How to photograph food with style? Here are Lisa Fregosi’s tips

Photography, what a passion! Food photography, even more so! When we see a beautiful dish, whether at a restaurant or at home, we can't resist the temptation to capture it immediately. But how can you stand out from the vast number of photos now available online and on social media and create a signature shot? We asked Lisa Fregosi, an expert in the field, for some useful advice, and she shared some tips with us that are not to be missed! Let's take a look at them together.

Lisa, your photos express character, emotion, and beauty. Can you reveal some secrets for photographing food in the best possible way, giving each shot that extra spark?

What makes a good composition? Where should you start?

To achieve a good composition, you definitely need to juggle spaces well and balance full and empty spaces to create a harmonious composition. With practice, you acquire "an eye" for it, but you can certainly start with concrete aids such as the rule of thirds, widely used in photography, or the golden ratio. These are the main guidelines that help you set up the composition.

What about light? Is natural light better than artificial light?

I prefer natural light. I love the nuances it creates in the morning and afternoon, or the shadows that stand out on the set in the middle of sunny days... But of course, artificial light can also be used, if used well. There are photographers who only use artificial light, and it is difficult to tell that this is the case.

How can you choose the best framing?

The best framing is subjective; it depends on the photographer and what they want to express. Obviously, you try to make the subject stand out better. For example, if I have a carved vase, I will try to photograph it from the front or from an angle that highlights it, and I would not use a shot from above that does not show the subject's unique features.

What details can be used to enrich the photo?

In food photography, you can enrich the scene with flowers, plants, herbs, fabrics, and dish towels... Sometimes even a simple cutting board or a particular background can suffice. Small details make all the difference.

What do you recommend to best showcase your culinary creations?

Try to plate the dish nicely, clean the plates of any splashes or smudges, and try not to photograph too closely so that you can see the beauty of the dish and the plate as a whole.

Do you have a set of rules or a list of essential steps to follow for good food photography?

I try to stick to what I learned from my teacher: a clean scene that is not too full, if I use fresh ingredients that are beautifully "alive," so no "limp" parsley or basil, a clean and well-assembled plate, and finally, lighting that highlights the dish and shadows that soften the scene and allow a glimpse of the "outline" of the photo.

What are the main post-production techniques and the best programs for those taking their first steps in the art of photography?

I was taught to try to take the best possible photo without having to "work" too much on it in post-production, except to highlight certain details. I mainly use Lightroom, I also have Photoshop but I admit that I rarely use it.

Lisa Fregosi, aka @Mumcakefrelis, is the mother of Dimitri and Nadia and the wife of Cesare. She was born in Liguria but has adopted Veneto as her home. Her passion is cooking traditional Italian and foreign recipes and photographing them.

https://www.fregosilisa.it/