* this is a sponsored post *

You guys know food is my forte and cooking is just the tip of the iceberg. Three things I’m taking into consideration in planning my dream kitchen are counter tops with ample space for entertaining, ample room for prep space and gorgeous background for food photography.

So here are my 9 tips for taking beautiful photos of food, brought to you by Stone Countertops. Let’s dive in now!

Natural Light is Your Best Friend!

You’ve heard that nothing’s better than sunlight, because it’s true. That’s why I always request to sit outside or near a window. But in my own home, I have a great source of natural lighting even though my kitchen’s colors tend to be darker it lends itself to a beautiful contrast.

Go for that POP with Complementary Colors

With light colored counter tops, you’re going to love using brighter colors that will pop in an image, whether it be a simple dish towel or brightly colored fruits you’ll get that desired “editorial look,” if you take a step back to look at what you have for staging. My tip: focus on two or three colors so as not to overwhelm the shot with too many colors.

Consider What Makes Food Look Delish

When you look at beautiful food photos what about them makes you say, “ooooo, yum!” Take those factors into consideration when you take your pictures. Get closer to the food, squeeze it, hold it in your hands- it’s those little things that make the difference.

Smaller is Better

While you probably think that taking pictures on in a big bowl will make the food look way better, it’ll actually do more harm than good. Here's where you can take out your smaller plates and bowls to your advantage. Arrange the food in a beautiful manner and you’re golden. A little goes a long way.

 Don’t Stick to One Angle

Are all your shots overhead shots? Maybe bring it down more parallel or close up. Experiment with different angles and see which photo looks and tells your story the best. You wanna showcase your talents and your ability to be able to picture a photo from different angles so it works best.

 Play with your food

Use movement to your advantage. Add hands in the frame to grab a burger or steal a fry. Drop an ice cube in the drink. Imagine how great these will look if you’re over a gorgeous background. Plus it’ll give life to your image.

Be Brave and Try Backlighting Your Photos

Backlighting can either go really well or fail miserably. I have a friend who simply won’t even touch this style of photography because she doesn’t have the patience for it. Don’t get me wrong it’s not as easy as it looks and if you don’t do it well it can look terrible. But if you’re patient and willing to keep trying the results are totally worth it. A well-backlit photograph takes skill but man, are they gorgeous. This is one of my favorite techniques.

Experiment With Hard and Soft Lighting

When you think photography, you often hear that soft light is the best option. Creating those supple soft shadows through beautifully diffused light can create magical images but that’s now where we’re playing. We’re here to push ourselves so that we can grow as photographers. So all the rules you’ve heard before, let’s break them.

For some photos like drinks or certain foods, a great hard light can play well bouncing off the angles to create an elongated shadow that’ll add some needed dimension in your photography.

Backgrounds are Your Ally

There are different types of backgrounds, textures, and layers you can choose to add dimension to your photography. A great stone countertop space can be amazing and can turn into your signature background. If not look around different antique stores for cookie sheets or old cutting boards to layer. Maybe look for textiles and fabrics that can add a pop of color for little to no extra money. There are many options for you to go a long way. One of my faves is picking up single tiles. They’re cheap, small and you can do a lot.