Being a digital imaging trainer, I would have to say that you have done very well! The only other pieces of advice I would give to other photographers wanting to do product shots is to possibly invest in a inexpensive lighting kit. You can purchase a relatively inexpensive set of "hot lights" (lights that stay on - much like a lamp - instead of flash) with, stands and color-balanced flourescent tubes for well under a hundred dollars. Diffuse the light with a cloth or plastic panel (you can do this with the much cooler-to-the-touch flourescents) and now you can get consistent results all the time. Using natural light is nice, but often inconsistent (especially for those who live more north!).

And one more thing, unless you are really going to get into color management and adjustment layers, Photoshop Elements 4 is an excellent program (much better than version 1 or 2) with most of the most useful tools (like healing brush, layers, etc.) for a fraction of the price. It also is a little bit easier to use as well. After saying that though, if you plan on getting into photography more seriously, go all the way to Photoshop.

Nice to see someone use good lenses though. :) (the 85mm lens is quite nice as well).

Good job, Elise.

Nice posting. I love the photo's on your site.
I've a (dusty and ill used) associates in Commercial Photography and I think much of your stuff would hold up pretty well in a cookbook.

BTW, it's a myth that glycerin or glue is used in food photography. It's illegal to alter the actual food in any signifigant way if the picture is to be used in advertizing. Nuthing on the food that doesn't get et! The most common tricks are done with temperature, making something hotter or colder.

The best is for soups. To get that "Chunky" soup look, layer the bottom of the bowl w/ glass beads so the soup solids come to the top.

But I bet you know that. Keep up the good food!

Wonderful, informative post! Thanks.

Loved this post for the info but my favorite part was the "ps". I've thought to myself MANY times how much I love your photos because they look like the food I prepare not those "staged" photos using glue and glycerin as you said. Also love the pics showing different stages of preparation. Thanks!

Now cut that out! Before, I would come here and be envious of all the great food that was gracing your table each day. Now I am envious of the camera you are using to take all the photos.

I have to tell you I enjoy your cooking blog better than any others I read. I will toss in a request to have some more Mexican food recipes, especially TexMex.

Gracias para una Blog muy buena.

Love your site, and the photos too! Oh, the recipes as well ,-)!

If they are photos intended for the web, not for printing, Macromedia Adobe's Fireworks does the job as well as Photoshop.

It's not as professional, and won't do all PS will do -- but the learning curve is just so much easier.

A free solution is gimp (see gimp.org). Both PS and Fireworks are expensive!

Thank you for the tutorial. I needed it! :) Do you mind disclosing about how much one would expect to spend to purchase equipment similar to what you are using?

Elise! What a fab, informative post. Thank you for sharing such valuable tips! Excellent.

I was using a Fujifilm MX-2700 P&S 2.3MP for all my current food pictures. The body is missing screws and I am lucky if the image turns out at all. I recently picked up a Canon 350D off eBay and I am excited to get more serious about my photography of food. Great information here, thanks.

cakegrrl: if you go to eBay for a used camera and find pre-owned lenses at your local camera store, you should be able to get in to DSLR ready to shoot for under $600 USD, it won't be brand new, but it will be good enough for learning.

This is so informative! I just posted on my own (idiot) camera..and well...I think I should reconsider and move on up to the DSLR grownups.Thanks

I was advised not to get the lens that comes with the Rebel, but I did, and since it's only about $100, that's a pretty good deal for a multi-purpose lens. However, yes, I've now decided to make the plunge into lens and am deciding which I want more; the 50mm or the 60mm macro.

Oh, and I am also in the market for a nice front porch to shoot photos on, but they don't sell those on Amazon. I don't think...

Great tips Elise! I really like the one using the cutting boards for such a warm wooden background.

Thank you for this post, Elise. I'm trying hard to get my food pictures to look more professional and every piece of advice is welcomed. I use an Olympus E500 SLR- Evolt 8.0 megapixels. It came with two lenses and I'm trying to learn to take close-up shots. Some seem to work and others don't. No idea of what I'm doing wrong. You have given me added impetus to keep on trying. Thanks for the tips!

I'm so jealous you can take pix in the middle of the day...I'd kill for some nautural light instead of off camera flash

My partner used to shoot for clipper magazine (a local magazine advertising restaurants). The strategy he found most useful involved angling the food. That is, in order to have beautiful depth and to be able to see the food from more angles, they would set up the food so that they shot from an angle. If I can explain it right, the front of the food (where the camera is) should be the lowest, and then you can build kind of a ramp (underneath the cutting board base), so that the back of the picture (furthest from the camera) is raised a little. You usually can't tell in the picture that the food is on an incline, but it makes for nice pictures.

Thank you, thank you! What a wonderful post. I just got the same camera that you have. I'm very excited to be using a SLR again, but it's been so long since I did, I feel a little unsure of myself. Your post is such a nice thing to do for all the food bloggers. And I love that you take the pictures on your patio table. I was thinking of doing that myself--but thought, "Nah!" Now I think I will reconsider and try it. As they say in Hollywood--the most important thing is lighting!