1. Planning

Dishes looks best if they're photographed as soon as they're ready - so hot food, as soon as it's cooked and cold once you've put the final touches on the presentation. For this reason it's worth planning where and how to take the photograph before preparing the food.

2. Choosing lighting

Compact digital cameras tend to use their built-in flash. This is as unflattering as it is harsh. Furthermore, it is directed straight from the front, rather than from the side which gives a better quality of light. If possible, try to avoid the camera’s flash which can normally be turned off using the menu. If there is no alternative, soften the harshness of the flash by putting a piece of white greaseproof paper over it.

3. Daylight

The easiest way to photograph food is to use daylight which is also the current trend in professional food photography. Photograph the dish next to a large window, avoiding direct sunlight. Position the food with the window to one side and on the other side use a large white card (or white towel/ aluminium foil) to reflect some light back. Alternatively, if the weather is good, photograph the food outside, again avoiding direct sunlight which is very harsh.

4. Other Lighting (tungsten)

If it’s not possible to use daylight, use a lamp. Choose the brightest one possible and keep it to the side of the food. Use a reflector as described above on the other side. Most home lighting (tungsten) will make the shot warm (an orange colour) as cameras tend to be set for daylight/ flash. This can usually be corrected by adjusting the white balance. Take a look at your camera manual for details.

5. Focus

It’s important to be as close as possible to the dish to ensure the best photo. Many compact digital cameras have a macro setting which enables close up focusing - use this where possible. If not, set the camera to close up mode (this might be as simple as choosing the portrait rather than the landscape setting). With digital photography you can see the shot as you take it so get as close as you can and keep an eye on the screen to check it's still in focus.

6. Camera settings

The ISO (camera speed) setting can be adjusted up from the standard setting (normally 100) to the faster 200 or 400. This helps avoid 'camera shake' when you're not using the flash during close ups. Make sure you hold the camera as still as possible. A tripod is ideal but if you don't have one a chair back or other suitable surface is fine.

7. Angle of shot

Avoid taking pictures of food from a ‘bird’s-eye’ angle (from above). This is neither interesting nor a natural way of looking at food. It is better to go for a 3/4 angle, that is, the angle you are at when eating it. For a pleasing composition, fill most of the frame with the dish. Leave a small amount of space in the foreground and a slightly larger space in the background.

8. Look at dish before taking picture

Once the dish is ready, have a close look at it. Food (like people) has a best side. Turn it around to see which area looks good from the front. For certain dishes like cottage pie, you might want to take a portion out so you can see what's in it. The current trend in food photography is for food to look ‘natural’ so leave spills of sauce, crumbs, drips etc. Cocktail sticks are useful for last-minute adjusting of the food.

9. The background

Keep the background as simple as possible. Busy, patterned china and cloths will detract from the food. Choose a simple cloth (white often works well) or bare tabletop and use plain crockery. Food can also look great in whatever it is prepared in - a baking tray, frying pan, pie dish etc.

10. Props

Simple props can be used to set the scene, such as a knife and fork or a glass. Keep the props relevant and bare in mind that in general it's best to keep the photograph simple and uncluttered.

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