For better food photos:
If your food has height, shoot from a low angle to show the height. If your food has texture, side or back light it to show the texture.
1) If your food has height, show it. Shoot at a low camera angle.
2) If your food has texture, show it. Light from the side or the back to show texture. Shadows show texture so don’t be afraid of shadows.
3) Watch your background and make sure that it doesn’t take away from what you want to say in your image.
Use diffused light...don't use direct sunlight. Use white boards to fill in the shadows. Use a white shower curtain to diffuse direct light.
4) Don’t use the on-camera flash.
5) Place the food near a window and have the light come in from behind or to the side.
6) The bigger the window, the better the light but, don’t use direct sunlight.
7) Use a piece of white paper or card board (foam core works great) to reflect light on to the front.
8) Use a tripod
9) Food can be a graphical work of art. Lines, shapes, colors, space created with a medium of food on a palette of the plate.
When food is graphically pleasing...show it off by shooting from above. Light from the side. Shadows are your friends...sometimes. Shadows can add to the composition.
10) When the plate is graphically appealing, try shooting straight down on it.
11) Light from the side or behind if shadows add to the composition. Don’t be afraid of shadows but avoid too many shadows or shadows that hide important details in the food.
12) Shadows can be softened with reflectors.
BONUS
1) Try an unusual angle…shoot at a high angle and tilt the camera. If you want the food to tilt to the left, rotate the camera to the right.
2) Show a repeating pattern.
Choose an interesting angle. Show repeating patterns.
There was a post in LinkedIn from a young lady that wants to be a food stylist and is looking for a photographer to do some portfolio work. My wife calls these “play dates”.
It’s cold outside – it’s winter. That means it’s time for Winterfest. This is an annual event sponsored by the 
The association has a website 
This year, Chef Phillip, one of the seven chefs preparing dishes for the dinner, made an exquisite mushroom dish. It looked beautiful. It inspired me to go out and buy mushrooms to photograph the following day. I went to the asian market where I found a plethora of mushroom varieties. (How many in a plethora?)
So, while my wife was playing Mah-Jongg, I was shooting up a storm. I had a great time and I think the photos show it.
I photographed The Best of New Jersey Wine and Dine hosted by my food stylist/executive chef 
I packed up my studio and headed to southern New Jersey for the shoot. I walked in and the entire kitchen (and believe me he has a large kitchen) was covered with cooked food, raw vegetables, fruits, micro-greens, pastries and all manner of edibles.
We photographed for five hours. Five hours of beautiful photos. Thank you George for a great experience. I look forward to working with you again and dining in your restaurant. And a special thank you to my friend Lew who assisted and carried lots of equipment in the freezing cold. Thanks Lew.
Photography by Jerry, LLC 