Create a Contrast: use random dinnerware that does not match each other. I love to use or include vintage, wooden, stone or fine china. Choose a surface to work on, I love my marble dining table. It is very important to use different objects. The very important idea in any photograph is the theme in which you are aiming to achieve. Use books to add height and layer. Fabrics adds texture and color along with contrast. I often find shopping at the second hand store or antique stores are best as you can get a bargain a price.
Get a Little Messy: a messy look is often a good thing however this requires a skill and takes a lot of practice to get right. Most food stylists or photographers use this idea to make a photo look as natural as possible. For example; my post with my homemade bagel, chili, Swiss chard, button mushroom, burnt asparagus, smoked salmon and slow poached egg photo shows that the egg split and instead of poaching a new egg leaving the yolk to ooze over the bagel serves a purpose and makes the photograph seam real. The mushroom on the plate makes sense to remove it and place it back on the bagel however if objects fall you should just leave it. A hint of messiness is okay. You as the stylist or photographer will know when to remove it otherwise just leave it.
Nature: nature + freedom + home = life the very important thing in making any photo come to life. Once some one told me that the use of nature allow the viewer to feel included and engaged in the photo. This makes a lot of seance as the use of green and whites, bight flowers allows me to feel happy and not sad and dull. If you are stuck on what types of nature to use in your photographs I recommend roses (white and red), succulents, fruit trees like lemon, grapefruit, fejoa, olive trees are perfect. Use produce you have grown or harvested like spinach, silver-beet, Swiss chard, radishes, carrots, tomatoes, beans, kale, sage, thyme, pine needles, vines, weeds not weed, lavender, Rosemary. In my opinion the use of plants and natures colors allows photos to come to life, makes you happy and interested to what is going to happen next.
Natural Light: almost most photographers that do still life or flat lays like me, a great photo uses natural light not artificial light. Light can be added at the end to brighten but you should never remove light. When I take a photo shoot my table is placed by a large window with a adjustable blind where I can adjust how much light I am going to use from to bright or to dull. I find the use of a light bulb gives a ugly yellow contrast.
Keep It Simple But Not Simple: simple means plain, basic or uncomplicated however uncomplicated is good, often if the photo is simple it makes the viewer uninterested, board and continues to scroll down. When I style my photos its very important to think of a theme of the photo, if you are using nature, texture, color, books, animals, food, alcohol, beauty or luxury goods make sure you do not over complicate the photo, sometimes even I over complicate a photo, but remember it happens to the best of us. The main point you should be portaging in any photo is the main product or item you are intending the viewer to see. By allowing the viewer to see the main product or point in the photo it becomes easily understood and then they become more interested so that they want to read the caption, once it has been read everything becomes more clear.
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Make It a Work In Progress: often I leave things unfinished or deconstructed. This use of leaving something unfinished confuses the viewer and allows them to analyse / make up their own mind to whats happening. Remember the word progress means the movement towards a destination in food it means the movement towards a story. A photo tells a short novel whatever way it means to the person looking at the photo, by leaving the photo uncompleted it keeps you interested and involved so you can complete and make scene of what has or is happening.
Aim and Shoot Fast: A lot of the food items you might cook, style or eat looses its shape, color and texture from heat during summer, wind if it is out side or dampness from the cold. Try to visualize the photo, set up and shoot, tweak the objects if need be. Remember be quick before the lighting changes and the food becomes to loose its shape color or texture.
