Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through one of these links. I’m highlighting these affiliates because they are ones that have helped me the most with my food photography.

Welcome to my food photography and blogging resources page! I’ll be updating this page often as I find new and valuable resources to share. Stay tuned throughout the page for a freebie with my best food photography tips and information about my food photography coaching services.

The Beginning

Learning how to take food photos is a very long and arduous journey. I have not reached the end of this journey and honestly I don’t think there is an end. There’s always more to learn and new ways to grow. That’s what makes it exciting!

When I got my first DSLR camera there was a lot to figure out and I did this over several years by investing in some worthwhile courses, and reading every article and watching every video possible. And most importantly, practicing. Here’s a look at my first recipe shot with a DSLR compared to now:

When I was starting out it drove me crazy that I couldn’t get my photos to look like the big bloggers I admired and I would obsess about it until the wee hours of the morning. Can you relate? I mean, I had a DSLR and a decent lens. What else did I need? Well, a lot actually. It really takes trial and error and figuring out one little thing here and there and then putting it all together before you start to realize you’re getting it. I’ve certainly come a long way and I know many others are on the same journey. So in addition to my resources list below, I want to share with you my guide to achieving those bright, sharp food photos. To get this guide via email, just subscribe to my list via the signup form below and you will receive it right away! And for additional one-on-one help I’m also offering food photography coaching! More on that below as well.

Here’s some of what I cover in the guide:

• The one camera setting you need to master for sharp photos
• Whether or not you need to upgrade your camera or lens
• What you need to do to get your photos accepted to Foodgawker
• The easy way to make sure you’re using the best natural light in your home
• How to get your photos bright and light enough once and for all

My Gear, Set-Up, Programs and Apps

I use a Canon D6 for my camera body. This is a full frame DSLR, one step above the entry level Rebel DSLR series (which is excellent for starting out and affordable). I have 2 lenses – a Canon 50mm f1.8 which costs around $150 and a Tamron 24-70mm f2.8 which costs around $450. I take my photos on my dining room table next to a large window and use this marble surface from Crate & Barrel. I also use this reflector.

For editing I use Lightroom and Photoshop through Adobe’s photography plan (around $12/month). I also use PicMonkey ($7.99/month) to make my images for Pinterest and anything where I need a collage or want to add my own fonts to an image. The fonts I use on my images are from Creative Market. I make sure to use the same fonts throughout my blog and on social media as much as possible for consistency and branding. In the instance where I need stock photos (for non-recipe related content) I also use Creative Market as well as free sites. My favorites are picjumbo, unsplash, and pexels. When I need to edit a photo on my phone, I use VSCO ($20/year for all the presets) and Snapseed (free!). VSCO is the trendy film-inspired presets lots of bloggers use to get that cohesive look on their Instagram accounts. It’s fun to play around with and helps me get a professional look on my phone when I’m not able to edit it on the computer. Snapseed has pretty remarkable capabilities for a free app which makes me wonder if it will stay free forever.

Food Blogger Pro

Food Blogger Pro has been my number one resource over the years for building my blog. It’s from the creators of the uber-popular food blog Pinch of Yum and it has video lessons on everything you need to know to start and build your blog, plus an invaluable community forum where everyone is willing to share info. This is the first place I go when I can’t figure something out. I love to help others there when I can as well.

That’s Sage

This video in particular from Lauren really helped me take my editing to the next level. These were concepts I had never tried before and her blog is full of this type of technical info. She has a gift for making things easy to understand. Her food styling course Food. Composed. is on my training wish list.

Gimme Some Oven

Ali’s tips and tricks for photoshop are wonderful. She taught me how to make my photos pop and how to get the whites in photos truly white. I use these tricks for almost every photo now.

Edible Perspective

This 25-post series from edible perspective was one of the most helpful when I was starting out. I couldn’t stop reading it, and seeing it again now makes me want to read them all a second time. Sometimes information that doesn’t seem that important at the time can cause a new “lightbulb moment” later on. Definitely worth taking some time to read all these.

Cashew Kitchen

Agnes’ blog has the dreamiest food photos I have ever seen. I am obsessed with her work. She has a food photography email series that’s very helpful and I’ve also seen her do a live Instagram where we were able to ask her questions about food photography.

Happy Grey Lucky

First of all, I could look at pictures of this adorable family all day. Sina (the mom in all the pics) has a wonderful tips section on her blog where she talks about how she does all her unique pictures and some have been helpful for me as a food photographer as well. She’s the one that taught me about Snapseed! I also discovered the magic of the A6 VSCO filter from her. It’s something I like to use on my non-food photos to give them a more muted film-inspired look.

Photographing Food: Window Lighting Issue 1 (ebook)

This book was helpful to me in the beginning when I could not figure out natural lighting. I was trying multiple locations in my home and still not able to get enough light, even when it seemed like there was too much light (more on that in my free guide). Taylor shows multiple lighting scenarios and breaks them all down for you, with pictures. And, it’s only $5!

Food Photography School

Food Photography School is a video-based training program from the creators of the mega-popular food blog Minimalist Baker. I bought this course when it was just $99 and a ton has been added to it since. What I like about this course is how Dana lays everything out in bite-sized videos that build upon each other. It was easy to just watch a couple at a time and jump back in later. I have lifetime access to the program (at least the parts that were there when I bought it) so it has been a worthwhile investment.

More Tips!

Subscribe to my email list to receive a free guide where I discuss my best tips on taking food photos. Here’s what we’ll cover:

• The one camera setting you need to master for sharp photos
• Whether or not you need to upgrade your camera or lens
• What you need to do to get your photos accepted on Foodgawker
• The easy way to make sure you’re using the best natural light in your home
• How to get your photos bright and light enough once and for all

Food Photography Coaching

Something new I’m offering is one-on-one food photography coaching. I know how hard it is to sift through hours upon hours of forums, videos, blog posts, and articles trying to figure out one little thing. Or feeling like you’re doing everything right and still not being able to get your photos to look the way that you want. In a coaching session with me, we’ll look at your images together and talk through your struggles. I’ll show you how I would edit one of your images and answer all your questions. Our session would take place via skype or can be in person if you’re local to Richmond, VA. For my first clients, coaching sessions are just $49! If you’re interested, send me an email at hello@allthekingsmorsels.com.

 

I hope this resource page has been helpful to you. If you have additional resources that you love let me know in the comments so we can all check them out!