A lesson in food styling
Apricot & strawberry salad with ginger syrup
Earlier this week I shared with you a recipe post from a student who attended my food blogging masterclass held in June at Made in Hackney .
After all the talk of recipe writing, food writing, the how to’s of blogging AND cooking our lunch it was time for some food styling artistry and iPhone photography tips from the fantastic food and lifestyle photographer, Jo Yee
Lunchtime! Photo by Jo Yee
Jo Yee, styling the fruit salad
The subject for our artistry was an seasonal fruit salad made with gorgeous apricots, strawberries and raspberries doused in a tangy ginger syrup.
As I pointed out to the class, if I’d been making this salad at home, I’d have simply tossed all the ingredients together in a bowl, dolloped on the yoghurt and hoped for the best. But when you’re styling for a photo, attention to detail changes a mere bowl of fruit into a feast for the eyes.
Here’s what we did;
- The table was placed by the window to catch the best side light from the left.
- A gorgeous piece of linen was laid out on the table with a subtly contrasting napkin to the side.
- The fruits were delicately arranged in a stunning non-reflective ceramic bowl.
- We made sure there was an even distribution of colour – oranges, reds, and a contrasting hue of greens from the mint.
- A few pieces of apricot and mint were reserved to fill space in the back of the photo.
- The coconut yoghurt was gently swirled in its bowl to create texture and movement.
- Rather than dousing the fruits in the syrup, a light glaze was painted on with a pastry brush.
In Jo’s styling (the top shot of this post) she let the fruit bowl hang over the apricot plate. This layering helped give a dimension of height and stops the 3 round items from looking like Mickey mouse.
Who knew building a fruit salad could be so complex?
We all had a go after Jo had done her thing. This was my styling of the shot. I’ve broken the perfect photo Rule of Three, by having the four elements in the photo (fruit salad, coconut yoghurt, sliced apricot and the napkin). Other than that, I love the effect, captured simply on an iPhone.
my styling of the elements
However you construct this salad – either with care and attention as above, or simply tossed together for a quick healthful summer dessert, one thing is for sure, it is totally delicious.
- 250 mls water
- 1 Tbs maple syrup or local honey
- 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled
- 12 apricots
- 400g strawberries
- 400g raspberries
- handful fresh mint
- coconut yoghurt to serve
- Warm a cup of water, the maple syrup or honey in a saucepan till lightly simmering. Grate an inch of fresh ginger and mix it in with the syrup. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and reduce until the mixture thickens into a light syrup. Strain off the ginger bits if you prefer.
- Wash and chop the fruit into bitesized pieces.
- Pour the ginger syrup over the fruit, and stir in a large handful of chopped mint.
- Spoon into dishes to serve – add a dollop of coconut yoghurt if you like
All food shots taken with an I-phone only.
How would you style a fruit salad? With this much care?
2
Looks and sounds delicious and I love the styling – simple and appetising.
Thanks Emily, why over complicate things when the food alone is this tasty right?
refreshing and pretty salad, Ceri. The workshop sounds great and I am such a big fan of Jo’s. Thanks for passing on her tips!
Thanks Kelly. It was great fun indeed, and isn’t Jo just the best!!
This salad looks refreshing and tasty, perfect for a warm summer night. Thanks for the crash course in food staging, I think it’s time I step up my food staging and pictures. I really appreciate the tips. 🙂
Thanks Mary, my pleasure – best of luck with your food staging journey!
The photos are stunning! I easily get frustrated when taking photos because I want it to look a certain way in my head but it just won’t translate that way on the camera!
Thanks so much Nadia. Oh I know those frustrations well! They sound very familiar! I guess practice and practice and practise (and a zillion workshops) helps, I will keep practising!
I love the idea of ginger and mint with salad. Definitely need to remember to try this 🙂
Thanks Emily!
Would love to go to a class like that! Some good tips there! Love the idea of a ginger syrup with a fruit salad. 🙂
Thanks Sarah, glad you found the tips helpful. Jo is a real star isn’t she?
This looks so fresh and delicious – love the idea of the ginger syrup over the fruit, sounds yummy!
Thanks Isabella! Makes a nice change from simple fruit on its own right?