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Home » Blogging » 5 (More) Food Photography Props You Already Own

5 (More) Food Photography Props You Already Own

June 23, 2016 by Claire | The Simple, Sweet Life 15 Comments

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5

Happy Thursday fellow badass bloggers!

I realized, in going over my blogging schedule, that it’s been a while since I talked any sort of nitty-gritty bloggy stuff. About 7 months to be exact. Yikes, right?

I know, most of you are probably here for the recipes and some sweet baked goodness, but I’m afraid today’s post is more geared towards the (food) photographically inclined. If you’re looking for something sweet, you might try my fudge sundae cake or s’more tart to tide you over until next week. More goodies on the way, (girl) scout’s honor (I was a girl scout when I was younger, so that’s a serious sort of promise right there!).

For those of you here for the photography, let’s talk ways to improve your photos with props you already own. No money, no problem on this one folks! <– Best kind of post, am I right? So here you have it, 5 AWESOME photo props that I bet you already have lying around your house!

1. Pieces of newspaper or book pages

I first saw book pages being used in Rachel Korinek’s (of Two Loves Studio) photos and I was HOOKED. Like line and sinker level hooked. They add a nice bit of texture to the background of your photo without being overwhelmingly distracting. Perfect for placing under pastries, tarts, or anything else your mind dreams up. In place of book pages, I like to cut up newspaper to book page size to create the same effect.

No campfire needed for this easy s'more tart! | The Simple, Sweet Life

2. Ingredients used in the recipe

There’s just something so RIGHT about including the ingredients you used in your recipe in your photos. And don’t just stop at the star ingredients. Flour, eggs, even a pitcher of milk can look just as nice!

IMG_6700-2

3. Fabric scraps

When I’m not baking, you can find me sitting at my sewing machine quilting, which means plenty of fabric scraps for my food photos! Even if sewing isn’t your thing, I’m sure you have scraps of fabric from something, or even old clothing, lying around your house (old cut up t-shirts, fabric napkins, old sweaters…). Fabric is a nice way to add subtle texture to your photos, particularly if you use neutral tones of fabric.

No campfire needed for this easy s'more tart! | The Simple, Sweet Life

4. Bakeware

And when I say bakeware, I mean OLD bakeware. Do NOT throw away those old cookies sheets, tart pans, loaf pans, or any other sort of bakeware. Heck, trade your new cookie sheets for your Mom’s (or Grandma’s) old ones if you have to. They look FANTASTIC in photos. New bakeware tends to be shiny, which can cause ultra shiny spots (called hot spots) in your photos. Old bakeware, on the other hand, has dulled with use and makes the perfect photo accessory, not to mention it adds a vintage feel to your photos.

Easy, no-churn pineapple upside down cake ice cream | The Simple, Sweet Life

5. Crumbs and spills

I’m a big fan of slightly messy food photos. I mean, let’s face it, mess is just kind of part of the baking process. Including some of that mess, be it crumbs or spills, adds a feeling of authenticity to your photos. You’re not just sharing that perfect creation you just made, you’re sharing part of the mess that went along with it!

Make your morning a sweet one with these baked Cinnamon Toast Crunch doughnuts! | The Simple, Sweet Life

And there you have it, 5 little additions to make your food photos POP that you already have in your house! For more ideas, check out the previous post 10 Food Photography Props You Already Own.

Have a favorite, everyday sort of food photo prop that didn’t get mentioned? Share it in the comments!

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Filed Under: Blogging, Photography

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Comments

  1. Linda @ 2 Cookin' Mamas says

    June 23, 2016 at 1:24 pm

    Enjoyed your post so much. Love your photos and the ideas are excellent. Thanks for the tips! (I like add pops of color with napkins too!)

    Reply
    • The Simple, Sweet Life says

      June 24, 2016 at 2:12 pm

      Thank you Linda! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post! 🙂 Aren’t napkins just the best? 😀

      Reply
  2. Sarah @ Sarah's Bake Studio says

    June 24, 2016 at 3:02 am

    Gorgeous photos and ideas! I never thought of the fabric scraps.

    Reply
    • The Simple, Sweet Life says

      June 24, 2016 at 2:14 pm

      Thank you Sarah! 🙂 And the fabric scraps are great, particularly if you’re an avid seamstress trying to justify a closet full of fabric that was purchased for no particular reason other than “It was pretty” and “I’ll use it someday!” 😉

      Reply
  3. mscarletti says

    June 25, 2016 at 4:08 am

    These are simple, great tips. Thanks for the reminder that I don’t need to spend tons of money to make a photo look nice!

    Reply
    • The Simple, Sweet Life says

      June 27, 2016 at 10:47 pm

      You’re so welcome! 😀 Glad you found the tips helpful!

      Reply
  4. Taylor-Made Homestead says

    June 28, 2016 at 6:37 am

    Love it – I’ve always wished my food photos could be a little more original – food is the hardest thing to take pictures of! Thanks for the tips. (Stopping by from the Show & Tell Link Party)

    ~Taylor-Made Homestead~
    Texas

    Reply
    • The Simple, Sweet Life says

      July 10, 2016 at 4:31 pm

      Thanks so much for stopping by! I agree, food can just be the most difficult thing to photograph sometimes (I’m looking at you ice cream, popsicles, and other melty food items). So glad you found this post helpful! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Leanna says

    July 4, 2016 at 9:51 pm

    I am a new blogger and found these tips very helpful. I especially enjoyed your gorgeous different photos. Well done and thank you.

    Leanna

    Reply
    • The Simple, Sweet Life says

      July 10, 2016 at 4:32 pm

      I’m so glad you found this post helpful Leanna! Good luck on your blogging journey! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Francesca Bruzzese says

    August 18, 2016 at 8:32 am

    I love all of these suggestions! I am still working on my food photography skills and these were all super helpful — and to think I had been trying to hide all my old looking bakeware in photos!! 🙂

    Reply
    • The Simple, Sweet Life says

      August 20, 2016 at 8:56 pm

      I’m not even kidding when I say I offered to buy new bakeware in exchange for some of my Mum’s old, stained bakeware for use in my blog and she was absolutely horrified. But it looks SO good! 🙂 So glad you found some useful tips in here! 😀

      Reply
  7. Kev S says

    May 4, 2020 at 7:21 am

    These are simple tips that I will try to use to take better food pictures.

    Reply

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Hei på deg!

I'm Claire, the baker, blogger, sprinkle enthusiast, and cookie painter behind The Simple, Sweet Life. Whether you like simple sweets, comfort (baked) foods, or works of sugar art, you're sure to find something here to sweeten your day! Get to know me better here!

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