance will work with the majority of these shots but by choosing tungsten balance, any ambient daylight goes a lovely rich blue. It also helps ensure the lights in the background are glowing the colour they're meant to be.

As well as using the Christmas lights, why not use the other lights of the city to create some dynamic images? Illuminated advertising can add an interesting twist to urban portraits and so can reflections. Wet paving stones, wet tarmac and windows are all exciting items to hold reflections. You just have to learn to look for them and incorporate them into your images.

If you're out to shoot specifically winter/festive lights then why not plan your shoot around a Christmas shopping trip or a visit to a Christmas market. There are usually plenty of incentives to wrap up warm, grab a brolly and enjoy a mulled wine and the odd bag of roasted chestnuts, all of which make excellent festive inspired images. You could also grab a window seat in a cafe, order the drinks, then pop out onto the street, shoot a frame or two then back into the warmth. You can also use the cafe as a setting for a few of your shots, using steaming mugs of hot chocolate and coffee to add another level of interest to your portraits. 

 

The low position of the sun in winter makes it a perfect time to shoot silhouettes. You just need to find a bright background (the sky's perfect) and the right subject to give you a shot with series impact.

 

1. Pick A Subject

As there are no textures or tones to grab people's attention strong subjects that are instantly recognisable work the best. In winter, wildlife (deer in particular) work well. Even more so if you're shooting on a cold morning when the breath can be seen in the air. The bare, skeletal-like trees that cover our landscape at this time of year also work well as subjects for winter silhouettes. Higher up, turn rolling hillsides into dark shapes that curve across your shot. Fog can help add interest and contrast to the shot and exposing for the lighter, foggy parts of the shot will give you the silhouetted hillsides you're looking for.
 

2. Adjust Your Exposure

You need a bright background for this technique to work and the sky, particularly when there's a colourful sunrise, works particularly well. You can also use a large expanse of water if you live near a lake or the coast too.

To create a silhouette, expose for the brighter background rather than your subject as by doing so your subject will underexpose, appearing very dark if not fully black. Using the spot or centre-weight light measurement modes on your camera should give you the results you're looking for or you can use exposure compensation and select -1 or -2 to deliberately underexpose your shot.

If you're using a compact camera simply point the camera at the brightest part of the scene you're photographing, press the shutter half way down and don't let go of it. Next, re-frame the shot then press the shutter button the rest of the way to take your shot. This should fool the camera into giving you the exposure you want, but you may have to try exposing from different parts of the image to create the silhouette you're looking for.

3. Focusing Tips

You might want to meter from your background, but you don't want this to be your main point of focus. So, to ensure your main subject is sharp, use a smaller aperture to maximise depth of field. You can also try pre-focusing your shot before you set your exposure or switch to manual focus. If you're using a compact camera try using Landscape mode as this will let the camera know you want to use a small aperture so your shot has front to back sharpness.

 

4. The Sun's Position

Try to position your subject in front of the sun when you're framing up as you should never look through the camera directly at the sun as you can permanently damage your eyes. If you want the sun to be in frame, use the Live View feature so you can frame up safely.

  5. Turn Flash Off

If your flash is set to go off automatically make sure you switch it off otherwise it'll light up your subject and you won't get the silhouette you're looking for.

 

6. Framing Advice 

Don't think you have to fill your frame with your subject as a little space around them will leave room for the brighter, colourful background to show, giving your shot more interest and impact. This is where a wider lens comes in handy as you'll be able to get more of your background in shot. Of course, getting close to a shy animal with a wide-angle lens is easier said than done but you could try putting your camera on a tripod and use a remote release to fire the shutter button. Just remember to focus the camera on a fixed spot before you go into hiding. Having said that, if you're using a long telephoto lens to capture your winter wildlife from a distance you should still have plenty of room around your subject for the lighter background anyway.

ePHOTOzine is delighted to confirm that Samsung will once again support the much-loved Photo of the Week award, celebrating an impressive 11th year of this successful partnership.

Thanks to Samsung’s ongoing commitment, this long-standing collaboration continues to recognise outstanding photography, shining a light on creativity, technical excellence and artistic flair across our community. We’re excited to welcome another year filled with inspiring images.

Samsung continues to inspire the world and shape the future through innovative ideas and cutting-edge technology, and ePHOTOzine is proud to welcome the global electronics brand back as supporter of our prestigious Photo of the Week accolade for the eleventh consecutive year.

We’re pleased to announce that throughout 2026, Samsung will once again reward our Photo of the Week (POTW) winners with its reliable, high-performance memory products. Each weekly winner will receive a Samsung 128GB PRO Plus microSDXC memory card with SD Adapter, providing fast, dependable storage suitable for a wide range of devices.

The Samsung 128GB PRO Plus microSDXC memory card, complete with a full-size SD adapter, is ideal for use with cameras, laptops and more. Compatible with Android smartphones, tablets, action cameras, drones and gaming consoles, PRO Plus is designed to help you capture more, faster and without compromise. With impressive U3, Class 10 read/write speeds of up to 180/130MB/s, transferring and storing large volumes of images is seamless. UHS-I, V30 support ensures smooth 4K video recording, while six-proof protection guards against water, extreme temperatures, X-rays, magnets, drops and wear. The card is backed by a 10-year limited warranty. Further details are available on the Samsung website.

Photo of the Week is selected every week by the ePHOTOzine team. To be in with a chance of winning, simply upload your images to the Gallery.

All 52 weekly winners will then have their images showcased in our POTW forum. In January 2027, the community will be invited to vote by hitting the ‘like’ button on their favourite shots. The ePHOTOzine team will tally the votes and crown the overall Photo of the Year winner, who will take home the top prize: a rugged, ultra-fast 1TB Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield.

Best of luck to everyone taking part, we look forward to seeing the diverse and inspiring images submitted by our community of photographers each week. Our sincere thanks go to Samsung for its continued and valued support.

 

Photo by David Burleson
  Food plays a big part in the Christmas festivities so why not spend some time capturing some food-filled shots which look good enough to eat! 
  Preparation 

Professional food photographers have stylists and chefs working with them but even though you probably don't have this luxury still make sure you're picky about your food. It doesn't matter if you're photographing vegetables you've bought from the supermarket or mince pies you've baked yourself, make sure you take a good look at your subject and only select the best of the bunch.

A tripod will keep your hands free for adjusting the food in your shot and it'll also ensure your shots are sharp when working indoors with lower light conditions. 
 

Set Your Scene

We are not all lucky enough to have large, light kitchens we can work in but this isn't an excuse to take a messy photo. The odd bowl, spoon or floured rolling pin may work in your image but a table full of objects from everyday life won't. If you don't have much space just fill the frame with your product or use a wide aperture to throw the background out of focus. You could also hide your clutter with a background - something as simple as a coloured piece of card or even wrapping paper can work well. Just frame up correctly so what's behind the background doesn't sneak in from a corner.

You need to think carefully about what you set your food on, too. If you want a clean, simplistic feel go for a white plate while something more colourful can work better for Christmassy food.
 

Use Your Eyes

You're not putting food on a plate to just eat it so make sure you think about how it's presented. Grouping items in odd numbers works well but so does pairs with certain foods and objects. Take a good look around the plate for crumbs and sauce that may have run as too as this will just distract the viewer from your main subject.

Don't automatically shoot your food like you'd sit to eat it. Look for the most interesting angle and work from there. However, there are occasions when shooting directly above can work, such as when creating patterns or working with a particularly distinctive plate. 

Finally, watch your white balance and make sure there's plenty of light – setting up near a large window is a great idea. But avoid using direct flash as it will leave you with food that doesn't look appetising.

For more food photography tips, have a read of this article: 10 Top Tips For Taking Better Photos of Food