Food and drink

This cake looks rich, and so does the photograph. With deep, dark shadows and brown tones throughout, it’s a wonder a bite hasn’t been taken out of this cake before shooting started!

This is a bright, breezy example of high-key photography that makes all the red and pink colours in this shot pop. Great focusing means it’s super sharp as well.

Soft light wraps around the subject casting diffuse shadows that make each ingredient look delicious. This can be difficult to do when working with such a variety of foods and displaying them together in a single photo. The garlic and pepper corns are precisely placed to lead the eye through the image.

The method of stacking cookies this way is not only appetizing, but helps to break up the linear vertical line that would otherwise exist if stacking neatly. This engaging disorder is copied in the crumbs in the bottom of the frame.

The brave cropping in this shot is its greatest strength. Everything that needs to be shown is captured tightly in the frame. The coffee on the right, blueberries in the foreground and perfect pour of the syrup above means there’s something of interest to look at around all edges of the frame.

The simplicity of this shot is owed to the strong, geometric shapes and vibrant colours. It looks like a hearty dish and that natural wooden spoon placed vertically at the side of the bowl invites us to take our first sip.

Two slices of Kiwi placed in sparkling water capture the air bubbles in the fibrous hairs on the fruit. The focus here is perfectly placed on the bubbles but also clear enough to show the type of fruit being used in the shoot itself. This is even more impressive when you realise the shot was taken handheld.

Shooting from afar in a busy market with a long 105mm macro lens makes it difficult to get a clear shot, but the shallow depth of field makes it more than worth the effort. The simple and plain black/grey backdrop help to unify the burgers as the eye travels through the shot from right-to-left.