Prop Styling

Plates and Accessories

The accessories you will use in the food photograph, such as plates, forks, spoons and napkins, are very important in determining the style of the photo. I can say that there are no definitive written rules on this subject, but I would like to share with you a few points that I personally try to pay attention to and that are useful to keep in mind.

What I attach most importance to when choosing plates is that they are round and, if possible, small in size, because I think it is possible to create eye-catching compositions and highlight the food by making it appear larger and larger than it actually is. Another thing I pay attention to is that the color of the plate should be of a tone and texture that will not overwhelm the food and will not be lost on the food, and that it should complement each other in color with the background.

Just like plates, my choice of forks, spoons and knives is small. If you do not want to see yourself or your camera reflected in the photo, especially when shooting from a bird's eye view, you should choose matte materials, especially spoons, forks and knives.

Cloth napkins are another indispensable accessory I use to add color and texture to the photo and to frame the food. Depending on your shooting style, you can use these napkins crumpled for a rustic look or ironed and folded in different styles. You don't have to buy fabric napkins; shawls, cheesecloth or old handkerchiefs of different textures can also be used to add color to your food photos. Creating a collection of napkins in different colors and patterns to use in different shots will add a different style to your photographs.